Even in the middle of it all, \u201cTop of the Rock\u201d and its $30 sunset pass can only buy you so much Manhattan skyline. But skip town\u2014just across the river\u2014and the value of $30 changes dramatically; four unique hotels in Brooklyn, Queens, and New Jersey offer sweeping city views, cocktails, and live music. While the vibe may feel exclusive, there\u2019s no need to book a room in order to relish the cinematic elegance and raw urban beauty of the Big Apple. Each journey takes less than 20 minutes, yet the sense of escape is absolute.<\/p>\n
W Hoboken<\/strong><\/a> | 225 River Street, Hoboken | 201.253.2400 | How to get there: <\/strong>Take the PATH train to Hoboken Terminal, and walk 2.5 blocks north on River Street to the hotel. <\/em><\/p>\n Hyatt Regency<\/strong> | 2 Exchange Place, Jersey City | 201.469.1234 | jerseycity.hyatt.com<\/a> How to get there:<\/strong> Take the PATH train from Wall Street Station to Exchange Place in Jersey City, or visit the NYWaterway website<\/a> for a ferry schedule. <\/em><\/p>\n Ravel Hotel<\/strong> | 8-08 Queens Plaza South, Long Island City | 718.289.6101 | ravelhotel.com<\/a> How to get there: <\/strong>Take the N,W,7, E,F,G,V (Queens Plaza, Queensboro Plaza, Queens Bridge) or the Ravel Hotel shuttle.<\/em><\/p>\n Hotel Le Bleu<\/strong> | 370 4th Avenue, Brooklyn | 718.625.1500| hotellebleu.com<\/a> How to get there:<\/strong> Take the F train to 4th Avenue and head north on 4th towards 8th street for 1.8 miles. <\/em><\/p>\n Photo: Courtesy of Ravel Hotel<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Even in the middle of it all, \u201cTop of the Rock\u201d and its $30 sunset pass can only buy you so much Manhattan skyline. But skip town\u2014just across the river\u2014and the value of $30 changes dramatically; four unique hotels in Brooklyn, Queens, and New Jersey offer sweeping city views, cocktails, and live music. While the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[725,320,315,314,335,329,325,752,748],"tags":[15,145,226,288,144,140,29,178,9,286,287],"class_list":{"0":"post-1346","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-best-of","8":"category-brooklyn-outer-boroughs-destination","9":"category-day-trips","10":"category-dining-nightlife","11":"category-hoboken-nj","12":"category-new-jersey-destination","13":"category-new-york","14":"category-subway-2","15":"category-train-2","16":"tag-brooklyn","17":"tag-dining","18":"tag-drink","19":"tag-escape","20":"tag-hotel","21":"tag-new-jersey","22":"tag-path","23":"tag-queens","24":"tag-reviews","25":"tag-rooftop","26":"tag-skyline"},"acf":[],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":14074,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/02\/23-300x167.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1346","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1346"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1346\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nSituated along the southern Hudson River waterfront in the hip artsy enclave of Hoboken, New Jersey (a town the Dutch named after the \u201cHoebuck\u201d Indian tribe meaning \u201chigh bluff\u201d), Starwood\u2019s 28th W property is an idyllic retreat for any day of the week. When the W Hoboken doors open officially this April, head to the second floor Chandelier Room endowed with plush banquettes, a top shelf marbled bar, and whimsical d\u00e9cor. The 25-story hotel and residential tower has plenty of places to dine and unwind like Zylo Steakhouse from acclaimed Asia de Cuba chef Nick Ciccone (expect good Italian cooking and locally-made cheeses) and the 5,000-square-foot Bliss Spa. But the ultimate highlight is Chandelier Room\u2019s expansive outside terrace for its breathtaking city views that will lull you into staying the night (rates start at $259) just so you can wake up and do it all over again in the morning, (mimosas at sunrise anyone?).<\/p>\n
\nBusiness travelers and tourists always get lucky when they stay at this Hudson-perched Jersey City hotel. That is, the scenery never fails to please. Vu\u2019s varied space\u2014renovated three months ago with a new private dining room\u2014channels a nightclub energy at its 75-seat bar that exhibits the Statue of Liberty, while the larger dining room area provides formal yet cozy places to eat next to New York skyline-facing windows. If you\u2019re having more than a happy hour drink (5pm-7pm, $4 beers, $7 cocktails), order the pan seared organic salmon with pancetta, Maitake mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, and chestnut sauce. Unlike the other three venues, which have not yet opened, this spot could seat you today, so hop on the New York Waterway ferry and enjoy the Vu.<\/p>\n
\nFew would say Long Island City is a romantic destination. Yet this spring, at the foot of the 59th street bridge, a year old luxury boutique hotel will become just that. On top of the fifth floor, barely an arm\u2019s distance from midtown, the venue is introducing some important stuff: an outdoor bar, rooftop menu, and a DJ. When the weather warms up in March, the upgraded deck will transport guests from the surrounding industrial scene of LIC to a South Beach setting with big umbrellas and colorful modish furnishings. And if the forecast isn\u2019t great, an indoor section available year-round has heaters so you can still ogle the views without the shivers. While the Manhattan vista is what you\u2019re here for, Ravel is offering 20% room discounts for $139 through March 15th, which means standing on a private balcony in your bathrobe, 400-thread-count Egyptian-cotton linens, a soaking tub, and many other amenities worth reveling in.<\/p>\n
\nThe one thing this uber-modern, cobalt chic Park Slope hotel is missing will arrive in 2009 in the form of Vue: a futuristic 150-seat restaurant (with room for up to 300) and rooftop bar featuring Continental fare. Designed by award-winning architect Andres Escobar, the sleek steel structure offers special room rates starting at $169 and is in close proximity to many of the borough’s cultural attractions like the Brooklyn Academy of Music<\/a>, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and the antique district of Atlantic Avenue. Hotel Le Bleu\u2019s eighth floor will soon be another reason to spend a quick getaway in BK\u2014it’s old meets blue.<\/p>\n