The Hudson is part of a chain of boutique hotels including the Sanderson in London and three other properties in New York. Infamous for small rooms and snooty staff the hotel claims to offer value for money chic for a trendy young crowd with money to spend but not to waste. After spotting a special offer on the web it sounded an interesting place for a short break in the Big Apple.
It would have been easy to miss the entrance to the hotel had it not been for the queue of people wanting to get into the hotel bar. Immediately one of the major benefits of being a guest became apparent – entry to the Hudson Bar. Checking in was quick and efficient. Despite
booking online and paying considerably less than the advertised room rate, we were treated with the same ambivalence as the very glamorous and expensively dressed couple in front whose suite had been booked by his PA.
The room was small. No other way to describe it. Apparently modelled on the cabin of a luxury liner the size was, I’m sure, accurate. Having said that, small is beautiful and this was an example of quality not quantity. The floor and wall panels are made of a dark wood which could have been claustrophobic but were warmed by soft lighting. The bed was big and comfortable with masses of down pillows and acres of duvet. There was pleanty of storage, a good thing as there was very little floor space to scatter things about, forcing us to be tidier than usual. The TV came with cable (Law and Order seems better in New York, like Guiness in Dublin), there was a CD player, a safe, internet connection and a twin linehi-tech phone with voice mail – not that anybody called us. The bathroom was equally compact but well designed and glass walls made it feel more spacious than it was. The toiletries were very posh (like the ones you get in a spa my girlfriend informs me) and available to buy at an exorbitant price. Everything felt well designed and luxurious as if it had come off the pages of a fashion magazine and I would have been happy to spend the weekend cocooned in my cabin. But that’s not what the trip was about.
Exploring our temporary home we first went up to the rooftop terrace which had views over the Hudson river and Midtown and was a good way to get ones bearings, although the building is not that tall compared to some of its neighbours. We went back down to the lobby and into the Hudson Bar which was by now very busy. The lighting comes from the glass floor which was a bit disorientating to start with but easier after a few drinks. There was a variety of chairs, sofas and benches draped with beautiful people. It was a pretty mixed crowd though who seemed intent on having fun and were friendly and unpretentious. Unlike the bar staff. Maybe it was just because it was busy but they made you feel like they were doing you a favour by serving you. Despite this we ended up staying until last orders at 4am and making lots of local friends who showed us around the next day.
In daylight the staff seemed friendlier and more of the hotel's designer touches became apparent. The rooms, corridors, lobbies, even the lifts, have original art work and photographs. And architecturely the hotel is stunning. We planned our day in the outdoor courtyard which in the evening had served as an overflow to the bar but was now the perfect place to sit and chill out. It is a lovely hotel and the style and class rub off on you, making you feel good just being there. Descending the escalator from the lobby to the front door and stepping out onto the street you feel a million dollars. The hotel won’t be for everyone but if it sounds your kind of place then I would highly recommend it. Despite it being called a boutique hotel it is big – 1,000 rooms – and checking out took us over an hour. There is a 24 hour gym somewhere in the hotel should you feel the need and a couple of other restaurants and bars which we didn’t go to. It’s a couple of minutes walk from the South West corner of Central Park and pretty much handy for everthing. We paid 120GBP per night including tax at 13.5% and a 2USD service charge but not including breakfast.
The Hudson Hotel is at 356 West 58th Street (cross street 9th Avenue).
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