Why The Meatpacking District Is So Delicious

On a recent quick visit to New York City I had the pleasure of spending time in the Meatpacking District. Once upon a time, when I lived in Manhattan, the only reason you'd venture to the Meatpacking District was to patronize the infamous Hogs & Hefers. BOY have things ever changed.

Yes, there's still the warehouse feel and the cobbled streets of an older day but the scene there is otherwise totally HIP. Another observation I made was that generally the neighborhood feels open, spacious and not congested like so many other areas of New York City.

Because i had a change in plans, I ended up staying in two different hotels in the neighborhood and discovered a charming third. The first night, I stayed at Dream Downtown – a hotel whose design is all things circles. Really neat – I must admit! The staff was friendly; the rooms were funky yet functional and decently sized by New York standards.

The second night, I stayed at the Hotel Gansevoort Meatpacking. I loved the vibe of the Gansevoort – it's definitely catering to the cool kids. Raw hide and pool tables in the lobby and the très fab roof deck pool aren't to be missed. Accommodations here are similar to Dream Downtown in that rooms are simple and sleek plus a good size. The Gansevoort exudes sex appeal!

The third property I came across during my visit was The Standard NY. WOW what a view from their 18th floor. I dropped by The Standard to have a pre-dinner drink and fell for it hard. Next time in New York City this will be where I rest my head. Fur throws in the lobby and floors made of pennies give this place one awesome eclectic feel that attracts everything from models to the European crowd. This is a property that definitely needs a closer lola look.

My other FAVORITE thing about all three of these hotels is that they offer free WiFi. Nothing's ever cheap in New York and this is a definite perk as most times you get nickeled and dimed to pay for wireless Internet.

The Meatpacking District is also sprinkled with some of the best places to eat in New York City like Scarpetta, Dos Caminos amd Pastis, to name a few. You won't go hungry with a variety of options in close proximity.

AND another plus for the 'hood on the 'lola scale' of things – EXCELLENT shopping. You might not even need to venture out of the Meatpacking District. I enjoyed browsing at Diane von Furstenberg and am super excited to return to the neighborhood to shop at Vanita Rosa – a store i discovered in St. Barts. It's only other location is Paris. Great score Meatpacking District!!

Where in the world is Lola? Find out at Lola Travels.