Author: Fitzpatrick

No trip to New York is complete without a visit to Central Park, located between Fifth Avenue and Eighth Avenue and running from 59th Street to 110th Street, it is the most visited urban park in the United States. We’ve picked some of our favorite spots for you to visit!

Central Park Zoo
Central Park Zoo has been a New York Institution since 1860, when it was first opened as a menagerie. Nowadays, a walk around the Zoo’s five plus acres will take you through a variety of habitats, all carefully designed to recreate the natural environment of the animals they house.

Metropolitan Museum of Art
Located on 5th Avenue, on the east side of the park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the world’s most renowned museums. With over 7 million visitors a year, it is the world’s fifth most visited museum. You will find art from all over the world and with many different exhibitions, there is always something new to see. If you are going to visit ‘The Met’ as it is affectionately known by locals, then prepare to spend a few hours wandering the different exhibitions. Also if you visit during the summer, be sure to check out their rooftop, the views of Central Park are not to be missed!

Ice-skating at Christmas
The Wollman Rink is located on the east side, very close to the Central Park Zoo. People from all over the world travel to New York at Christmas time and ice-skating in Central Park with the backdrop of the New York City skyline is a must! The Wollman Rink offers ice hockey, a skating school, party facilities, skate rentals, and lockers.

Belvedere Castle
Named for the Italian meaning “beautiful view”, Central Park’s Belvedere Castle offers park goers exactly what its name implies. With its two balconies, it supplies wonderful panoramic views that include some of Central Park’s most beautiful and famous landmarks. It now serves as Henry Luce Nature Conservatory.

Bethesda Terrace Arcade
Bethesda Terrace Arcade is the arched, interior walkway in the center of the park that links the Mall to Bethesda Fountain and the Central Park Lake. This was created in the 1860s as a part of the Park’s main architectural feature. The highlight of the arcade is the magnificent Minton Tile ceiling, which features than 15,000 colorful, patterned encaustic tiles.

Different Movies
A number of world famous movies feature scenes shot in Central Park, we have listed a few but there any many more, just ask us if you want to identify any of the famous New York landmarks featured in your favorite films.
– The Thomas Crown Affair
– Maid in Manhattan
– Godzilla
– Fatal Attraction
– Stuart Little
– When Harry Met Sally
– Elf
– Home Alone

If you want to fit in a visit to Central Park on your next visit to New York, why not check out our ‘Stay Longer, Save Bigger’ and get 10% off! 

The area around Grand Central serves not only as one of the busiest transportation hubs in the world but is a great destination for shopping and dining. The Fitzpatrick Grand Central hotel is only a stones throw away from the iconic landmark and the exceptional shopping facilities that come along with it.

Grand Central 

The Grand Central Terminal is one of the largest train stations ain the world as well as a cultural icon, having been the backdrop of many historic event and films. The iconic building  is renowned for its beautiful Beaux- Arts architecture; it was designed in 1912 and is a magnificent historic landmark.

Shopping at Grand Central

Why not indulge in some retail therapy while you are staying in Grand Central. Pick up a souvenirs in the array of gift shops and convenience stores available or shop in the popular boutiques of Banana Republic, the Apple store, Kenneth Cole, Aveda and Hermes. There are also toy stores and children’s apparel to keep the kids happy as well as a range of cosmetic, hair care, speciality food stores and electronic and service stores to cater to all your shopping needs.

Dining at Grand Central

All that shopping will make you work up a healthy appetite and thirst. Luckily there are a number of great restaurants available in the busy station with an Oyster bar, Café Spice and Manhattan Chilli Company to name a few. 

Shopping near Grand Central

For many visitors no trip to New York would be complete without a visit to New York’s most famous shopping district Fifth Avenue.  Within a short walking distance of Grand Central and in the heart of Manhattan, Fifth Avenue has a mix of exclusive high-end fashion stores as well as the more high street commercial stores.  Visitors to Fifth Avenue are spoilt for choice for shopping, dinning as well as taking in some of the New York’s landmark buildings such as the Rockefeller Center, St. Patricks Cathedral, the Empire State Building and the Public Library.

