No points for creativity here, The Refinery Hotel is refined-
and very specifically New York. All of the ins and outs are coming up.
The Refinery Hotel- opening in 2013 is one of the many many hotels that have
popped up in the Bryant Park area in the past 5-10 years.
Located on 38th Street just east of 6th Avenue, the building has a storied history
which we will talk about in a bit. But first, the modern day conveniences and there are many.
The first thing I always consider in a Manhattan hotel is proximity
to the subway. The hotel has easy access to numerous subway lines,
splitting the difference between the 42nd Street & 34th Street stations. A pharmacy or convenience
store is just a block or two away and given the central location, coffee shops are plentiful.
In the early 1900s, this neighborhood became known globally as the Garment District
due to the volume of apparel produced in the factories that used to line these streets.
The Colony Arcade building which the hotel now occupies is listed on the National
Register of Historic Places for it’s importance in developing the block into a bustling thoroughfare.
In 1914, the ground floor was converted into a tearoom for women and a bar for men to capitalize
on the then-new Lord & Taylor department store which opened nearby. Meanwhile, the upper floors
were utilized for hat and garment production for distribution throughout the country.
The 197 room hotel is anchored by its beautiful lobby which also hosts Winnies
Jazz Bar to the side. One thing that is clear from the first few steps in the hotel
are the lengths the owners went to to preserve the original style of the building.
From the fixtures, to the artwork, the colors, the eclectic furniture to the materials used-
everything screams “New York” in the best way. Winnies Jazz Bar serves as a casual
lobby seating area during the day and serves an extensive drink menu, some nights of the week.
As for all restaurants in this or any review these days, make sure you check the operating hours.
Just behind you’ll find the reception area and bank of elevators. One note about them,
the rooftop bar which we will see soon is quite the popular place some night of the week- but
they were smart enough to designate one of the elevators just to go from the ground floor to
the rooftop at night to ensure the restaurant guests could not access the hotel room floors.
The only all day dining venue, Parker & Quinn is behind reception and also
accessible via 39th street. When staying in the city, I always recommend dining at local
places instead of hotel restaurants, but I’ll admit that Parker & Quinn
had a really nice local feel to it- not just another generic hotel restaurant.
Now, we’re in the Refinery Rooftop. On Sunday this place was absolutely packed
for brunch and had a really nice laid back vibe to it. There are loads of different
seating options and also plenty of space under cover for use during soggy or cold weather.
The outdoor space would be absolutely perfect on a summer evening when the
sun is still hanging on at 8:30 so you can continue to soak in these views.
Be sure to make a reservation if you’re interested in snagging a table outside.
After brunch or lunch or some drinks on the roof, we head to my room for this stay,
a King Studio on the third floor. Now, before I show you the room and you think
“oh that’s kinda small”... I’ll just say that,
I don’t mind small hotel rooms as long as they are as advertised- and this King Studio was.
My first impression of the room was actually a spacious feel due to the tall ceilings-
and I really do love the design, except for that bedspread which just felt dated. Wished
they’d done something a bit fresher there- even a white duvet would do well to lighten up the room.
Small hotel rooms are not the easiest spaces to portray accurately,
so bear with me here as we take a look at the details that make this room what it is. Most would
say I had a crappy view- but I’d disagree. A lot of first time visitors to New York are ready for
that view from their street side room… but they’re not ready for the street noise all night long.
If you’re a light sleeper, asking for a courtyard facing room might be a good choice for you. Plus,
I do enjoy the charm of the old courtyards more than a street full of delivery trucks.
There is a hidden outlet on this side of the bed and overall the room might be short on extra space
but there are a few storage solutions which
can at least help you hide your inevitable mess of shopping bags.
I really enjoyed the feel of all of the furniture in the room. Everything was just
well made. Solid woods, real brass fixtures- it’s just done well. The mini bar was stocked
to the brim with cold drinks, snacks and what might be considered as a full bar by some.
As well as that was stocked though- there is not a bottle of complimentary water
or coffee pod or tea bag in sight. There was free drip coffee in the lobby but if I’m paying $388,
I deserve my first cup before having to think of leaving the room.
And let’s just freeze this right here. These outlets- first I love the brass
cover feature- but it’s small details like this that I find interesting in hotels.
Someone here had the foresight to put two outlets in two directions- so unbelievably simple,
but so helpful for the handful that need it. Other details like the custom garment district era table
and wood floor really make the space what it is- along with the bathroom that I am in love with. To
me, it’s just a great modern take on that classic New York style and is a decent size for the room.
The tall ceilings truly do a lot for this space.
No matter how tall the ceilings are though- the
closet is still tiny. If they’re trying to replicate a real New York apartment,
I guess they succeeded, but good luck getting a week's worth of clothing for two in there.
Overall though, the room is a good use of space considering it’s a converted factory.
Finally, a floor below and down the hall, we have a small but functional fitness room.
Now let’s get into the Flip Flop Score. First off, it’s no secret I love the design of the hotel,
room included, 9/10 and the condition was pretty good too for 8 years of wear,
8/10. The service was casual, friendly and personable, 9/10. The common areas are where The
Refinery excels, an easy 10. The location is no longer up and coming- it’s all here already, 9/10.
The cleanliness was above average with a 9/10 and the F&B venues were a perfect fit for the hotel,
10/10. The available amenities were a weak spot for them though, 5/10. Convenience wise,
you can’t do much better and if you need to get some work done, the wifi was stable a 9 for both.
Overall, we have an 87/100- a hotel I would recommend and personally consider returning
to. Thanks for watching and subscribing. See you in a few days with another review.