The Garden City Hotel
Daily price line
Upcoming nightly rates
Review
Character and identity
Approaching 150 years on Long Island, this Garden City landmark sits on seven landscaped acres ringed by mansions, a short walk from village boutiques, Restaurant Row and the Long Island Rail Road into Manhattan. Interior designer Marcello Pozzi has recast the formerly traditional interiors as contemporary classic: coffered ceilings, Murano chandeliers, Carrera tile, mahogany floors and leather-wrapped Italian furnishings. Celebrity chef David Burke runs four venues, including the Red Salt Room (look for clothesline candied bacon and salt brick dry-aged beef) and the King Bar. A 7,000-square-foot lower level holds Red Hots Spa, a Technogym-equipped gym and a heated indoor pool opening to a patio.
Who's it for
Best for:
Couples and families who want a polished Long Island base with easy reach of JFK, LaGuardia, the UBS Arena, Jones Beach Theater and Roosevelt Field. Design-minded guests, dog owners (treats, beds and walking on request) and anyone after a serious chef-driven dinner without trekking into Manhattan will be well served. Saturday afternoon tea, with a children's menu, draws a loyal following.
Should look elsewhere:
Travellers chasing a Hamptons beach holiday or a buzzy urban scene should keep moving; this is suburban Long Island, not oceanfront or downtown. With 30,000 square feet of event space, expect weddings and galas filling public areas on weekends.
Bottom line
What sets this property apart is the combination of an unusually thorough recent redesign and David Burke's cooking under one roof, in a location that quietly solves the airports-plus-Manhattan-plus-Long Island puzzle. Book a ninth-floor club-level room for keyed-elevator privacy, continental breakfast and evening charcuterie in the Club Lounge; weekdays are calmer than wedding-heavy weekends.