Category: Brands

Favorite Hotels: The George Montclair

Favorite Hotels: The George Montclair

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The beautiful library at The George Montclair,
a perfect spot for complimentary afternoon tea in front of the fire.

While it’s always great to earn hotel points by staying at a major property, I must admit that I love a good boutique hotel. They tend to be smaller and more charming, with little custom touches that you just can’t find at a chain.

Before I make travel arrangements, particularly when I am planning a trip to a place I don’t know well, I search for my destination on Pinterest to see what comes up. This usually helps me find an assortment of hotels, restaurants, shops, museums and other interesting places to explore.

Last fall, as we prepared to visit family in New Jersey, I stumbled across a real gem: The George Montclair. Located in a historic Georgian Inn in the heart of Montclair, NJ, it is owned by makeup maven Bobbi Brown, who purchased and renovated the property after she sold her makeup brand.

The elegant stairwell leading up from the lobby to the guest rooms and suites located on the second, third and fourth floor.

The hotel offers 32 rooms, each decorated in a style that is unique to the space, yet cohesive with the rest of the hotel. They offered family suites, which was perfect for our needs. We selected a suite on the top floor that included a living room, a bedroom and a bathroom.

The living room featured with a sofa (which folded out into a bed), a coffee table, a television, a desk and desk chair, an open closet and a kitchenette that included a coffee maker, a mini fridge and a sink. Original exposed brick walls were covered in celebrity photographs.

A view of the desk in the living room of our family suite.

The adjoining bedroom was very large, and included two full-size beds with wool plaid headboards, two suede chairs and a large tufted ottoman, as well as a dresser and a television.

The bedroom featured two full size beds (one shown here), plus two chairs
and a large ottoman, as well as a dresser and a television.

The space was flooded with natural light, including large windows above each bed. There was also a fun porthole window that our little one enjoyed.

The porthole window in our room was fun for the little guy.

While our room was lovely, the real standout of the property was the wonderful library. Located on the main floor, just off the lobby, the library served complimentary tea and coffee throughout the day.

The cozy library was the perfect place to have a cup of tea each afternoon.

We were there in December when it was very cold, so sitting in front of the fire was very appealing. The space included two large seating areas, including one in front of the fire, and another near the windows facing the rear of the property.

Another view of the library.

We loved this space so much that we gathered here in the late afternoon for tea, and again each night before heading out for dinner. There was even a fun candy closet located behind a hidden panel.

A second sitting area near the windows in the library.

In addition to the lovely library, the hotel included a special treat in the basement: a fun breakfast room that offered a complimentary breakfast each morning.

The daily breakfast spread at The George Montclair.

The buffet offered something for everyone, including an assortment of pastries, cereals, fruit, eggs, meats, cheeses and more, plus coffee, tea, milk and juice.

I love creating a fun drawing that represents the activities we enjoyed during our stay on a piece of the hotel stationery. I did this one while we relaxed in our suite one rainy afternoon.

It was a great stay, and we will definitely return the next time we visit our family there in New Jersey.

Until next time!

Stephanie

Favorite Hotels: The Hoxton Amsterdam

Favorite Hotels: The Hoxton Amsterdam

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The charming exterior of The Hoxton Amsterdam, a boutique hotel located on
the Herengracht Canal, one of Amsterdam’s three original canals.

One of the coolest and most unique hotels I’ve ever visited is The Hoxton Amsterdam, a charming boutique hotel located in a historic building along the Herengracht Canal, one of Amsterdam’s three original canals, and now a designated Unesco World Heritage Site.

One of several buzzy common areas at The Hoxton Amsterdam.

According to their website, The Hoxton Amsterdam is home to 111 rooms in a historic building that used to be home to the city’s mayor. It is located in a prime location near Amsterdam’s popular Little Nine Streets shopping district. The main floor features several comfortable seating areas where guests and locals alike meet for craft cocktails and casual dining.

The lobby bar at The Hoxton Amsterdam.

The lobby bar features original brick walls complimented by reclaimed wood floors, leather bar stools, faded Oriental rugs and an array of comfortable seating.