Fitzpatrick Grand Central

The Fitzpatrick Grand Central is as its name suggests next to the famous station with its appealing retail shops. Like its sister hotel 12 blocks away, the Fitzpatrick Grand Central prides itself in providing a warm Irish hospitality in an elegant atmosphere against the backdrop of the bustling city. Situated directly opposite the Grand Central station visitors can benefit from the easy accessibility to all parts of Manhattan. The hotel is also within walking distance of New York’s most famous attractions such as the Empire State Building, the Rockefeller Center as well as the Theatre District.

The newly renovated hotel consists of 144 deluxe rooms and 11 suites. The rooms are ideal for both business and leisure visitors to the city, visitors can relax in their spacious and comfortable surroundings, luxurious canopied beds, separate sitting areas and work stations.

The Wheeltrapper Pub is located just off the hotel’s lobby and is a popular destination for both locals and hotel guests alike. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the pub daily and the heated outdoor Patio.

For more information on Fitzpatrick Grand Central and our sister hotel Fitzpatrick Manhattan please visit our website and book that New York shopping trip you have been day dreaming about today.

Presidents’ Day weekend has arrived! If you are visiting New York for the weekend you are in for a treat as it is Presidents’ day weekend. This public holiday is celebrated every year on the third Monday of February. This holiday was originally dedicated to the first President of the United States, George Washington, but now this day is an occasion to honor all persons who have served as President. There are a number of events and activities happening in New York over the course of the weekend. We have created a list of the best kid friendly activities for this long weekend.

The New York Historical Society Museum and Library

The New York Historical Society are holding a number of President themed events over the long weekend. There will be a Presidential Scavenger Hunt daily, kids of all ages can search for images and objects relating to presidential history inside the museum. Children will also be able to show off their creative flair by making portraits of Presidents allowing them to flex their arts and crafts skills.  For more details click here.

The Big Quiz Thing’s Presidents’ Day Family Trivia

This quiz is a fun and challenging quiz on U.S history with a focus on past, present, and future U.S. presidents. Kids ages 6 and up and their parents take part in “figureoutable” trivia questions and video and audio puzzles (everyone gets to play), culminating in the stupendous Buzzertastic Finale. There are fantastic prizes from the New York Historical Society.
This event is hosted by Andy Peeke and is a fun activity for all the family.  For more details click here.

Teddy Bears for Teddy Roosevelt at the Museum of the City of New York

A little known fact is that teddy bears got their names from Teddy Roosevelt. Celebrate Presidents’ Day at the Museum of the City of New York, where you can learn about President Roosevelt’s time as the Police Commissioner of New York, discover his friendship with Jacob Riis and make your very own teddy bear. This event is educational and fun and kids will love it. Suitable for ages 6-12, it runs from 11am – 5pm with entry free with museum admission.
For more details click here.

After your activity packed day, you can relax in your oasis of calm in the Fitzpatrick Manhattan or Fitzpatrick Grand Central Hotel. Book and stay before March the 5th and receive 20% off for Fitzpatrick Manhattan Hotel.

St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of Irish culture and if you are in New York for March 17^th you are in for a treat as the city celebrates everything Irish. The date is marked by the death of Saint Patrick, Ireland’s most celebrated patron saint who brought Christianity to Ireland.

 St. Patrick’s Day Parade

There are a number of events being held throughout the week and on St. Patrick’s Day itself, the most famous and noteworthy being the St. Patrick’s Parade. New York is the host of the world’s oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day parade taking place every year since 1762, before the declaration of Independence was even signed! The parade is one of the biggest events in New York in March, it starts at 11 am on 5^th Avenue and runs between 44^th and 79^th. It marches past a number of New York attractions such as St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Central Park, before finishing at around 5:00 pm at the American Historical Society at East 80^th Street. Pop on your finest green attire and celebrate one of New York’s oldest traditions.

