Shari Hartford

Parts of the midtown area known as the Garment District was, until recently, a jumble of old office buildings (some housing less-than-credible factories), wholesale-only showrooms and an assortment of parking garages and small stores. But there has been a slow revolution for this area of prime real estate. Popping up like flowers in a newly planted garden are hotels to suit every taste and budget.

One such hotel is The Strand (formerly a parking lot), on 37^th Street between 5^th and 6^th Avenues. For starters, it’s perfectly situated…a stroll to Times Square and the Jacob Javits Convention Center and an even shorter stroll to the Empire State Building, Penn Station, Lord & Taylor and Herald Square.

But location isn’t everything. There’s the hotel itself, which opened in 2009. Let’s start at the top…Top of the Strand. This all-year rooftop lounge is a must to see the Empire State Building up close and personal and to sit and chill while imbibing on signature cocktails and light fare. (After a sampling, I favored the Georgia Peach, vodka, lime and fresh peach juice.) Enjoy guest D.J.s Thursdays through Saturdays or just take in the cityscapes.

The hotel’s restaurant, which also provides the room service, is a beautiful space. It will soon be undergoing a much-anticipated change. Stay tuned for more great food.

The hotel has 177 accommodations, all with excellent views. My room, number 1606, was also dead-on for the Empire State Building; quite a view at dusk as the city lights were turning on. All décor is in soft and soothing neutrals with dashes of the hotel’s signature eggplant color. Throughout the hotel there are fashion photographs from the Conde Nast archives, emphasizing the garment center locale. The rooms have everything the well-traveled guest has come to expect: excellent free wi fi, plush linens, comfortable beds and pillows, good lighting and

plenty of storage space. The bathroom, with a stall shower and slate floors was nicely sized and offered more than the usual amount of fluffy towels. Add to all that nightly turn down service and you have an oasis in midtown.

All in all, my overnight stay at The Strand was tranquil and convenient. This area sure has changed over the years and I expect more changes will be cropping up sooner rather than later. Hopefully next on the agenda will be a wealth of fabulous restaurants to compliment the fabulous hotels.

For more information, see thestrandnyc.com