NYC's Hottest Hotel Secret: Hotel Lynx Awaits!
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because we're diving HEADFIRST into the supposed "Hottest Hotel Secret" in NYC: Hotel Lynx Awaits! And let me tell you, after a few days of sniffing around, sleeping (and spilling coffee) in those hallowed halls, I’ve got a LOT to say. This isn't your typical, sanitized travel review, folks. This is the real deal. Get ready for some serious, unfiltered truth bombs.
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First Impressions (and a slight panic attack about the elevators):
Okay, so "secret" might be a slight exaggeration. It’s not like you need a password and a blindfold to get in. But the location? Yeah, it’s tucked away… in a way that initially made me question my Uber driver's sanity. Found it though! The exterior is sleek, modern, with a hint of "we're too cool for school" vibe. Getting inside was… a journey. The elevators? They look fancy, all chrome and minimalist chic, but they’re SLOW. Like, "contemplate your life choices while waiting" slow. Not ideal when you're hangry and need a burger ASAP. (More on that burger later.)
Accessibility? Let's Get Real (and a little less corporate):
Right, so accessibility. This is HUGE for me, and honestly, a dealbreaker for many. Hotel Lynx Awaits! mostly delivers. Wheelchair accessible is a big check. The lobby, restaurants, and common areas are easily navigable. The elevators, once you finally arrive, are large enough. They also have facilities for disabled guests. However, I'd love to see a ramp at the entrance, it's not a deal breaker, but it can be a pain to navigate.
- On-site accessible restaurants / lounges: Yes, thankfully! More on the food later, but navigating those areas was a breeze. No cramped spaces or awkward angles.
- Elevator: Yup, and they’re… well, they exist. Pray you're not in a rush.
- Bathroom: I didn't check the accessible rooms, but I'm hoping they have everything.
Rooms: The Good, The Okay, and the Slightly Questionable:
My room? Pretty damn swanky. Air conditioning? Check. Free Wi-Fi? Double check! (Seriously, Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! is a godsend.) The Wi-Fi was strong too, which is a huge win, because I need to work, and let's be honest, stream some trashy reality TV.
Available in all rooms:
- Additional toilet: Nope, but the bathroom was spacious.
- Alarm clock: Yes, and a good one!
- Bathrobes: Comfy ones!
- Bathroom phone: Because why not?
- Bathtub: My room had a lovely, deep soaking tub.
- Blackout curtains: Essential for sleeping off a night of… well, let's say "researching the local cocktail scene."
- Carpeting: Plush and luxurious.
- Closet: Plenty of space for my (excessive) luggage.
- Coffee/tea maker: Crucial.
- Complimentary tea: Nice touch.
- Daily housekeeping: Spot on. My room was always spotless.
- Desk: Perfect for working (or pretending to).
- Extra long bed: HUGE, which is great for a restless sleeper.
- Free bottled water: Always appreciated.
- Hair dryer: Powerful, which is a win.
- High floor: I had a killer view.
- In-room safe box: Standard.
- Internet access – LAN: Not sure I even used this.
- Internet access – wireless: Yes, and it worked!
- Ironing facilities: Present and accounted for.
- Laptop workspace: Definitely good.
- Linens: High-quality.
- Mini bar: Tempting, but I resisted (mostly).
- Mirror: Yes, many.
- Non-smoking: Thank goodness.
- On-demand movies: A decent selection, perfect for a lazy night.
- Private bathroom: Yes.
- Reading light: Great.
- Refrigerator: Handy for keeping drinks cold.
- Safety/security feature: Yes, and I felt safe.
- Satellite/cable channels: A decent selection.
- Scale: Ugh.
- Seating area: Comfortable.
- Separate shower/bathtub: Yes.
- Shower: Good water pressure.
- Slippers: Luxury!
- Smoke detector: Present.
- Socket near the bed: Crucial for charging my phone.
- Sofa: Comfy.
- Soundproofing: Mostly effective, but I could still hear some hallway noise.