Bicycles abound at The Hoxton Amsterdam.

As you head upstairs to your room, you’ll walk through hallways lined with modern black subway tile and cheeky black and white enamel signage. There are bicycles everywhere in Amsterdam, and here is no exception.

A canal-side room at The Hoxton Amsterdam.

We opted for a canal-side room, which afforded us views of the Herengracht Canal. Our room featured beautiful dark wood floors laid in a classic herringbone pattern, as well as a comfortable bed with a leather upholstered headboard installed on a wood-paneled wall. Other furniture included a Mid-Century Modern sofa, a desk and chair, and a free-standing closet.

Roomy bathrooms featuring lots of hot water and house-branded toiletries.

Our roomy bathroom came with all the standard amenities, including fluffy towels, great-smelling toiletries and plenty of hot water. Every inch was perfectly on brand, from the logo-embossed hairdryer bags to the cute custom-made maps on the nightstand.

Every little thing is on-brand at The Hoxton Amsterdam.

The room’s low ceilings, coupled with the natural light streaming in from the large vintage windows, gave the impression of standing in the hull of an old luxury liner. It was a unique experience, far different from any hotel I’d ever visited.

Checking out the view of the canal.

One of the great things about the hotel is its close proximity to great locations, including the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Vondelpark and great shopping. There are also plenty of charming cafes nearby, like Pluk Amsterdam, Ree7 and Jansz.

I highly recommend this as an option if you plan to visit Amsterdam–even if you just stop by for cocktails.

Until next time!

Stephanie

Favorite Hotels: The Beekman New York

Favorite Hotels: The Beekman New York

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The beautiful lobby of The Beekman New York welcomes visitors from around the globe.

A lot of people will tell you that they do not like to spend money on a fancy hotel—it’s just a place to sleep, they’ll say. I don’t need anything special. 

I am not one of those people.

The space I am in has a deep impact on my mood, so I put a lot of thought into selecting a hotel that is beautiful, comfortable and functional, with a convenient location close to the things I plan to see. I’ve stayed in a few great boutique hotels in New York City, and The Beekman is one of my favorites. It is located in Lower Manhattan near City Hall Park, close to Wall Street, the Brooklyn Bridge, and many of Manhattan’s best boutiques.

A view from the balcony outside my room, overlooking the nine-story atrium.

According to Business Insider, The Beekman is housed in a historic structure built in the 1883. At nine stories, it was one of Manhattan’s oldest skyscrapers, and it housed many things through the years. It sat dormant for decades before someone finally purchased it and renovated it, opening for business as The Beekman Hotel in 2014.

I’ve had the pleasure of staying at The Beekman several times, and I keep coming back because there is so much to love. The service is excellent, and the rooms are very spacious by New York standards. Each room is decorated with original artwork, and features comfortable beds with soft linens, a desk and chair, a bar, a television and super-fast wifi.

Rooms at The Beekman are spacious and comfortable, and offer
practical amenities like complimentary robes and slippers.

The bathrooms are equally spacious, and feature beautiful gray and white marble, large mirrors, chrome fixtures and plenty of fluffy white towels. Complimentary robes and slippers are available for all guests, and the delicious house scent is encapsulated in the luxurious toiletries.

The Beekman offers one of the prettiest hotel bathrooms I’ve ever seen.

If the rooms are lovely, the common areas are truly spectacular. The centerpiece of the hotel is its nine-story atrium, which features a buzzy bar, one that’s usually filled with well-heeled patrons enjoying ritzy cocktails. It offers a variety of a cozy, comfortable seating areas, each with its own personality.

The Beekman features gorgeous common areas, including the atrium bar, where guests can enjoy breakfast in the morning and cocktails in the evening.

The atrium is flanked by two excellent restaurants: The Temple Court, helmed by uber-chef Tom Colicchio, and Augustine, run by Keith McNally. Both restaurants offer great dining options in a beautiful setting, making them a destination not only for hotel patrons, but for locals as well. You’ll need reservations for both.

The Temple Court, one of two on-site restaurants, features a wall of colorful stained glass.

