Our Travels Took Us To … The Benjamin Hotel NYC

I love visiting New York City. Tall buildings rise like castle towers, people flow like rivers around you, the air heavy with sounds, smells, vibrations of a city.

On our most recent trip to New York City, we had the luxury of staying overnight (always a plus, since it’s a haul!). And the greater luxury of staying at The Benjamin NYC hotel! Walk through the doors of this hotel with me, as I think you’ll enjoy the virtual tour! We pulled up to the hotel entrance of The Benjamin, a Midtown East hotel, and were immediately greeted by valet who helped us unload (note to self – 1 large bag versus 6 small bags would’ve been better!). Thankfully, we were shown off the busy, noisy street into the cool quiet of the hotel lobby. The lobby is small but luxurious, with high ceilings, large mirrors with deep silver reflections, fresh flowers gracing a side table, dim lighting that relaxes you, and soft comfy chairs and benches if you have to wait (even a chess board if you’re so inclined).

Our room was a one-bedroom suite with a king bed (divine!). Described as a “lavish space” I believe it certainly was, especially when you have two children in tow! Walking in we found a tiny kitchenette just to the left of the entrance. It comes complete with a generous sized fridge, sink, coffee maker, silverware, and well-stocked mini-bar. On the counter is a tray of gourmet snacks from places like Dean & Deluca. Yum! Our son almost cost us a small fortune when he saw the juices in the fridge!

After the kitchenette, the room opens into a large living space. A plush couch, two chairs, writing desk and large flat-screen TV are flanked on each side by large windows that let in plenty of light and give views of the city. It was a great space to let our toddler play, and felt very home-like with the quality furnishings. I especially appreciated the ottoman/table because of the soft sides which is helpful with small children. We spent a lot of time here in this room, talking, eating, and playing (and nursing the baby in the middle of the night!).Directly past the living space is the bedroom. The king bed takes up a good part of the room, with two bedside tables, a good-sized dresser and another flat-screen TV. To the left is a walk-in closet with a safe, and the bathroom. The entire room decor is white on white, with glass/pewter accents, creating a clean, peaceful environment. In a city that never sleeps, it was immediately easy to see why The Benjamin is known for their sleepability. The bed was incredibly comfortable with piles of pillows and a duvet-covered down comforter. Intersting – they don’t use top sheets on their beds in an effor to conserve water/energy resources (although you can request a top sheet if you wish).

The bath was white marble with glass, of a rather small size compared to the rest of the rooms, but efficient and very clean.

Now, if the rooms of this suite are impressive, wait till I tell you about this very favorite part of our stay. The Sleep Menu. Yes, that’s right, The Benjamin has a Sleep Menu where you can order bedtime snacks and choose from twelve different pillows to make your stay more comfortable. The snacks you have to pay for, but the pillows are complimentary with your stay! TWELVE pillow choices – we chose a memory foam and a buckwheat pillow (we each enjoyed our pillows!), but they also have air-filled, water-filled, silk, and more!

And the best, best, BEST part? The Winks Kidzzz Club – a complimentary program just for kids! Call the concierge and your child receives their own deluxe bathrobe, child sized wool-filled pillow from Woolly Boo, and an owl plush toy to sleep with (and keep! The robe and pillow are available for purchase). Just a tip to get your request in early, because once bedtime rolls around, you could be waiting as there are many requests for these kiddie items! Our son was thrilled to try on his robe – he didn’t want to take it off! And he loves his Winks Owl toy, a great reminder of our trip to the city!
Oh, and don’t let me forget to tell you about the hotel restaurant, The National – a “New York grand cafe” located just off the lobby. This is Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian’s award-winning restaurant, so we just had to have dinner there: a tender pork chop with broccolini and cheese grits, and an “Ugly” burger with spicy fries and specialty ketchup! Delicious, and honestly not really expensive for a New York City fine restaurant. Fortunately for us, both our sons behaved well – one slept and the other maintained a semblance of seating throughout dinner!

Ah, yes, how did we sleep? After all, I told you that was The Benjamin’s claim to fame, right? Happily, we truly SLEPT at this hotel. Our room was very quiet, considering we’re in a city, and our infant son slept five hours, letting this mama truly enjoy the sumptuous mattress and down comforter and the spacious king-sized bed. I could have stayed in the hotel room ALL day and just relaxed, slept (and possibly ate all the mini bar snacks).

The Benjamin is a hotel worth returning to, and I hope we may do so soon! I definitely recommend it to any New York visitor as a high-class and comfortable hotel that caters both to business travelers, and families alike!

Do you have a favorite hotel? What are your tips for hotel stays with children?

Thanks to The Benjamin for providing accommodations for our trip to the city! All opinions are 100% my own!