$1 March Madness

Posted by Staff in Budget Thursdays, New York

In celebration of SU Orange’s #1 seed in March Madness, Syracuse is offering a variety of $1 deals throughout the city for residents and visitors alike. There are even $1 hotel stays!!

Incredibly, 22 local hotels, restaurants & attractions (i.e., museums, spas – even the opera!) have signed up to offer discounts for The Orange’s run through the NCAA tournament. To receive all deals, interested parties need to simply mention the “1 for 1 All the Way.” Please find a full list of “Syracuse’s 1 for 1 All the Way” deals at:  www.visitsyracuse.org/alltheway

Retro chic podding

Posted by Staff in Budget Thursdays, New York

Obviously travelers have become less concerned about space and more concerned about money…since writing about The Pod Hotel last week, I was told about another podesque hotel opening in New York, The Jane…and although I have not seen this one first hand, it is owned by one of my favorite LA restauranteurs, Sean MacPherson…creator of LA’s hippest restaurants including Swingers, Jones, and El Carmen. MacPherson partnered with Eric Goode and is now in the process of restoring the defunct Riverview Hotel and transforming it into the new and improved Jane Hotel. 

“In the ‘80s you would find both character and characters in these eccentric hotels like the Chelsea or the old Windsor Arms,” MacPherson says. “So many young people have a romanticized notion of bohemia New York, but have trouble finding it these days. Virtually all-new Manhattan hotels seem to be versions of each other, high-end design palaces. By restoring the landmark hotel, rather than renovating it, we hope to resurrect an authentic slice of idiosyncratic New York, bathrooms down the hall and all.”

Be one with the pod

Posted by Staff in Budget Thursdays, New York

Some cities lend themselves to spending little time in your room and more time on the streets, a perfect example is New York.  So when I discovered The Pod Hotel, I knew it was the perfect budget abode for the Big Apple.

First let’s get something straight, this place is about budget not space, with rooms starting at $79, it is quite a deal for this often expensive city.  I have come across several travelers who complained about lack of space…but at a hotel called The Pod, what do you expect?! That said, with what little space they offer, The Pod Hotel has made the best possible use of it.

Designer Vanessa Guilford drew inspiration from mass transit’s clever use of space and intuitive design features.  The space-saving solutions aboard trains, planes and even boats provided an automatic bank of ideas.  Likewise, the hotel’s lighting and furnishings were influenced by mass transit’s streamlined design approach and fuss-free functionality.  

Centrally located in Manhattan’s midtown eastside neighborhood, the hotel has 347 rooms ranging from singles, doubles, to bunk bed rooms and even more spacious townhouse suites that sleep up to four. 152 guest rooms have shared baths and feature an in-room display, similar to the illuminating panel found on an airplane, which allows guests to easily distinguish if the shared bath is occupied…and avoiding National Lampoon like disasters.

The Pod Café, the Hotel’s outdoor garden café, serves breakfast daily and offers a variety of light fare menu items in addition to fresh pastries from NYC’s renowned Balthazar’s Bakery, plus espressos that are rainforest alliance certified. Additionally, The Pod Café is also open for “Happy Hour”, which features a menu of small bites, tasting plates and innovative sandwiches and salads as well as beer, wine and signature drinks, such as the “Pod Fizz”.  

If budget is your top priority and space is on the bottom of the list…you’ll find a perfect match at ThePodHotel.com

The spa life

Posted by Staff in New York, Sundays Spa Report

Ever go to the spa and wish your life could be like this every day?  Miraval Living is the answer.

The famed Miraval Spa in Arizona has decided to expand into the growing “vacation living” market with their new condo complex in Manhattan called Miraval Living.

In addition to super swank digs, the communal areas include an olympic sized non-chlorinated indoor pool, a 20,000 sq. ft. outdoor green area (rare in Manhattan), a health cafe, creative arts studio, state of the art gym, yoga studio and of course a Miraval Spa.

The monthly fees in the building include use of the facilities, the personal trainers and life coaches.

For those who have $750k to $4 million to spend on a vacation home, sign up at miravalliving.com