Taking the elevator to the 18th floor of Thompson LES in New York’s Lower East Side, we hardly noticed the hipster to our right dripping in cool and the buttoned-down businessman to our left—a perfect amalgam that describes this new über-swank boutique hotel. Instead, our eyes were fixed on the mini-screen embedded in the elevator’s paneling, on which played Fellini’s La Dolce Vita.
This is just one of the little wonders that differentiates Thompson Hotels, the chain that has made quite a name for itself in New York, a city with no shortage of premium properties.
Our second surprise came when the elevator door opened and we were blinded by the sunlight that drenched the two-floored Thompson Loft, the hotel’s top suite. Once our eyes adjusted, we fingered the culprit: 24-foot-high glass windows that ran the length of the living room space.
Guests are initially drawn to the glass doors, which lead to a private balcony that runs the breadth of the loft (the suite takes up the entire 18th and 19th floors, so guests won’t have to worry about bothering neighbors when entertaining). Once we stepped onto the balcony, we were bowled over by the views: The Brooklyn Bridge spanned the south; uptown, the Empire State Building stood out like a sharpened pencil against the city skyline.
Inside, the loft has all the creature comforts of a top suite: three flat-screen TVs (two downstairs, one upstairs in the master bedroom) hang on white walls, which contrast well with the black, burnished hardwood floors. Climbing the stairs, we arrived in the master bedroom, which was endearing in its simplicity: the king-size bed is of the platform variety and backed by a striking Lee Friedlander print (the photographer’s images are strewn throughout the hotel’s 141 rooms). The master bath is a study in modernity, with a freestanding granite tub, rainforest shower and zebrawood vanities.
Luxury travel advisors can contact Sales Manager Lily Engles ([email protected]; 212-542-8681), who can also give details on Thompson LES’ two other top suites, the Thompson Suites, and the crowd-pleasing Shang restaurant.
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The Thompson Loft features north to south views of the New York skyline and a master bedroom featuring a Lee Friedlander print above the bed. |