For those who want to experience a day in the life of real New Yorker (sans an apartment with five manual key locks or poor plumbing), staying at a boutique hotel is the closest thing to authenticity. Plus, you gain instant room service and a super hip, stylistic place to lay your hat and tired body down.

A boutique hotel is as unique as the city it represents, as independent as an artist, and friendly as a hometown neighbor. Intimate and often luxurious in unexpected ways–well, that’s a boutique hotel for you.

In fact–New York City is home to the whole boutique hotel craze, and it makes sense. Manhattan is a city that boasts one of the highest room rates ($238 on average in NYC according to Smith Travel). So traditionally in NYC, it used to be that you had to drop a ton of money or scrimp and wish for the best–don’t let the bed bugs bite!

But now there’s a middle ground. A boutique hotel offers a median rate between a luxury hotel and a 2-star low-grade vacancy. It takes the positive things from each of the extremes like superior service, fine amenities, yet with a smaller room count and more personal feel. Promising cool design and a nod to local flavor with reasonable rates–“budget boutiques” made traveling to metropolitan cities in style more of a reality.

At the MAve Hotel, our sharp staff works diligently around the clock to make you feel right at home. We try our best to remember your name and point you to all the cool spots in the city–or even right outside the door, like Pranna across the street, Nomad around the corner, and The Jazz Standard nearby.

Inside our sleek rooms you’re guaranteed free Wifi, deluxe bathrobes, ultra-plush pillow-top mattresses, the best boutique spa products, iHome for your gadgets, your own USA Today, videos on demand, breakfast on the go, lunch at your door, and someone there in a flash to clean up your entire mess. And with our location almost in the center of the island–the whole city is your calling card for adventure.

To extend your stay or book a visit with us, call us at: (212) 532.7373

We’d love to hear from you, and we promise to make it a stay you’ll never forget!

The post Why Boutique Hotels Are All the Rage … appeared first on The MAve Hotel.

It’s the most celebrated night of the year and the biggest countdown around the world. For ten heart-pounding seconds, all eyes are on New York and the massive glittering ball descending over Times Square. Millions nationwide and over a billion worldwide watch us cheer as the famous ball descends from the flagpole and one ton of confetti is showered over the heads of revelers.

Mixed in with confetti are handwritten wishes from people around the globe–whether it’s a personal goal, a dream for the future, or doing something for the first time, these wishes are scrawled on official confetti and scattered from building tops as part of the Wishing Wall. See how to include yours here.

Since rooftop celebrations began by the owners of One Times Square in 1904, the first New Year’s Eve ball lowering occurred in 1907. There have been several different balls over the years, but a 12-foot geodesic sphere was introduced in 2008 that’s double the size of any previous ball, now weighing in at 11,875 pounds. A year-round attraction in Times Square, this ball only comes to life on that special night next month.

For hotel guests and travelers venturing into the city for this magical night, here’s what to expect in Times Square on December 31st :

3:00 p.m.
Revelers start arriving late in the afternoon on New Year’s Eve. By approximately 3:00 p.m., the Bow Tie of Times Square (42nd to 47th Sts. between Broadway & 7th Ave.) is fully closed to traffic. Revelers are directed by NYPD to gather in separate viewing sections.

6:00 p.m. to 6:03 p.m.
The celebration begins with the lighting and raising of the New Year’s Eve Ball atop One Times Square. The New Year’s Eve Ball is lit and begins its ascent accompanied by special pyrotechnic effects.

6:20 p.m.
The Times Square Alliance sanitation crew clad in bright red uniforms begins to distribute tens of thousands of fun handouts to the Times Square revelers.

An hourly countdown takes place every hour three minutes before the hour.

At 11:59, there’s a sixty second countdown.

The lighted Ball descends 70 feet in sixty seconds. The Ball is covered with 2,688 Waterford crystal triangles and lit by 32,256 Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDs.

The schedule of events is subject to change. Performances have not yet been announced, but can be checked on the Times Square official website.

