Comfy Beds In New York City’s Bedford HotelRead Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com
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It is an unfortunate fact that
lengths a traveler goes to experience new places often leaves them exhausted and returning to their rooms in search of nothing more than comforts of home. Fortunately there are some hotels that specialize in just these comforts.
A trip to New York City began for me at 4:30 am with a drive to Buffalo, New York from Toronto. After a short fight to John F. Kennedy airport and a bus ride into Manhattan my list of priorities was short. 1 - Find food. 2 - Get sleep. End of list.
The Hotel Bedford is located at 118 East 40th Street and is just steps from Pennsylvania Station and close to most large NYC attractions. Across to 9th Avenue and about six blocks up I found an incredible bakery called Amy's Bread. Information on these incredible bakeries can be found on web at www.amysbread.com. I had filled up on sourdough rolls (50 cents each) and prosciuto and black olive twists (US$1 each) when warm caress of lethargy began to set in.
The walk back to hotel was a blur but last step toward my bed was a well remembered leap. I woke up to realize my surroundings and was happily surprised to say least. I had been put up in a standard suite (sweet?). Equipped with a comfortable queen size bed (sweet), en-suite washroom (sweet!) and separate living room area (candy!) room left little to be desired. As well, there kitchenette, Corby pants press (to keep that perfect crease), in room safes, irons, ironing boards, hairdryer, voice mail data ports, cable television, a pull out couch! Let's face it, if I'd have brought a partridge and a pear tree I could cook up a pretty decent Christmas number. Except it is summer in city.
The Bedford Hotel, a classic European style boutique hotel, is situated on 40th Street, between Park and Lexington Avenues, in heart of midtown Manhattan, where business district meets gentler Murray Hill Area. The Hotel's prime midtown location makes it convenient to corporate offices, famous Fifth Avenue shops, Broadway theaters, Grand Central Station, and tourist attractions, such as St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, and United Nations Building.
The Bedford hotel provides both business and leisure travelers with an excellent choice of accommodations and facilities. The 136-room, 17-floor hotel includes 58 suites and 78 rooms of distinction.
Most accommodations have fully equipped kitchenettes. Every room has cable television, air conditioning, dataport telephone, Corby trouser press, private bath with hair dryer, in-room safe, iron and board. Coin operated washers and dryers are available for your convenience. Monthly rates on request.
Relax in Domenico's Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge offering a fine selection of Italian and continental cuisines; 24 hour room service is available.
As this was only full day in New York, plan was to get up early and get as many possible sites in as I could. Once again creature comforts of Bedford Hotel presented themselves and I indulged. Needless to say, I gave up on idea of getting to top of Empire State Building and opted to go straight to Battery Park and ferry to Ellis Island. There is a reason New York City has such a reputation as a prime travel destination. Other cities have attractions to see and events to fill your time. New York has all of these, but what makes it stand above is what you'll see on way to your destination. This brings me back to Battery Park. The line for Ellis Island ferry isn't very long but during half hour wait a group of entertainers began putting on a show. It started with a few back-flips and handstands and had makings of a half-witted sideshow so I decided to get a snack from one of many stands in area. I returned to see one of men doing a handstand on upstretched hands of other - not so half-witted after all. They ended with a back flip over heads of four volunteers from line. They also added some jokes when collectin tips from audience - as one street performer walked up and down stairs on his hands. Impressive.