- Telephone: Old-school!
- Toiletries: Decent quality.
- Towels: Plush and fluffy.
- Umbrella: A nice touch, considering NYC weather.
- Visual alarm: Didn't need it, but good that it's there.
- Wake-up service: Reliable.
- Window that opens: YES! Fresh air is a must.
Room decorations: The decorations were good, but they lacked personality.
Soundproof rooms: Mostly effective, but sometimes the hallway noise was noticeable.
Interconnecting room(s) available: I did not use this.
The Spa & Relaxation: My Happy Place (Mostly):
Okay, the spa. This is where Hotel Lynx Awaits! really shines.
- Body scrub: Yes, and amazing!
- Body wrap: Yes, and relaxing.
- Foot bath: I skipped it, but it looked lovely.
- Gym/fitness: The Fitness center was well-equipped, but a little cramped.
- Massage: Yes, and it was pure bliss. I could have stayed there all day.
- Pool with view: The indoor Swimming pool is a dream.
- Sauna: Yes.
- Spa: The entire spa experience was top-notch.
- Spa/sauna: Highly recommended.
- Steamroom: Yes.
- Swimming pool: The indoor one is gorgeous.
I spent a solid three hours in the spa one afternoon, and it was the closest I've come to Nirvana in a long time. The massage was seriously the best I've ever had. The sauna was hot, the steamroom was steamy, and the pool with view… well, let's just say I could get used to that.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: The Food Adventure (Mixed Bag):
- A la carte in restaurant: Yes, and delicious.
- Alternative meal arrangement: Available.
- Asian breakfast: Available.
- Asian cuisine in restaurant: Yes.
- Bar: Yes, and the cocktails were strong!
- Bottle of water: Provided.
- Breakfast [buffet]: Yes, and good.
- Breakfast service: Yes.
- Buffet in restaurant: Yes.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: Yes.
- Coffee shop: Yes.
- Desserts in restaurant: Yes, and the chocolate cake was heavenly.
- Happy hour: Yes.
- International cuisine in restaurant: Yes.
- Poolside bar: Yes.
- Restaurants: Multiple options.
- Room service [24-hour]: Yes, and very convenient.
- Salad in restaurant: Yes.
- Snack bar: Yes.
- Soup in restaurant: Yes.
- Vegetarian restaurant: Yes.
- Western breakfast: Yes.
- Western cuisine in restaurant: Yes.
The food situation at Hotel Lynx Awaits! is… a mixed bag. The main restaurant is decent, with a good a la carte menu and solid international cuisine. The breakfast buffet was decent, but nothing to write home about. Now, that burger I mentioned earlier? The one I was craving after a long day of… well, "research"? Utter disappointment. Dry, flavorless, and overpriced. A complete tragedy. But the desserts? Oh, the desserts. Worth every single calorie. The
Escape to Paradise: Erawan Pool Villa, Nong Bua Lam Phu
Okay, buckle up, buttercup. We're about to dive headfirst into a gloriously messy New York City adventure, all starting from the supposed "luxury" of the Hotel Lynx. (Spoiler alert: luxury is subjective, especially after a 6-hour flight and a screaming baby on the subway.)
Hotel Lynx, NYC: My Existential Crisis & Bagel-Fueled Rampage
Day 1: Arrival & The Great Luggage Debacle of '23
- 1:00 PM: Arrival at JFK (or, the equivalent of arriving on another planet): Okay, first things first. The flight. Let's just say I'm pretty sure the person behind me was practicing their operatic skills using my seat as a resonator. Seriously. Vibrato city. And the kid? Forget about it. I'm pretty sure I aged a decade in the 6 hours.
- 2:30 PM: The Subway Shuffle (or, How I Learned to Hate Crowds and Love the Smell of Hot Dogs): Okay, I'm officially convinced the NYC subway system is a living, breathing organism. A sweaty, sometimes smelly, often-pushy organism. But hey, it got me to the hotel. (Eventually. After three wrong turns and a near-death experience involving a rogue suitcase.)
