The Beekman

Posted on December 29th, 2016

My parents’ apartment on the Tribeca/Financial District border is a great size for the three people + one puppy who usually live there, but when all six of us descend on New York, there isn’t enough room for us all to be there comfortably. Ian and I were annexed, if you will, at the Beekman Hotel, the newest in the Thompson hotel group. When you’re staying in a hotel for six nights at Christmas, you’re definitely looking for a comfortable home-away-from-home space with character. From the moment we walked in at 1am on Thursday morning and were greeted by name, the Beekman delivered.

The hotel is such a cool space—an recently revived building from the 1800s that had been sitting vacant in disrepair for much of the later half of the 20^th century. I always applaud the choice to restore rather than rebuild, and the property is a perfect example of how it can be managed gorgeously. From the original old staircases to tons of velvet upholstery to huge, well-styled dark wood bookcases, the space has a warm, moody feel but jewel tones and unexpected art pieces add a whimsical touch.

The true pièce de résistance is the 9-story atrium, bordered by hotel rooms all the way up and with the stunning, swanky hotel bar at the ground level. Again, such a blessing to have a space like that in the hands of a group that doesn’t think of a 9 story atrium as a waste of square footage.

The room itself was much larger than those you find in so many boutique hotels, and since the space is older the ceilings were higher, too. The bathroom was gorgeously appointed in marble, and our king bed was cozy and framed by a big headboard and handy end-of-bed bench.  We were on the 7th floor in a room off of the main atrium, which kept things quiet.

The downtown location is a bit odd unless the World Trade Center Memorial, City Hall, or the Financial District is the focus of your stay, but the Beekman does have the advantage of being less than a five minute walk from nearly every subway line, which makes a trip uptown or into Brooklyn a breeze.  Otherwise, the wifi was free, the reservation came with an Equinox membership, and the room offered bathrobes and slippers.  Set for life.  We didn’t get a chance to try the Beekman’s restaurant offerings, but with the influence of restaurateurs Tom Colicchio and Keith McNally, they are definitely worth a look. It pains me I didn’t get to try a Pink Lady in the Bar Room. Next time! Because there will definitely be a next time.