After dinner, I like to visit the wonderful little speakeasy accessible from the alley, known as the Alley Cat Amateur Theatre. It’s the perfect place to grab a cocktail before heading out for the night. 

While the location may seem further south than you might like, it’s actually the perfect location for visiting some of my favorite shops, including John Derian, Roman and Williams Guild, Marche Maman and Sezane. There are also other amazing restaurants nearby, like Le Coucou and Balthazar.

All of this makes it the perfect location for a long weekend in the city, and well worth the price. Even if you don’t choose to stay here, I recommend you stop by The Beekman for dinner or drinks on your next trip to NYC.

Until next time!

Stephanie

Favorite Brands: Buly 1803

Favorite Brands: Buly 1803

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Discovering Buly 1803, one of my favorite French brands.

One of my favorite parts of traveling is discovering heritage brands that have deep ties to the country I’m visiting—think Hermes in Paris, Burberry in London, or Tiffany’s in New York City. These classic brands inspire a loyal following with their deep sense of history. They offer desirable, high-quality items that are instantly recognizable by those in-the-know. 

Paris is home to many of my favorite heritage brands, to include the usual suspects, such as the aforementioned Hermes. But there are several lesser known brands I’ve discovered over the years, including tea ateliers, chocolatiers, candlemakers and more. Bringing home a little treat from one of these shops allows me to fill my home with beautiful things, with the added benefit of allowing me to re-create an element of my trip. 

Visiting Buly 1803 in St. Germain des Pres.

On a recent trip to Paris, I spent a sunny afternoon wondering through St. Germain des Pres, one of Paris’s finest neighborhoods, and home to some spectacular boutiques. One of my favorites was Buly 1803, a heritage brand founded more than 200 years ago, and specializing in bath and body products.

Like so many places in Paris, the exterior of the store was tasteful, elegant and understated; though I was looking for it, I almost passed it by. But I’m so glad I stopped in, because as lovely as the outside is, the inside is truly extraordinary.

The lovely interior of Buly 1803 features incredible cabinetry, successfully recreating the feel of a classic apothecary. 

The brand has taken great care in replicating a classic, old-world apothecary feel inside the shop, making the relatively small space feel warm, inviting and special, as if you are going back in time and entering an almost sacred space. The floor-to-ceiling fixtures are crafted of hand-carved wood, dark stone and ornate brass. These classic, natural finishes serve as the perfect backdrop for their tasteful products.

Buly 1803 products feature beautiful packaging, inspired by vintage advertisements from their archives. I especially loved the colorful illustrations on the soaps and match boxes.

As someone who has a great appreciation for excellent design, I’ve always been drawn to beautiful packaging, and Buly 1803 did not disappoint. The scented soaps, lotions, toothpaste and matches were adorned in the most gorgeous, vintage-inspired labels, each featuring the signature Buly logo, French text explaining the contents and charming illustrations. The color palette is classic and sophisticated–ebony and ivory with pops of chartreuse, French blue, scarlet and emerald.

The attendants allowed me to test some deliciously-scented soaps, which were washed away by this charming goose neck brass faucet.

I ended up purchasing a variety of items, including lotion, hand cream, toothpaste and little boxes of scented matches that smell amazing when you light them, their scent instantly transporting me back to the shop.

Upon returning home, I worked to incorporate these lovely items into our décor. I put one of the boxes of scented matches in a glass box on the end table next to the sofa, so that I could use them to light candles I purchased from another favorite French heritage brand, Cire Trudon. I displayed another box in a set of wall cubbies where I house cards and other small, tasteful souvenirs I pick up on my travels.

Buly 1803 scented matches are right at home in a little glass box on an end table. I use them to light my Cire Trudon candles. 

Incorporating these little treasures into my decor always reminds me of the wonderful trips I’ve taken. The fact that these items are practical as well as beautiful means that I actually use them. I find this so much better than purchasing the typical souvenirs, which tend to be poorly made and quickly discarded.

What are your favorite souvenirs? And how do you incorporate them into your home?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Until next time!

Stephanie