This $6,000-a-night fairy-tale hotel room ruined my budget travel

Real estate

The building, at 123 Nassau St. in New York, completed in 1883. At that time, it was Clinton Hall, where the Mercantile Library Association was located. It has several libraries and writing rooms frequented by Edgar Allen Poe. It was also the site of some of New York University’s first classes.

It has changed hands several times over the past 130 years or so, but it opened as The Beekman in 2016. Many of its original elements – like the beautiful historic atrium and much of the original brickwork surrounding it. – has been carefully preserved.

As for the spots where the tiles were too degraded, The Beekman tracked down the family-owned company that produced the original tiles and convinced them to replace them. To protect the tile in high-traffic areas, the hotel also ordered custom carpeting that looks exactly like the tile pattern underneath it.

In addition to the 287 rooms – 38 of which are suites, including the turret – The Beekman also has three restaurants, as well as a basement nightclub that was still under construction when I was there.

Chef Tom Colicchio’s Bar and Temple Court Room takes up most of the space on the ground floor.

The former forms the basis of the spectacular atrium, and it is open all day serving food and drink with a pleasant and literary atmosphere. (Think of the dark colors, bookshelves, tassel lights, and artwork bearing Poe’s image.)

The latter, a more enticing five-course dish, is located just around the corner from The Bar Room and is only open for dinner every night. Finally, chef Daniel Boulud’s Le Gratin is a French bistro-style restaurant serving Lyon-inspired cuisine.

Room

The Attic Turret rooms, which are mirror images of each other, are essentially small apartments (though larger than many you’ll find in New York) built on The Beekman. Originally designed as office spaces, they have since been converted into comfortable and well-appointed two-story loft suites with great amenities.

After check-in, the floor staff will pick up your luggage and escort you to the first of two elevators. Upon reaching the ninth floor, you’ll enter a second floor that takes you up an additional story for a keycard to the private entrance to the Turret Penthouses.

I stayed in the west wing. If that’s not enough to give me a serious “Beauty and the Beast” feel, the covered terrace leading to the suites is like something straight out of a fairy tale, complete with flowers. fake wisteria and plenty of seating (usually used for gatherings like weddings or showers).

Once inside, you’ll find a serious “Sleep No More” atmosphere – the dark colors represent early 20th-century decadence. There’s a bit of appeal about it all, from the rugs and furniture. does not match the bright white half-bath that can be found on the first floor in stark contrast to the rest of the dimly lit space.

If a terrace isn’t enough, you can exit through a side door to an outdoor patio with city views and plenty of seating in case you and a few friends want to break into the mini bar. full of room furniture. There’s also room service, with some great small plate options for entertainment.

The two loft suites share the outdoor space, so when both rooms are occupied, a large faux flower wall is added to divide the middle and provide privacy. The space can also be expanded for weddings and other events if the homeowner booked both suites.

The loft area on the second floor of the suites will also leave you gasping. In addition to the huge (and extremely comfortable) king-size bed, there’s also a large TV, a freestanding bathtub (yes, I do bubble bath) and the actual turret, from which hang one of the largest and most glittering chandeliers I’ve ever seen.

Although the actual structure was built in the 1800s and furnished to look like something from the 1920s or 1930s, there’s still plenty of modern luxury.

I love the heated floor in the bathroom. While the technology is seamlessly integrated with the aesthetic, some of it proved a bit overwhelming for me. At first, the power window shades were difficult to use; some light switches don’t seem to control anything; The TV’s Chromecast downstairs failed to connect; and at one point the speakers in the room started playing music which took me 10 minutes to turn off.

However, the sheer nature of the space, the efficiency of the staff, the deliciousness of the room service items I ordered and the beautiful terrace space made me feel like a princess. opposite to. Also, I slept like a rock and had one of the most amazing bubble baths the next morning. (I was even able to secure a 1pm late checkout.)

What does this mean for my travel habits

After staying at one of the Turret Penthouses, I admit I’ll have a hard time returning to the less flashy hotel rooms my budget allows.