From the Flatiron District where the MAve Hotel is located, plan to cab before 3pm to Times Square, or take a brisk 10-15 minute walk.

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Manhattan may be an island that’s only 13 miles long and 2.3 miles at its widest point but it’s still a pretty small world at every turn. Densely populated with old neighborhoods, epic landmarks, and multicultural splendor–it can feel like one tiny nation with an overwhelming amount to see and experience. To take in the highlights of this Empire City, here’s why staying in the Flatiron is a very smart move.

1) Location Location Location

Named after the Flatiron building at 23rd Street, this district is like the heartbeat to the body with veins, or streets, that branch out in every direction. From the north side of New York where you’ll find Spanish Harlem, Columbia University, the Upper West Side, and Central Park North, to the south end of the island (Wall Street, Battery Park, Statue of Liberty, etc)–there’s so much to see and do. The Flatiron District, home of the MAve Hotel, is centrally located between downtown (considered below 14th St) and Midtown where you’ll find 5th Ave shopping, Times Square, and Broadway. If you’re in town for work or even a publicity tour (lucky you), the MAve sits on Madison Ave. home to many ad agencies, PR, and publishing houses.

2) Rich Residential History

Somewhat corporate, yes, but the Flatiron is also a unique historical neighborhood filled with elegant townhomes, hotels, and buildings that were once home to greats like Edith Wharton, Thomas Edison, and John Steinbeck. The Flatiron is also the birthplace of Theodore Roosevelt, which is a national historic site.

The Gramercy neighborhood, on the east side of the Flatiron District is now the address for celebrities like Julia Roberts and Uma Thurman.

3) Shopping and Killer Eats

Between the Civil War and World War I, our neighborhood was home to some of New York’s most famous department stores: Lord & Taylor, B. Altman, W. & J. Sloane, Arnold Constable, and Bergdorf Goodman. Now preserved under the title “Ladies’ Mile District”, newer stores have popped up like Ann Taylor, Victoria’s Secret, Club Monaco and Origins, and big box retailers dominate Sixth Avenue.

For a quick carb or sugar fix, load up on adventure fuel from nearby bakeries like: The City Bakery, Hot Blondies, Crumbs, The Protein Bakery, Alice’s Tea Cup, and Cafe Prague.

Finish the evening at one of the Flatiron favorites like farm-to-table ABC Kitchen, Greek lovers “Barbounia”, or upmarket Indian food at Junoon.

The post 3 Major Perks to Staying in the Flatiron appeared first on The MAve Hotel.

The legendary Tony Award® winning Broadway play which first took center stage on Saturday October 13, 1962 is back fifty years later to the exact date with its original Steppenwolf cast, led by Tracy Letts and Amy Morton (the playwright and the star of the Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning smash hit August: Osage County).

Letts and Morton face off as George and Martha, a dysfunctional married couple in Albee’s provocative (also hilarious) masterpiece. They are joined by Carrie Coon and Madison Dirks as the unwitting young couple invited over to George and Martha’s for an unforgettable night of cocktails and crossfire.

When director Pam McKinnon was asked to share her experience tackling Albee’s masterpiece, she said, “I think of Edward’s play as fractals: the small moments reveal the whole and vice versa; there is a same-similar geometry to be obeyed. Every beat bundles tragedy with comedy.” She went on to summarize, “It’s through slights and public hits and humiliations do George and Martha pledge all out war.”

Edward Albee, author of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is often referred to as one of the great American playwrights, and known for his experimentation with human character that often involves aggression, weakness and twisted pleasures.

Run time for this Broadway play is approximately 3 hours, including two 10-minute intermissions.

View the performance schedule here.

Ticket sales have now been extended through February 24, 2013–for info on how to buy tickets, click here.

This production takes place in the Booth Theatre, located at: 225 West 45th St. (between Broadway and 8th Ave)

From the Flatiron district where the MAve Hotel is located, this is a 10-15 minute cab ride.

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