Traveling with kids to New York City is not the easiest, especially when it comes to determining where to stay. But my love for the city outweighed my hesitation to bring two young travelers — ages 3 and 10 — to Manhattan this past spring. We assured the kids that we would visit parks and museums, as well as cookie, toy and pasta shops, and that the subway would be our humble chariot. But where would we sleep?
I had heard only good things about Arlo Hotels from my friends in the hospitality world, and from folks who had visited the Arlo property in Miami’s Wynwood district and could not wait to go back. So Arlo Midtown seemed like the right fit — especially thanks to its walking distance to Broadway, Bryant Park, FAO Schwarz and more, and its effortlessly stylish rooms and shared spaces.
Locals and guests mingle at the lobby level bar at Arlo Midtown.
Credit: 2023 Arlo Midtown
Entering the lobby off of 38th Street, it was clear that we would get far more than we expected from our stay at Arlo Midtown. The atrium-style design of the first floor creates a sense of greatness, as you can gaze up stories and stories of accommodations.
And the bottom level is buzzy; there are break-out rooms with oversized glass doors for working, rows of couches for conversation or cocktails, a cafe for lattes and more and a full service restaurant and bar, the latter of which opens out to the street and a cacophony of city sounds and sights — you are in New York and you feel it.
When I described the above impression to Jimmy Suh, chief commercial officer of Arlo Hotels, he was pleased that the hotel had such an impact. As it turns out, impact is the goal.
“We try to capture the heightened senses of travelers — we laugh harder, food tastes better or worse when we travel — and we want guests to have unique experiences,” Suh said. “We cater to individuals who want something different from their stay, who anticipate moments of surprise.”
Arlo Midtown guests are within distance of Broadway, Times Square and more.
Credit: 2023 Arlo MidtownSomething that surprised me was how eager my New York-based friends were to join us for drinks one evening at the hotel. We met on the first floor at The Bar Room at Altair, and caught up over pizzas and French fries and delicious cocktails.
When a staffer reminded us to not miss the Arlo Rooftop (aka Art Midtown), we migrated there. Though no services were offered that evening on the roof, we could still enjoy the view — and that we did, locals and tourists alike. Open at 4 p.m., guests might have a sunset drink here, or arrive later for the impressive city light show that this Manhattan neighborhood offers.
All of the gorgeous nooks and crannies I observed on the property do attract leisure and business travelers, as well as locals, Suh says. Arlo properties aim to be fixtures in the community, so they welcome community members and help their out-of-town guests feel as if they are right in the middle of things.
To walk into our lobby and see a Damien Hirst piece on the wall is something that no one would expect. Those moments of surprise make a hotel stay memorable, and that’s what we intend to do — to have people leave with a memory they were not expecting.
At Arlo Midtown, onsite experiences that help do that include musical performances, art gatherings and pop-up activations of all sorts. At the brand-new Arlo Williamsburg, hotel guests and locals might mingle at a drag queen brunch or comedy show. And it’s become common for an Arlo property to have gallery-quality art exhibited in the lobby.
“We see the common spaces [of our hotels] as just as important as the guestrooms for an overall stay experience,” Suh said. “To walk into our lobby and see a Damien Hirst piece on the wall is something that no one would expect. Those moments of surprise make a hotel stay memorable, and that’s what we intend to do — to have people leave with a memory they were not expecting.”
And the bow wrapped around the above package was Arlo Midtown’s onsite crew, who did everything from remind us to enjoy the roof to take my bag of microwave popcorn and pop it for me — I had promised the kids this treat without noticing our room did not have a microwave, but an accommodating staffer made me feel like I had made his night by asking him to save me with the task. Popcorn in hand, I went back upstairs to our adjoining rooms — sophisticated and bright, with big south-facing windows — and played the hero.
Now returned home, my wandering traveler’s eye is set on other Arlo properties, from Chicago to a forthcoming location in Washington D.C. Afterall, when travelers find a hotel brand that speaks to them, they are bound to return again and again.
