Here's a blueprint for a great NYC day. Awake late in your hotel and enjoy a lie-in. Head up to the rooftop pool and smash out some lengths. Sit on a lounger and read your book while mainlining views across downtown Manhattan.
Walk five minutes to the High Line, this incredibly scenic route that takes you from the hotel through the rooftops and into midtown. Get a bagel from Liberty's. Go to the legendary boxing bar Jimmy's Corner for $3 beers and ogle photos of Muhammad Ali et al. (Tell Alonso behind the bar, the British in the pink bucket hat sent you.)
Return via High Line and finish your book on a bench overlooking the Hudson. Back to the hotel for dinner at Estelle’s, the house restaurant. Watch the day turn into evening. Wallow in the beauty of New York City and life in general.
For years, the Meatpacking District wasn't one of New York’s most celebrated neighbourhoods – the name makes it sound more akin to Spitalfields Market than Shoreditch High Street. In fact it's far cooler than either. Back in the day there were slaughterhouses a plenty but now the Meatpacking is better known for its boutique shops, art galleries and thriving bar scene. The location offers easy access to midtown or Brooklyn. Saying that, you won’t be in a hurry to leave.
Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC
There's much to do here. Little Island has an open air theatre and killer views, especially at sunset. Chelsea Market offers basically every type of food imaginable, although be prepared to queue for the more popular ones. The Whitney is one of the most famous art museums in America, showcasing more than 25,000 works across two centuries. And of course you have the Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC, a wonderful boutique hotel that provides a perfect base for your stay.
A wee bit of history: Gansevoort Street is named after General Peter Gansevoort, a Revolutionary War officer whose grandson, Herman Melville, worked just down the road as an outdoor customs inspector – and later wrote Moby Dick. The Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC opened in 2004, a luxury hotel that served as a symbol – and also a catalyst – for the increasing gentrification of the area.
The rooftop bar
I suppose the rooftop pool is the highpoint (pun very much intended). Maybe if you stayed there, say, a year, the novelty of swimming alongside rooftops might wear off but I’d certainly like the chance to find out. There’s also a cracking cocktail bar up here, serving some great mixes and a fairly expansive food menu. I recommend the Smokescreen (made with Mezcal) and the sushi. You can order many dishes poolside but this is a classy joint so don’t expect to wander in here wearing swimming trunks.
The main restaurant is Estelles, way down on street level. It’s named after the co-owner’s grandmother and serves contemporary American cuisine made to a high quality. So you can order meatballs, burger or streak frites; you can also go a little more refined with steak tartare or halibut. I paired sea and land, starting with mussels diablo made with tomato and chilli – delicious – and then hitting up farm chicken with potato and vegetables. A really lovely meal heightened by the pleasure of sitting outdoors on the pavement and watching the world go by.
Estelle's
I could also watch the world go by from my bedroom, albeit from a considerably higher vantage point. Like most American hotels, the Gansevoort goes up rather than out; your window will likely provide a decent view. The rooms themselves are stylish and spacious; the marble bathroom features a massive rain shower spacious, along with L’Occitane products that’ll have you smelling like a provencal garden. There's also a fully equipped basement gym if a morning swim isn’t enough cardio for you.
The whole point of New York is discovery. For locals, it's bars and restaurants; while us tourists get to discover whole neighbourhoods. Next time you're in town, take yourself to the Meatpacking District – and the Gansevoort.
Room rates start from £444 a night; Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC
