After the apartment building fire made us homeless last week, we became reliant on friends for our accommodation. Judy went to David’s one bed in Gramercy, and JM lent me half her bed in her Murray Hill studio. Lovely people but not an Ideal Situation.
And then I received the kind of unsolicited & staggeringly generous email that makes the heart sing: The Peninsula Hotel New York had heard about the fire & were offering me Friday & Saturday nights in their hotel as their guest. (I’ve visited The Peninsula in Bangkok, but this would be my first time in the Manhattan one.)
I accepted with alacrity and pitched up on Friday afternoon in a slightly grubby cream jacket that I had grabbed as I ran out of the building on Tuesday, carrying a battered LLBean canvas bag with a change of clothes, to be greeted by the cocooning luxe in these photographs. I felt very unworthy.
The crowning glory of the room was not the vase of peonies (my favourite flowers), the delicious fruit plate, the deep, bubble-filled bath or the spectacular view down Fifth Avenue to Central Park, but the marshmallow cloud that masqueraded as a bed:
And in which I could happily have spent the entire weekend. I shot a little 2 minute video of my room here which sums up my stay:
After all, how can you not love a hotel that has its own coffee cups?
LLG was a very, very grateful guest of The Peninsula New York
(The rest of my photos are here)
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Looks like you’re having a hard,but a bit gorgeous time. It was really something about the fire.
Well,The photos uploaded are fabulous. I’m looking forward to checking out your site from now on.
Dear LLG,
Please can i come and stay with you there?
It looks divine, just what i imagine you must need right now x
Wow that was so generous and amazing of them to do that!
I hope that things have been getting better since the fire.
By the way, you should totally get into voiceover work as you have the most beautiful speaking voice!
What photogenic fruit! Is it real?
Looks very comfortable, LLG. While it doesn’t make up for what happened to your friend’s apartment, it gives you somewhere beautiful and Your Own to allow you some time to regroup.
BTW — hat a beautiful voice you have!
Hope your insurance company sorts things out for you ASAP.
Ali x
New Yorkers do have a heart
@teawithonesugarplease Absolutely they do!
@Alison You are absolutely right: it’s amazing to be able to decompress in that way.
@Northern Snippet Yup! The fruit is real, & I ate it all!
@Jean That is just the nicest thing to have said — thank you!
@Trish I’m no longer in residence!
@Chourou You’re very welcome!
LLGxx
Gorgeous photos and video of a fabulous hotel — I’ve only ever made it to the rooftop bar! Such a shame that you were there under horrible circumstances — but I love how everyone has flocked round to help — makes the heart swell!
You so deserve this!! Enjoy that wonderful cocoon as long as possible.
Love your accent, by the way.…
@Solange & @Lucy Thank you! And yes, it is amazing how lovely everyone has been! LLGxx
Hi LLG
Sorry to hear of your dire circumstances but just wanted to comment on how lovely you speak, your voice is so soothing and you speak really nice English. Refined but not toff-ish. Totes jealous!
@kate Refined? I like it! LLGxx
It must have been difficult to leave! Best of luck to you, I’m so sorry about the fire but glad you and your friend were not in harm’s way.
The room looks wonderful. Very über chic NYC. I do hope they put your video on the hotel web site, that’ll sell rooms if nothing else will. Even in a recession. Your talents are boundless; now a film maker.
Helena xx
@Helena Thank you so much: what a lovely thing to say xx
What a generous offer! What lovely people
x
very, very nice. love the description– ‘marshmallow cloud’. hm, i should steal that phrase. x shayma
I haven’t said before, but so sorry about the fire — poor you and your friend. Hope that your stay at the Peninsula has cheered you somewhat, it looks very snaz!
Cxx
Have you had any news on the interior?
Hope all goes well for the apartment block.
As an ‘exceptional alien’ I bless all the fluffy towells in the world upon you, and all the distributers therof. (You’re the excep alien of course, not me.)
Unlike my data analysis self who just accidently backed into the porcelain loo and caused a huge crash :-S (Can’t put the light on this time of night or else apparently it disturbs the neighbours after a few years of it NOT doing so.…so I have to bang around!)
What a lovely place and pretty great of them to offer the 2 nights (why not 7?)
You know a place is lovely when the fruit is arranged that beautifully!
Take it eeeasy with Cadbury’s Caramel– say it! please!
Also– beautiful gams you are showing off there in your short skirt, but what would mother say? Whatever she says, just reply: Take it eeeasy.… She’ll melt like a chocolate bar on a hot dashboard.
Everything looks wonderful. Excellent video & pix (as usual). yes, about wanting to ring up the concierge about what sort of mattress they have…now I am wondering.…
That looks great! I love the calming colours. Marshmallow cloud is a great description. I have a spare room with the most amazing bed and everyone says it’s ‘like sleeping on a marshmallow’. I will check out the Penninsula when I’m next in NY on your recommendation xx
I love hearing things like this. I really hope that the stay made you feel a bit better.
Really glad to hear that you have been pampered this weekend after the whole fire fiasco… glamour just follows you wherever you go hun!
Love the pictures and fruit display — this hotel looks great and will check it out
Peonies are my favourites too!
I want to sink into the bed linen– it looks delightful– and they are obviously on team kind which I like. Also wow you have great legs!