The Nolitan Hotel must be one of the hippest places to stay in New York City. My partner and I were looking for something pretty central with enough to keep us occupied indoors if the weather got bad. The Nolitan might be small but it is just a sensational place to stay, and it ticked all the boxes for us.
Our arrival was smoothly handled by Dhillon and the rest of the reception staff, all of whom were young, friendly, professional and helpful without descending into over-casual or over-familiar. A good balance. We managed to arrive at happy hour and chilled glasses of bubbly were pressed into our hands as we checked in.
Our room was pretty small – I’ve only seen smaller in Japan – but beautifully appointed and with little touches like excellent quality toiletries and red slippers and robes and plenty of storage and hanging space and good lighting. We didn't have a kettle in the room (being serious tea drinkers a kettle is essential for us) but one call to reception got us a very stylish kettle (of course) and some mugs. So just ask!
We had a perfect view of the uptown skyline including the Empire State Building decked out in its red and green Christmas colours – ask for a north-facing room on a high floor. We didn’t have a balcony – some rooms do and some don’t. The balconies are tiny in any case, but in warmer weather it might be nice to ask for one.
As mentioned, happy hour starts around 6pm until 8pm and you can chill out in the leather seats at reception quaffing really rather decent red, white and sparkling wine and nibbling on cheese and crackers and nuts. A nice time to relax before heading on out for a busy night in the Village.
Wifi is free and the signal is strong in the rooms and at reception.
As mentioned before, the staff were all great and couldn’t do enough for us. There is a restaurant on site but we didn’t eat there, just had a drink at the bar. You can borrow a PlayStation if you want to stay in, or a skateboard if you want to get around the neighbourhood a little more quickly.
There are countless great places to eat and drink nearby – just walk out the door and into whatever place takes your fancy. They’re all great. But don’t miss the Bowery Diner just a couple of blocks away on Bowery Street. A sensational modern diner – and the bloody Marys and mimosas at breakfast are a great pick-me-up after a heavy night.
Can’t imagine staying anywhere else in New York when we come back again next year. Oh –and don’t miss the rooftop terrace with 360 degree views of the best skyline in the world!