The real negative with the Hudson is the rooms. When I travel for work, I get stuck in a single on a cheap corporate rate. These rooms are tiny, but have some design flair. Since this visit was on our own tab, we opted for a suite, which is about three times bigger, a great plus. But the last time I had seen wood paneling was in the house I grew up in as a young kid before we went "uptown", or at least "upstreet". I think they were going for some sort of Adirondack lodge look, and granted it was more expensive material than the cheap wood paneling of my youth, but it still looked darkly depressing and cheap. (Room: 5, Facilities: 9, Service: 5, Overall: 6).

Some more shots of the Hudson, including the scarily lit lounge off the lobby, and some great outdoor terraces. By the way, this should seem familiar to Pomme and Stoli, since you came in to stay here for a day or two with us. We went to see Little Shop of Horrors, then had dinner at a French restaurant that wasn't bad, but a bit quiet. Jog any memories?

Fortunately I only had to work a couple of days so I was able to move out of the W and into a much nicer hotel, the Hudson. One of many Ian Shrager creations around the city, this is probably my favorite, and I've stayed here a dozen or so times. The exterior isn't up to much, just a cement slab, but it makes the lavish, Alice in Wonderland interior all the more pleasantly surprising. Pictured here is the lobby, the library/pool hall, and the restaurant, which serves the best hotel breakfast in New York.