Comfy Beds In New York City

1>request.
Relax in Domenico's Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge
It is an unfortunate fact that the lengths a traveleroffering a fine selection of Italian and continental
goes to experience new places often leaves themcuisines; 24 hour room service is available.
exhausted and returning to their rooms in search ofAs this was the only full day in New York, the plan
nothing more than the comforts of home. Fortunatelywas to get up early and get as many possible sites in
there are some hotels that specialize in just theseas I could. Once again the creature comforts of the
comforts.Bedford Hotel presented themselves and I indulged.
A trip to New York City began for me at 4:30 am withNeedless to say, I gave up on the idea of getting to
a drive to Buffalo, New York from Toronto. After athe top of the Empire State Building and opted to go
short fight to John F. Kennedy airport and a bus ridestraight to Battery Park and the ferry to Ellis Island.
into Manhattan my list of priorities was short. 1 - FindThere is a reason New York City has such a
food. 2 - Get sleep. End of list.reputation as a prime travel destination. Other cities
The Hotel Bedford is located at 118 East 40th Streethave attractions to see and events to fill your time.
and is just steps from Pennsylvania Station and closeNew York has all of these, but what makes it stand
to most large NYC attractions. Across to 9th Avenueabove is what you'll see on the way to your
and about six blocks up I found an incredible bakerydestination. This brings me back to Battery Park. The
called Amy's Bread. Information on these incredibleline for the Ellis Island ferry isn't very long but during the
bakeries can be found on the web at I had filled up onhalf hour wait a group of entertainers began putting on
sourdough rolls (50 cents each) and prosciuto anda show. It started with a few back-flips and
black olive twists (US$1 each) when the warm caresshandstands and had the makings of a half-witted
of lethargy began to set in.sideshow so I decided to get a snack from one of the
The walk back to the hotel was a blur but the lastmany stands in the area. I returned to see one of the
step toward my bed was a well remembered leap. Imen doing a handstand on the upstretched hands of
woke up to realize my surroundings and was happilythe other - not so half-witted after all. They ended with
surprised to say the least. I had been put up in aa back flip over the heads of four volunteers from the
standard suite (sweet?). Equipped with a comfortableline. They also added some jokes when collectin tips
queen size bed (sweet), en-suite washroom (sweet!)from the audience - as one street performer walked
and separate living room area (candy!) the room leftup and down the stairs on his hands. Impressive.
little to be desired. As well, there the kitchenette, CorbyThe ferry takes about fifteen minutes from the dock
pants press (to keep that perfect crease), in roomto Liberty Island and then another ten or so to Ellis
safes, irons, ironing boards, hairdryer, voice mail dataIsland. The entrance of the gateway to the land of
ports, cable television, a pull out couch! Let's face it, if I'dopportunity is quite obviously more elaborate today
have brought a partridge and a pear tree I could cookthan it was in the 1920s and '30s when thousands of
up a pretty decent Christmas number. Except it isimmigrants entered the country. The exhibits inside,
summer in the city.however, do a lot more to present the realities of the
The Bedford Hotel, a classic European style boutiqueconditions surrounding the post war influx and the
hotel, is situated on 40th Street, between Park andmultitude that entered the U.S. at that time. One of
Lexington Avenues, in the heart of midtownthose individuals was my grandfather, so I spent some
Manhattan, where the business district meets thetime at the family history computer terminal looking him
gentler Murray Hill Area. The Hotel's prime midtownup. Despite the large numbers of immigrants to choose
location makes it convenient to corporate offices,from the information turned up rather quickly. I could
famous Fifth Avenue shops, Broadway theaters,have paid a few dollars to get a print out of the actual
Grand Central Station, and tourist attractions, such asentry form with his name on it but a very helpful
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, and theinformation desk clerk named Mike was able to inform
United Nations Building.me that this could be obtained on the internet at For
The Bedford hotel provides both business and leisurethose that want their relatives name immortalized on
travelers with an excellent choice of accommodationsthe memorial wall outside the main building it can be
and facilities. The 136-room, 17-floor hotel includes 58done for a larger additional fee.
suites and 78 rooms of distinction.I'd be lying if I said that the ferry back to Manhattan
Most accommodations have fully equippedwasn't accompanied by a hint of nostalgia. Moreover,
kitchenettes. Every room has cable television, airthe view of the city from the water has it's own poetic
conditioning, dataport telephone, Corby trouser press,existence. It is true that the city doesn't sleep, but from
private bath with hair dryer, in-room safe, iron andthe deck of a slowly moving ship it can appear
board. Coin operated washers and dryers aresomewhat docile; like the slow bubbling of a volcano
available for your convenience. Monthly rates ondrifting into dormancy.