- 3:30 PM: Hotel Lynx - The "Luxury" Unveiled: Okay, so the website promised "opulent comfort." Opulent? Maybe. Comfort? Debatable. The lobby is… well, it’s got a lot of gold. Maybe too much gold. My room? Let's just say it's cozy. Like, "I could touch all four walls while simultaneously brushing my teeth" cozy. The view? Mostly a brick wall. But hey, at least there's a mini-fridge. (And I’m already plotting my invasion of the tiny water bottles.)
- 4:00 PM: Luggage Nightmare: My suitcase. The one I so carefully packed? Gone. Vanished. Poof. Turns out it decided to take a scenic route to… who knows where. The front desk lady (who, bless her heart, looked like she'd seen some things) just shrugged and said, "It happens." "It happens?!" This is not a good start. This is a "I-might-just-wear-this-t-shirt-for-the-next-three-days" start.
- 5:00 PM: Bagel Therapy: Okay, I'm not going to lie. I was a little hangry. Luggage-less, tired, and smelling vaguely of airplane air. But then… I found a bagel shop. A real New York bagel shop. Everything bagel, with lox, cream cheese, and a side of pure, unadulterated joy. It was a religious experience. Suddenly, the world didn't seem so bad. In fact, it seemed… bagel-shaped.
- 6:00 PM: Wandering & Wondering (or, "Am I Really Here?"): I just walked. No plan. No map. Just me, my bagel-induced euphoria, and the overwhelming feeling of being in New York City. The energy. The noise. The people. It's… a lot. But also, kind of amazing. I saw a street performer playing the saxophone. He was terrible, but the crowd loved him. And for a brief moment, I loved him too.
- 7:00 PM: Dinner Disaster & Early Night: Okay, so I thought I'd try a "charming Italian restaurant" I found online. Turns out, "charming" meant "cramped" and "Italian" meant "overpriced and under-seasoned." I sent my pasta back (a first for me!). I ended up eating a slice of pizza from a nearby stand. It was glorious. I'm going to blame the flight and the luggage. I'm beat. Back to the "cozy" room. Praying for my luggage to magically appear.
Day 2: Art, Anxiety, and the Quest for the Perfect Slice
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast of Champions (or, the Second Bagel Intervention): Another bagel. This time, a sesame seed with butter. This is my life now. I'm okay with it.
- 10:00 AM: MoMA Mayhem (or, "Why Did I Wear These Shoes?"): MoMA. I'd always wanted to go. And it was… overwhelming. So much art. So many people. I spent an hour in front of a Pollock, trying to understand what the fuss was about. I still don't get it. My feet hurt. I might have accidentally bumped into someone's incredibly expensive sculpture. (Sorry, art world!)
- 1:00 PM: The Great Pizza Hunt (or, "Still Searching for That Slice of Heaven"): I’m on a mission. The pizza place from the previous day was good, but not great. I’m on a quest for the holy grail of pizza. This is serious business. I asked a local for a recommendation. He gave me a look like I'd asked him to reveal the secrets of the universe. ("Everyone has their own favourite, kid.")
- 2:00 PM: Central Park Escape (or, "Finding My Inner Squirrel"): The city was starting to get to me. The noise, the crowds, the constant feeling of being slightly lost. Central Park was a lifesaver. I sat on a bench, watched the people go by, and felt… calm. For, like, five minutes. Then a squirrel tried to steal my sandwich. (I won.)
- 3:00 PM: Shopping Spree (or, "I'm Broke, But I Have a New Scarf!"): Needed some retail therapy. Bought a ridiculous scarf I don't need. I'm not sure what I was thinking, except maybe "distract yourself from the fact that you’re wearing the same t-shirt as yesterday.”
- 4:00 PM: The Pizza Revelation (or, "I Think I Found It!"): The recommended pizza place. It was a small, unassuming place. The crust was perfect. The sauce was tangy. The cheese… oh, the cheese. I almost wept. This is what I came to New York for. This is what makes the luggage-less, sleep-deprived, slightly-chaotic trip worthwhile.
