The Credentials:
A Victorian townhouse built in 1834, The Inn at Irving Place was created by merging two brownstones together. It opened to the public in 1994. Offering 12 guest rooms, the hotel manages to retain its historic legacy.
Tucked away (I initially struggled to find it) behind a modest front door that looks like the entrance to a family house. The main part of the hotel is the Lady Mendl teahouse, where tea is served in a choice of three lounge rooms.
Sandwiched between Union Square (with its daily farmers market, great DSW discount retailer and mammoth Whole Foods) and Gramercy Park, (one of Manhattan’s remaining private parks for residents; visitors are only able to peek through the bars) Irving Place, named after Washington Irving, definitely has a local and classic feel to it.
Dine:
The hotel is known for its five-course afternoon tea (up to 170 covers per day). I didn’t experience the tea personally but the well-groomed baby shower guests I witnessed were enjoying themselves.
Breakfast was a cold buffet of fruits, cereals and pastries. Alone in a candlelit room while dark classical music played loudly (think Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C Minor) – I also had to locate a member of staff to order a hot drink – I was startled by a noise behind me. Turning to not see anything, I called a friend on Viber to accompany me through the breakfast.
Sleep:
My room was filled with antiques (including a Royal typewriter), rugs, ornate mirrors (all selected from the owner’s private collection) and rich fabrics in keeping with the period architecture. The complimentary mini-bar contained only cola, water, popcorn and pretzels but the range of literature including Yeats’ early poetry impressed me.
Who Goes There?
There were rumors of Hollywood royalty visiting. I only saw Manhattan socialite females, ranging between age 20 and 80, during my visit.
Out & About:
With the overwhelming variety of choice and new places constantly opening it’s difficult to narrow it down but two restaurants stood out for food and scene (I visited both twice): brunch at The Smith and dinner at Tao Downtown. Other restaurants worth visiting are East 15 (expensive but everything is to die for) and the Chef’s table at Brooklyn’s only three Michelin-starred restaurant, Brooklyn Fare.
Visit the vintage clothing markets in Williamsburg (previously a Jewish area, but now a hipster/arty scene) where fashion designers shop or get inspiration for the catwalk. If you feel strong enough to fight, take a large bottle of water and visit Century 21 on Cortlandt Street for J Brand and Adriano Goldschmied (current season jeans at 70% off Bloomingdales prices) and DSW at Union Square for footwear (such as Michael Kors boots with 50% off). Another bonus is the current abolition of sales tax on clothing under $110. I purchased and imported Steve Madden’s almost identical Isabel Marant ‘sneakers’, which are currently banned for sale in Europe (much to the envy of random shoppers I’ve bumped into in Amsterdam centre).
However, my greatest gem comes in the form of Fabio Froes. Fabio ran the horse and carriage rides at Central park for years before being thrown from his horse in extreme icy conditions. After four years’ recovery, Fabio used his unrivalled knowledge of NYC to start his own luxury concierge company. He can get clients tables in restaurants with an eight-week waiting list and produces unique and creative itineraries for even the most seasoned traveller.
The Worst Thing:
At 3.45pm my room was still not ready and there was only one (with a queue) restroom to freshen up in after the long-haul flight. Refreshments were not offered by reception on arrival (or during my wait) and the Wi-Fi didn’t work 90% of the time.
The Best Thing:
It was a new experience – I’ve never stayed anywhere quite like this.
The Inn is definitely a love-it and/or hate-it property, appealing to a niche market looking for somewhere quite different to stay. You will think it either tatty or cosy like grandma’s house.
