This past weekend, Mike and I packed up the family for a staycation at the St. Regis in New York City. This was quite a treat because a) the St. Regis is one of the nicest hotels in NY, b) it’s all the way uptown which is actually a different world from where we live and c) this was really the first time Mazzy and Harlow have stayed with us together in a hotel.
Mazzy went to a hotel once in Arizona when she was really little and Harlow once with me to Chicago but I do not think either of those hotels made an impression like the fancy plush hotel living at the St. Regis.
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts has started a new program centered on family traditions which pays special attention and offers amenities to families with little ones in tow. We could tell from the second we walked in the door that Mazzy and Harlow were going to like it there.
From the bellhop to the woman at the front desk, everyone greeted my kids like they were happy to see them. I think most parents will tell you that their kids are eyed suspiciously when entering fancy establishments, so this greeting was much appreciated.
The woman at the front desk even knew both Mazzy and Harlow by name and presented them with two little backpacks to make them feel at home. Each backpack contained a St. Regis teddy bear (which rarely left their sides for the remainder of the trip), a children’s book about NYC and a miniature pair of slippers with the St. Regis insignia— sized just right.
When we arrived at our room, it was already set up with a bed for Mazzy and a crib for Harlow. It was a suite so we could keep the kids in one room, close the sliding french doors after they went to bed and watch TV in our own bed.
We also had a pretty nice view of Central Park.
Mazzy and Harlow ran around the room excitedly, opening every closet, pulling out every drawer, sitting in every chair, jumping on the bed, going into both bathrooms (two bathrooms!), playing with the curtains, looking out the windows, etc.
Here are four things that made Mazzy squeal with glee:
1) Finding the fridge underneath the television. “There are snacks!!!!”
2) Finding the toilet behind a separate door within the bathroom. “What????!!!! Why is the toilet in there????”
3) Finding the phone next to the toilet. “THERE’S A PHONE NEXT TO THE TOILET!!!! Hello? How are you? I’m on the toilet!”
4) Mike turning on the hidden bathroom mirror TV (which to be honest, is pretty amazing to me too). “WHAT???!!!! Is that a TV?? Can we watch TV while we take a bath??? HARLOW! WE CAN WATCH TV WHILE WE TAKE A BATH!!!!”
It honestly didn’t occur to me that the very act of being in a hotel would be so super exciting.
After we got settled, we left together as a family to explore. We took the elevators, we walked down the marble staircase, visited the gym and checked out the restaurant. The whole time, Mazzy alternated from playing “secret super spy” to “princess living in a palace”.
My favorite part was taking Mazzy to the 12th floor.
Each floor at the St. Regis is a different color theme and the 12th floor is pink. That was a tip from the personal butler assigned to our room (yes, I said personal butler!) who was told about my instagram feed @pinkinnyc.
At one end of the 12th floor is the Dior suite. That room, I’m going to assume, is pretty amazing.
When we returned from dinner later that night, our butler brought us cookies and milk as part of their turn down service. Then we read a book and put the kids to bed. Both of them in their slippers (Mazzy was obsessed with the slippers) and holding their bears.
The next morning we got room service which was another first for both of them. We got eggs, bacon, coffee, etc. all delivered to the room in covered serving trays. You should have seen the kids eyes light up when the wait staff rolled in the table and removed the tray lids. I think they felt like they were living in a story book.
Harlow got the waffles of her dreams. I am not sure she will ever accept frozen waffles at home again.
After breakfast, I gave them a bubble bath in the big marble tub.
The best part was using the kid-sized robes afterwards.
The team at the St. Regis had a full day planned especially for us. We had lunch at the King Cole Bar, which supplied Mazzy and Harlow with all the coloring pages and crayons they wanted.
Afterward, we went to a cookie party at FAO Schwartz, arranged by the concierge. FAO Schwartz is about five blocks away, so Mazzy and I played ‘I Spy Pink’ the whole way.
Then they just about lost their minds deocorating cookies and running around the toy store.
The best part was the St. Regis arranged for us to have our own private time on the big piano, so Harlow and Mazzy could run around until their hearts were content.
Once back at the room, our butler informed us of hot chocolate for the kids served during tea time in the restaurant. It sounded lovely, but it was time for Harlow’s nap and Mazzy was already full of cookies. I’m sorry we missed it.
For the remaining hours before check-out, Harlow slept behind the french doors while Mazzy, Mike and I relaxed reading books, telling stories and watching TV.