- 6:00 PM: The View from the Top (or, "Am I Going to Throw Up?"): Decided to go to the Top of the Rock. The view was incredible. Breathtaking. But also… a little terrifying. I'm afraid of heights. But I did it. And the city looked so small. So manageable. Almost.
- 7:00 PM: Dinner & Drinks (or, "Maybe I'll Just Stay in the Room and Eat More Bagels"): Tried to be adventurous and go to a fancy cocktail bar. The drinks were expensive. The music was loud. I felt out of place. I ended up sneaking away to a deli and getting a sandwich. Seriously, back to the room, more bagels.
Day 3: Brooklyn Bridge, Bookstores, and the Reality of Leaving
- 9:00 AM: The Brooklyn Bridge Walk (or, "Is This a Tourist Trap? Yes. Do I Care? No."): Walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. It was crowded. The wind was brutal. But the views were spectacular. Everyone was taking pictures. I took pictures. It was cheesy. I loved it.
- 11:00 AM: Bookworm Bliss (or, "I Could Live Here"): Visited a bookstore in Brooklyn. I love bookstores. The smell of old books. The quiet. The possibility. I spent an hour getting lost in the stacks. I could have stayed there all day.
- 1:00 PM: Lunch in Brooklyn (or, "I'm Officially a Local"): Found a cute little cafe and had a sandwich with a side of people-watching. Brooklyn is cool. I get it.
- 2:00 PM: Last-Minute Souvenir Shopping (or, "Do They Have Luggage Here?"): More shopping. Still no luggage. Bought a t-shirt that says, "I Survived New York." Fitting.
- 3:00 PM: The Sad Farewell (or, "I Don't Want to Go Home"): Got a coffee. Sat in a park. Watched the people. Realized I was starting to feel… comfortable. I was starting to get used to the chaos. I didn't want to leave.
- 4:00 PM: Back to the Hotel Lynx (or, "Is My Luggage Still Missing?"): The front desk lady gave me a sympathetic look. Still no luggage.
- 6:00 PM: Final Bagel (or, "I'm Going to Miss These"): One last bagel. Everything. With cream cheese. A moment of silence.
- 7:00 PM: Dinner Debacle (or, "I'm Running Out of Time"): Ordered a pizza. Ate it quickly in the room, packed my bag, and then realized I couldn't find my passport. Panic. Found it.
- **8:00 PM
Hotel Lynx Awaits: The Truth (And the Drama)
Okay, spill. What's *actually* special about Hotel Lynx? Because every review is like, "Magical! Hidden Gem!" and I'm starting to side-eye the hype.
Alright, alright, settle down. I get it. "Hidden Gem" is basically code for "Instagram bait." But…look, Hotel Lynx *is* different. It's not just the (admittedly stunning) art deco lobby or the location – smack-dab in the middle of, like, *everything* but somehow still feels…secret. It's… the vibe. Seriously. Remember that time I was so stressed about a work presentation, I’d basically forgotten how to breathe? I checked in, and the concierge (a woman named Beatrice with a smile that could melt glaciers) just… *knew*. She sent up a pot of chamomile tea, a tiny, perfect chocolate truffle, and, I swear to you, a playlist of chill-out music that was *uncannily* tailored to my exact mood. It was borderline creepy, in the best way possible. That's the Lynx magic. It's about the *details*. They get you. They *see* you. And that, my friends, is rare in a city that's usually trying to hustle you for a buck. Okay, I'm starting to sound like a brochure, but seriously… try it. You might just fall in love. (And, yes, the rooftop bar is amazing. Don't tell anyone I told you.)
Is it *really* hard to get a reservation? I've heard horror stories.