Annual St. Patrick’s Day Open Day

Join the Irish Arts Centre as it welcomes visitors with open arms for a fun filled day celebrating Irish culture. Visitors can enjoy watching traditional dance and music performance,  they will also have the opportunity to learn how to play the tin whistle and pick up a few words in Gaelic Ireland’s native language, as well as some football skills. With face painting as well as Irish music, dancing, craft workshops and a delicious Irish tea flowing, this is set to be a day the whole family will enjoy.

Sober St. Patrick’s Day

Celebrate the Irish Culture without the Irish Whiskey’s and pints of Guinness at the St. Patrick’s Youth Center Gym. There will be just as much Irish fun with Irish step dancers, traditional music, food and refreshments and more. Acts will include John Whelan Band, Fiddler Dylan Foley and dancing by the Donny Golden School of Irish Dance. Located at 270 Mulberry Street. Don’t miss out and join in the fun.

St. Patrick’s Day at Fitzpatrick Hotels

In Fitzpatrick Hotels we are marking the occasion with a week long festival celebrating all things Irish. Join us in the Fitz or the Wheeltapper and not only will you receive a great Irish welcome, depending on the day, there will complimentary samples of whiskey offered on arrival or activities such as Irish cocktail making classes. The Wheeltapper, which was named one of the Top 5 Irish restaurants in NYC by Time Out NY Magazine will be holding its annual Party All Day Long on St. Patrick’s Day with our special St. Patrick’s Day Menu full of Irish specialties. Help us celebrate all things Irish and join us for a mighty good time!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from all at Fitzpatrick Hotels New York.

The hotel business is VERY competitive. Those serious about it approach hospitality with a level of commitment that is almost like a religious calling. Here at Fitzpatrick Hotels, our mission is to exceed the expectations of our guests by providing personal attention and unparalleled service that inspires them to return again, and again. We live this mission every day.

We don’t often offer praise to our competition – the type of professional passion we are talking about just does not allow for it. But something significant happened last week that warrants an exception to this rule. On March 1^st, when their last guest checked out at 12pm, the great Waldorf Astoria shut its doors and closed.

Located at almost the midway point between our two hotels on Lexington Avenue, ours were two of the closest hotels to the Waldorf Astoria. However, it was not just another competitor.

The Waldorf really put the hospitality industry on the map here in the United States. The original Waldorf opened in 1893, and it moved to its current location 86 years ago, in 1931. It was the tallest hotel in world at the time, and remained so for almost 35 years. It made a splash quickly, and became the “Mecca” for lavish hospitality and opulence, in its rooms, in its restaurants and in its function spaces. The largest of these functions spaces is its Grand Ballroom, which has ceilings almost 50 feet high, and can seat 1,500 people for dinner.

The Waldorf was an innovator in so many ways. They invented room service, which other hotels quickly copied. Then, they invented 24-hour room service, which wasn’t as easy to copy. Talk about progressive? In 1931, they were the first hotel to hire women as chefs, long before Julia Child came along to make it fashionable. Many food and beverage favorites were invented there – the Rob Roy cocktail, Red Velvet Cake, Eggs Benedict, the Martini (yes…THE Martini), and of course, the Waldorf Salad.

The Waldorf was the first hotel in the U.S. to become a “celebrity haunt” – a place where people went specifically to be seen. The list of famous guests is endless, but notables included Queen Elizabeth II, Elizabeth Taylor, Gregory Peck, Charlie Chaplin, Judy Garland, John Wayne, Muhammad Ali and the Dalai Lama.

Some celebrities even used the hotel as their residence for long periods of time. This list includes Marilyn Monroe, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and Frank Sinatra, who lived in “The Cole Porter Suite” and hung out in Sir Harry’s Bar, right of the lobby.

Every President of the United States going all the way back to Herbert Hoover has stayed at the Waldorf while in New York. It might have been the only hotel in the world where the term “Presidential Suite” was completely literal. Although, we come close at Fitzpatrick Manhattan, where every Irish President stayed since opening in 1991.

