The duplex Penthouse Suite at Hotel Gansevoort (www.hotelgansevoort.com) in New York City puts clients in one of the most elite venues in Manhattan’s emerging neighborhood, the Meat Packing District. The one-bedroom suite, which can be supplemented with an adjoining room, has mesmerizing views of the Hudson River from its step-out balcony and of the rooftops of the funky buildings now housing celebrity-chef restaurants, elite nightclubs and designer shops (Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Jeffrey, and Diane Von Furstenberg).
Who goes to Hotel Gansevoort? Those who are “hip, under 50, stylish, discerning, taste makers and business travelers looking for a real New York experience,” according to management. True to form, the hotel on a recent Wednesday night was filled with clientele arriving on business or perhaps a brief leisure trip, anxious to explore one of Manhattan’s most written-about areas.
Suites here tend to book up quickly. Twenty one-bedroom suites have the option of adding a connecting bedroom; Manhattan Suites (complete with a plasma TV, a DVD player and an intimate sitting area large enough for four) can connect to rooms with two queen beds. Grande Deluxe Rooms on the seventh floor and above have the best views of the Hudson River, although all rooms have interesting vistas of the area.
While this hotel is not for those seeking a classic midtown location, it is—at 13th Street and Ninth Avenue, at the far west side of Greenwich Village—close to the art galleries, shops and restaurants of SoHo and TriBeca.
The hotel’s rooftop garden pool in Spring will once again become one of the city's hot spots; it’s a major draw for New York’s sophisticated elite who party well into the morning and often end up on the society pages the next day, simply for being where the action is.
A guest service manager greets VIPs on arrivals and becomes their personal contact while on property. Concierge Jean Francois Tremblay has the notoriety of being the youngest member of Clefs d’Or in New York; he recently booked a private plane to take a celebrity’s dog from Los Angeles to New York. Contact General Manager Elon Kenchington directly if you’re sending a VIP.
Reservations at Ono, the hotel’s Japanese restaurant, are tough to get Thursday through Sunday, so book ahead. Nearby, Spice Market (403 West 13th St.; 212-675-2322) is the brainchild of Jean George Vongerichten.
John Clifford, president, International Travel Management.com, says the Gansevoort “is my clients’ favorite, hands-down, for its rooftop bar/pool with underwater music, its 360-degree city/Hudson River views, and the fantastic Japanese restaurant operated by China Grill’s Jeffrey Chodorow.”