One of the things that insures you are exceptionally well cared for when you travel, is my relationship with the top hoteliers around the globe. My agency is affiliated with the very best luxury hotels in the world, including Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts which is near and dear to my heart. Yes, the product is exceptional and consistent worldwide, but it is the people that make the difference. The way Four Seasons selects their employees and then takes such great care of them, is truly reflected in how the guests are treated.
(Disclaimer: I was also a Four Seasons employee for nearly a decade where I worked in the Worldwide Sales office in Atlanta, during which time I had the marvelous opportunity to travel and stay in 65 Four Seasons properties. When my husband’s job took us to live in London, I started an inaugural UK based sales office for Four Seasons representing two of the Four Seasons properties and their live-aboard diving boat in the Maldives. I was also on the opening team for two new resorts in Mauritius and the Seychelles. What an incredible way to get to know the Indian Ocean!)
So back to now, my agency is a Four Seasons Preferred Partner Agency and it was an honor to have been invited to New York City to the new and fabulous Four Seasons Hotel New York (downtown) to participate in the Four Seasons Preferred Partner Leadership Forum. This was a two day forum during which we met with Four Seasons’s senior leadership to learn what is going on with the brand and new openings.
If you think downtown NYC is just for business, think again! Downtown is now the hippest part of Manhattan and exactly where you are going to find New Yorkers in the know!
My dear friend helped me to map out 3 great days in Downtown with I am sharing with you here. Get ready to do it like a local and smack your lips as you eat your way through this yummy part of the city! (check out the maps below to see the proximity of the fun and games). While I have several favorite hotels downtown, the sleek and service-oriented Four Seasons is going to delight anyone savvy enough to stay here. The restaurant, the spa, the warmth are worth the trip but shopping, restaurants and culture will keep you coming back! Enjoy!
“3 Days in Downtown NYC”
Day 1 – Quintessential Downtown Neighborhoods (best option for a nice day):
- 9am – Start the day at Chelsea Market, grab coffee and a bite to eat in there
- 10am – Head upstairs and walk the Highline going south
- 11am – Take in an exhibit at the Whitney Museum
- 1pm – Walk through the beautiful cobble stone streets of the Meatpacking District and West Village and grab lunch at a classic West Village spot like Barbuto, High Street on Hudson, Hudson Clearwater, Morandi, Buvette, Little Owl, etc.
- 3pm – Head east and stop at Washington Square Park and the Washington Square Arch
- 4pm – Cross Houston Street and do some shopping in the boutiques of SoHo such as Kirna Zabete, The Laundress, Repetto, Canvas Home, etc.
- 6pm – In summertime, cab or walk west to the waterfront at Pier 25 and have a cocktail and/or some oysters at Grand Banks or City Vineyard and maybe play a round of minigolf. In wintertime, walk east to NoLiTa to browse the many independent boutiques, and grab a drink/coffee in one of the cosy cafes/cocktail bars there such as Sant Ambroeus, Gimme Coffee, Mother’s Ruin, YN, etc.
- 8pm – Head to back Greenwich Village for a Michelin starred dinner at one of the 8 Michelin starred restaurants in this area. Some favorites: Carbone, Minetta Tavern, Babbo, and Blue Hill (**if you are with kids and want to forego the Michelin stars, go instead to Otto for great Mario Batali pizza, Murray’s Cheese for fondue, or Tacombi Bleecker for Mexican…all great for kids)
Day 2 – Lower Manhattan Revitalized (best option for a rainy day):
- 9am – Begin the day with a coffee from Hugh Jackman’s coffee spot “Laughing Man Coffee”
- 10am – Continue south to the Oculus, Santiago Calatrava’s $4 billion transportation hub and Westfield shopping center
- 11am – Do some shopping in the Oculus, and in the new Saks Fifth Avenue at Brookfield Place
- 12pm – Take a cooking class at the Institute for Culinary Education
- 3pm – Stop into Eataly Downtown to browse and grab lunch or just a gelato
- 4pm – Grab an early evening drink at Dead Rabbit, the “best bar in the world”
- 6pm – On the way back afterwards, make sure to walk past Trinity Church where Alexander Hamilton is buried
- 7pm – Head way up to the 102nd floor observatory at One World Trade to take in the sunset
- 8pm – For dinner, dine at one of the 4 Michelin starred restaurants right nearby in TriBeCa and lower Manhattan: L’appart, Atera, Jungsik, Batard (**if you are with kids and want to forego the Michelin stars, go instead to Ninja New York in TriBeCa for an immersive sushi experience great for kids)
Day 3 – Museums and Brooklyn:
- 10am – Big Onion walking tour of the Lower East Side
- 12pm – Grab a true NYC brunch of bagels and lox at Russ & Daughters Café
- 2pm – Do a tour of the Tenement Museum (**especially if you are traveling with kids)
- 4pm – Head back down and take in the 9/11 Memorial and Museum (**careful with the museum when traveling with very young kids as it can be very emotional)
- 6pm – At dusk, walk the Brooklyn Bridge over to DUMBO, Brooklyn
- 7pm – With kids head to Jane’s Carousel for a ride with some of the best views in the city, without kids grab a drink at the rooftop of One Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
- 8pm – Dinner at Cecconi’s/River Cafe/Vinegar Hill House (**if you are with kids, take the water taxi back to Wall Street Pier 11 and head to Industry Kitchen for beautiful views and a restaurant that’s great for kids)
