Bloomberg, 29-June-2011
By Lili Rosboch and Catherine Smith
This happens all the time, especially when it’s hot: You wake up and decide it’s a perfect day to lounge around a pool sipping something cold.
If you aren’t already at the Hamptons, you’ll need access to deck chairs, a pool and drinks. Here’s our list of options in Manhattan:
Holiday Inn
440 W. 57th St.
212-581-8100
http://www.holidayinn.com/
By far the most straightforward is the midtown Holiday Inn with an outdoor, rooftop pool, plastic lounge chairs and a long line of liquor bottles that shimmer against a wall the color of sea foam. Frozen-drink machines dispense strawberry daiquiris and pina coladas for $8. Burgers cost $5; hotdogs are $3.
Kids are allowed, though the sign says the lifeguard can eject them at will every hour on the hour for an adult swim.
The pool is open from 10 to 6 daily; access costs $70 and includes a towel. But consider the $25 day pass for the over 21 set. It’s available Monday through Friday after 3 p.m. A little research revealed that deck chairs are first-come, first-served and fill up quickly on the weekend. Cash only.
James Hotel
27 Grand St.
212-465-2000
http://www.jameshotels.com/New-York.aspx
The glass elevator at The James is a good indication of the swank scene that awaits on the rooftop above the 17th floor. The hotel’s modern indoor bar and small outdoor pool with deck, both under a vague door policy, are surrounded by views of Midtown, Wall Street and the Hudson River.
Grab an orange towel and an open lounge chair. Stop inside at the Jimmy for a St. George Absinthe Drip ($22). Don’t despair of the cost; the pool is free from noon to 5 p.m. on weekends. Swimming is off-limits at all other times unless you’re a hotel guest.
The Peninsula
700 Fifth Ave. @ 55th St.
212-956-2888
http://www.peninsula.com/New_York/en/default.aspx
To get access to the brand-new, wrap-around sun deck opening on July 1 and the glass-enclosed pool at the Peninsula hotel, book a “Spa-cation” Monday through Thursday for $285. It includes 75 minutes of treatments like holistic massage or intensive facial, a bento-box lunch, yoga, sunscreen and more.
While there’s no swim-up bar, there’s a full-time attendant, and cocktails like a $22 frozen margarita are just a room-service bell away.
To get access on the weekend, book two hours of spa services for approximately $400 or ask for a summer fitness membership for $500 monthly with a three month minimum. The luxurious facilities are located on the top three floors of the 22-story hotel with views over Central Park.
Gansevoort Meatpacking
18 Ninth Ave. @ 13th Street
212-206-6700
Gansevoort Park Avenue
420 Park Avenue South
212-317-2900
http://www.hotelgansevoort.com/
The Gansevoort Meatpacking also offers full access to its rooftop pool Monday through Thursday for the cost of a $299 Renewal Day Package. It includes spa services like massage, facial and manicure/pedicure, and a poolside drink from the adjacent Plunge bar. Cocktails include raspberry caipirinhas and the French Kiss, which combines vodka, Chambord and Champagne.
If you’re claustrophobic, this might not be your place. The sundeck is only a narrow strip surrounding the pool, separated from the bar by a hazy glass wall.
Still, the view is great, and when you have sun, swimming and cocktails in the heart of Manhattan there’s not much to complain about.
Le Parker Meridien
119 W. 56th St.
212-245-5000
http://www.parkermeridien.com/index1.php
Soon, maybe even this weekend, Le Parker Meridien on 56th Street will reopen its outdoor deck near the already open indoor pool, with lounge-side cocktail deliveries available.
A day pass to the facility is $100, on Saturdays and Sundays too, so keep checking their website for details on deck- opening day. Proximity to the Burger Joint is a plus.
Soho House
29-35 Ninth Ave.
212-627-9800
http://www.sohohouseny.com/
Of course, you could also book a room in a hotel with a pool like Trump Soho, Thompson LES or The Empire.
Soho House in the Meatpacking district is a members-only club with a small number of hotel rooms offered at $350 and up a night.
The outdoor, rooftop pool has a beach feel. Extra-wide lounge chairs are pushed together on one side to create the largest communal couch we’ve ever seen. The dining area is shaded by umbrellas, and two bars complete the scene. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere where kind servers in striped dresses cater to your needs.
City Pools
Lasker Pool
West 110th St. @ Lenox Avenue
212-534-7639
http://centralpark.org/index.php/attractions-h-w/lasker-pool-%20rink/
There are also 50 free outdoor city pools opening today. We like the Lasker Pool in Central Park which is open from 11 to 7 daily with an hour off from 3 to 4 in the afternoon. Officially, imbibing isn’t allowed in public, though stealth nipping might go unnoticed.
No comments:
Post a Comment