All of this buzz very firmly established the Waldorf as the yardstick by which other hotels were measured. This pushed other hotels to elevate their product and service, and by extension reshaped the hospitality industry into a bona fide professional field here in the United States. For that, we say “Thank you, Waldorf Astoria”.

Like many institutions, the Waldorf had aged a bit in more recent years, and while she may not have had quite the same luster that she used too, the Waldorf still had a certain mystique that was completely its own.

I’m sure many other hoteliers around the world – especially those here in New York – also felt a pang of remorse at the closing of the iconic Waldorf’s doors. We would like to take this opportunity to raise a glass to the Waldorf and thank the iconic hotel for raising the bar in hotel hospitality, giving us all something to aspire to.

We at Fitzpatrick’s realize that many regular guests of the Waldorf might need to find a new hotel near the Waldorf when in New York. We would love to welcome you, please mention this tribute to our reservations team, or use the promotional code WALD10 on our website, and we would be delighted to offer you a 10% discount of off our Best Available Rate. Please click here for Fitzpatrick Manhattan and here for Fitzpatrick Grand Central.

New York Manhattan

New York is made up of five boroughs: Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. While Manhattan may be the smallest in size of all the five boroughs, it is packed with New Yorks biggest attractions, dining and unforgettable views. It is in many ways the center of the action in New City.

Manhattan Hotels

When visiting New York you will be spoilt for choice for accommodation. Manhattan offers the most comprehensive range of hotels in New York. Stay in the heart of the action and within walking distance of all the main attractions and landmarks. The Empire State Building, Central Park, the United Nations, Rockefeller Center are just some of the top attractions inextricably linked to Manhattan.

Fitzpatrick Manhattan

You will find the Fitzpatrick Hotel Manhattan in the heart of midtown Manhattan. The hotel offers a blend of luxury and Irish charm in a refreshingly classic atmosphere. The hotel is located on Lexington Avenue and is neighbour to some of the city’s most popular museums, theaters and shopping districts not to mention Central Park. Staying in this prime location makes sight seeing and visiting the unique cultural attractions all that easier as they are right on your doorstep. Famous landmarks like St. Patricks Cathedral, and tourist attractions like the Russian Tea Rooms and Carnegie Hall are moments away.

If you are looking for exceptionable experience and a calm oasis from the city outside you need look no further then Fitzpatrick Manhattan. The intimate size of this boutique hotel allows staff to focus and provide for its guests on a personal level of service akin to the finest Irish country house. The comfortable, modern amenities and personalized service make it ideal for both leisure and business travellers. Our boardroom the Vico Room seats up to 14 around a cherrywood boardroom table that includes a “65 inch flat panel LCD television.

The hotel’s popular bar and restaurant the Fitz features an extensive menu that offers a wide variety of delectable choices making it perfect for breakfast, a quick business lunch or some leisurely cocktails with friends, the Fitz bar and lounge suits all occasions.

Fitzpatrick Grand Central

The Fitzpatrick Grand Central hotel like its sister 12 blocks away provides warm Irish hospitality in an elegant atmosphere. Located next to the world’s largest and most famous train station, guests staying here have the advantage of easy access to anyway in Manhattan. The hotel is within walking distance of the Theatre District, Times Square, the United Nations as well as the must-see attraction of the Empire State Building, the Rockefeller Center and the iconic shopping on Fifth Avenue.

The comfortable guest rooms and suites consist of 144 deluxe rooms and 11 suites. They are ideal for both leisure and business travellers with separate sitting areas and work stations and luxurious comfortable beds.

As a guest of either hotel you can enjoy complimentary access to New York Sport Club located three blocks away. The club offers a wide range of equipment as well as a sauna and steam room so you can continue on your fitness routine while you’re away.

The Wheeltrapper is located off the hotel’s lobby and is a very popular destination for both locals and hotel guests alike. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served throughout the day with a heated outdoor patio making it the ideal spot no matter what time of year.

For more information on these Manhattan hotels please visit the Fitzpatrick site by clicking here.