Okay, yes. The reservation situation is a *nightmare*. Forget booking last minute. You're talking weeks, sometimes months, in advance. I actually tried to book a room for my anniversary, and I kid you not, I had to set a *calendar alert* for the day the reservations opened up, and I still almost missed it. It was a bloodbath. Website crashed, phones were ringing off the hook… it was like trying to score Taylor Swift tickets. But, listen, the concierge *can* work miracles. If you're flexible with your dates and willing to be a little persistent (and maybe offer a small, *ahem*, "token of appreciation" to your contact…), you might be able to weasel your way in. Don't tell anyone I told you that either, though.
What about the price? Is it… you know… bank-breaking?
Let's just say you won't find any Motel 6 rates there. It's definitely on the pricier side. But, and this is a big BUT, you're paying for an *experience*. The rooms are gorgeous, the service is impeccable, and the whole place just oozes… *luxury*. However, I've noticed a slight uptick in prices lately. Inflation, I guess. So, yeah, save your pennies. Or, you know, sell a kidney. (Just kidding… mostly.)
What's the deal with the 'secret' entrance everyone's talking about? Is it even real?
Okay, so the "secret entrance." This is where things get… weird. Technically, there's a regular entrance. It's beautiful, you can't miss it. But there's *rumors* of a second, more… *discreet* way in. I've heard whispers of a back alley, a hidden door, even a service elevator that's accessible only to guests with a certain… *connection*. (I'm guessing this connection involves knowing someone who knows someone who's probably a high-roller.) I haven't personally used it, because, let's be honest, I'm not that cool. But the fact that it exists just adds to the mystique, doesn't it? It feels like you're in a spy movie! Or, you know, just in a really expensive hotel.
The food? Is it worth the hype (and the inevitable price gouging)?
The food…oh, the food. Okay, so the main restaurant, "The Golden Claw" (yes, very dramatic), is phenomenal. *Phenomenal*. I had the seared scallops there once, and I still dream about them. But be warned: It's expensive. Like, "consider selling your other kidney" expensive. And the portions are… well, let's just say they're designed to be Instagrammable, not necessarily filling. The rooftop bar, though? The bar snacks are surprisingly good. That’s where I spent most of my time. I met this guy there, who was a total jerk, but the fries were perfect. And the cocktails were… *chef's kiss*. So, yeah, the food is good. But the bar snacks are *essential*.
What’s the best room to get? Are there any to avoid?
Okay, room recommendations. This is crucial. First, the suites are obviously amazing, if you can afford them. Panoramic views, soaking tubs, the works. But even a standard room at Hotel Lynx is nicer than most hotel suites I've seen. Try to get a room on a higher floor. The city views are incredible, especially at night. Avoid rooms facing the… the alleyway. Trust me. I once got stuck in a room overlooking the alleyway and the noise was insane. Garbage trucks, late-night arguments, the whole shebang. It ruined my entire stay. And, honestly, the view wasn't great. Just… avoid the alleyway. You'll thank me later.
Any celebrity sightings? Because, let's be real, that's part of the draw, right?
Okay, so, celebrity sightings. I'm not going to name names because, you know, privacy and all that. But, let's just say… I've seen *people*. Big names. A-listers. The kind of people who make you question your own fashion choices. One time, I was in the elevator and almost bumped into… well, let's just say it was someone who frequently graces the covers of magazines. I nearly choked on my own spit. I think I mumbled something about the weather. Mortifying. But yes, you'll probably see someone famous. Or, at the very least, someone who *thinks* they're famous. Embrace the people-watching. It's half the fun.
Is it really worth all the fuss?
Ugh, you know what? Sometimes, no. Look, it's expensive. It's hard to book. It's filled with people who are probably cooler than you. But… there's something about Hotel Lynx. The staff is genuinely lovely. The ambiance is unmatched. One time, I was feeling incredibly down – I won't bore you with the details, but let’s just say my career had hit a wall. I holed up in my room (the one with the amazing view, thankfully) and the hotel sent me aComfy Hotel Finder
Hotel Lynx New York (NY) United States
Hotel Lynx New York (NY) United States