There’s something magical about being in a fancy room within your own city. No pressure to take in the sights— just experience the wonderful nature of living in luxury, with a butler to bring you milk and cookies, who smiles like your kids belong there.
Thank you to the St. Regis for a maginificent time. You made my two girls feel like princesses and like I gave them a gift. But you’ve set the bar REALLY HIGH for our next trip!
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This post was sponsored by St. Regis Hotels & Resorts but we will gladly work with them again whenever they want! Obviously.
So amazing!! That makes me want to stay at a St Regis!
Your girls are so lucky to have such exciting experiences! I think it is great to vacation in your own city!
Oh what a special adventure for you all. Everyone should feel like a princess at least once in their life!
It sounds amazing! Hidden bathroom mirror tv!! I would die! Lol! And room service really is the best. Whenever I stay in a hotel I always check out the room service menu first thing. How great to stay in a nice hotel that makes kids feel like they are special and that they belong there. We will definitely check out the St Regis on our next NY trip.
The whole trip looks and sounds glamorous. Mazzy and Harlow always look ridiculously happy, I love it! And pink signs in the hotel? I bet Mazzy was in heaven.
That looks like so much fun! Those bubble bath pictures are precious!
Thanks! This inspired me to look for something similar here in Chicago. Hotels do generally frown (literally and figuratively) when they see toddlers checking in, so the idea that a company is making a real effort to be supportive of toddlers is great.
My kids would die to be on the big piano! Ha! It looks like you had a lovely, fantastic time!
We took our kids to a waterpark. My preschooler’s favourite part? The bunk-beds in our room. We took our kids skiing for the first time. My preschooler’s favourite part? The pull-out couch in our rented condo room. We took our kids to a theme park. My preschooler’s favourite part? Sleeping in the loft of a cabin. We took our kids to DISNEYWORLD. For the First Time Ever. Disney. The Happiest Place on Earth? Not to my baby. The only time my preschooler cracked a smile? You guessed it. When we showed up at our non-Disney related hotel room – that was the first time all day she cracked a smile, right before she started to squeal with joy and declared “Oh, a hotel room and beds! I LOVE this room!!!!”. Our future vacations? Going to our local city, renting a hotel room for the night! Just as much joy, much cheaper price! 😉
Ha ha ha I love this. Our eldest is the same. We have video of him in a budget chain hotel commentating on how exciting the cupboard is, how he fits under the table, how the soap is wrapped in paper, how there is a lamp for everyone. It is hilarious. No video from the beach. But the hotel was a total hit!
Oh yeah, same here. Took kids to LEGOLAND. They kept asking when we were leaving to the hotel. THE. WHOLE. TIME. Next time I’m saving the money and just taking them for a night at a hotel! (More like Best Western though…)
What is that that Harlow is paying with in the 3rd picture from the bottom? Looks interesting :).
that looks GLORIOUS!!!!
Out of curiousity, I looked at reservations myself at the St Regis in New York, 2 adults, 2 kids.
I might be doing it wrong, but it appeared there were NO AVAILABILITY through August 2016, which is when the booking calendar stops. Either their new family friendly program is SUPER POPULAR and all options are booked already, or they’ve got some more work to do.
Either way, you lucked into a super rare treat and I am jealous.
Are you ok with me giving your email address to the St. Regis? They saw your comment and asked if they could reach out directly to help you make the reservation!
😀 you are welcome to share, but I was really just curious. I’m not currently planning a trip to New York.
But maybe we could do a staycation in Houston!
Wow! Looks like you had a blast. That’s why living in NYC is so awesome. You can have a totally different experience and still be in your hometown.
Don’t suppose you want to adopt me? What with co-ordinating tights and shoes, flowers from cool boys, nights in a hotel suite, the giant piano from Big, I am a grown up totally envious of the life of a five year old…
I am due a girls’ night away with my four year old this summer – am now seriously considering a staycation in London and being girls about town!
What fun! We have done that before- spending a night in a local hotel just for fun. It’s almost more fun then going out of town because there’s no stress of travel and less cost! Of course our hotels here in WV are no where near that nice..but it’s still fun.
How did the girls sleep overnight though? Did they sleep fine or were there wake ups?
next time I am in NYC I am definitely checking this place out! Oh the glee from my children will sing!
My husband used to work for the St. Regis and was qualified for major discounts, but we never used them. Now it makes me wish we still had access to them! On the even more drool-worthy front, they also have one in the Caribbean where you have your own private floating house and you can see the ocean through the glass floor.
How fun!