The Ludlow, New York

The Ludlow, New York



If
the thought of being categorised as a tourist rather than an
in-the-know global citizen fills you with indignant horror,
The Ludlow will aid any attempt
to pass off as a New Yorker. Filling a restored red-brick building
in the Lower East Side, this creative-cool hotel attracts an urban
crowd of both visitors and locals, no doubt drawn by Sean
MacPherson’s hip interior design.

Whitewashed walls, dark wooden floors, worn leather furnishings
and a large rustic fireplace meet mosaic tiles, imposing
chandeliers and the odd sheepskin rug – a lesson in the artfully
undone. As a result, the lobby is a destination in itself: by day,
self-employed urbanites bend over their Macs drinking flat whites;
by night, the lights dim and innovative cocktails draw an eclectic
crowd who sink into battered sofas and whisper over old
fashioneds.

Rooms

The 184 guest bedrooms (including 20 suites) will augment your
“real New Yorker” experience, ranging from large loft-style spaces
you wish you lived in down to more realistic compact rooms. Clean,
industrial-esque décor comes in the form of wrought-iron bedsteads
and exposed beams, softened by gold lamps and patterned curtains.
Sophisticated black-and-white tiled bathrooms are completed by
gleaming grey marble sinks, while bathtubs spanning the width of
floor-to-ceiling windows are an exhibitionist’s (wet) dream. If
you’re feeling flush (and we mean really flush) channel your inner
Chuck Bass and nab the 1,500 square foot penthouse on the 17th
floor with its 180-degree views – with a pad like this, you’ll soon
be in with the NY cool crowd.

What’s for breakfast?

Aside from the usual continental or cooked, you’ll find
spruced-up classics such as pancakes with preserved lemon and
spiced maple syrup. But the real winner is the Ludlow egg sandwich
served in an “inverted croissant” and stuffed with jambon and
gruyere. Whatever you do, don’t ask for directions to the buffet –
it’s not that kind of place.

How about lunch and dinner?

The hotel’s restaurant, Dirty French, is one of the
hottest bistros in town. French classics are brought bang up to
date with modern techniques so that a Gallic menu boasting duck à
l’orange, bourguignon and steak frites is piqued with Moroccan
influences such as ras el hanout, harissa and preserved
apricots.

Is there a bar?

The Lobby Bar is a cocktail lounge offering indoor and outdoor
seating, headed up by acclaimed mixologist Thomas Waugh. The
signature Ludlow Gimlet (gin, cinnamon, crème de abricot, fresh
lime) packs a refreshing punch from a menu inspired by both
Paris and New Orleans.

Amenities

A vertiginous rooftop gym but no spa.

Things you should know

Book Dirty French in advance.

Within a short walk you will find…

The iconic Katz’s Deli – made famous by that
scene in When Harry Met Sally – is on the same road.

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