That same year, I got a taste of what all the fuss was about when I was invited in to try their cool new restaurant, Dirty French, which opened to the public a few months after the hotel did. From that first visit, I was hooked. In the 12 years since, I’ve returned plenty of times to dine, and 10 times and counting as a hotel guest, both as a NYC resident and after my move to Los Angeles in 2021.
What you can expect from a stay:
The Ludlow somehow manages to feel both deeply downtown and quietly cocooned from it. The 175-room boutique hotel leans into a moody Lower East Side aesthetic—dark woods, brass accents, oversized windows, and marble bathrooms—with select rooms offering soaking tubs and skyline views. Guests have access to amenities like 24-hour in-room dining and a 24-hour fitness center, which make it easy to settle in and stay put, should the mood strike, or cope with jet lag. You can relax and have a drink in the lobby, or enjoy a meal in Dirty French’s swanky dining room. It’s the kind of place that works just as well for a night out in the neighborhood as it does for a full stay-in-and-reset above it all.
What’s nearby:
The four-star hotel is essentially across the street from Katz’s, the quintessential NYC deli that is in my favorite rom-com of all time, When Harry Met Sally. It’s also minutes from some of the best bars in the city (head to Bar Belly, Double Chicken Please, or Attaboy for a good time), and it’s close to plenty of subway stops.
In the morning, grab a bagel at a nearby bodega or head east to get some pancakes at Clinton St. Baking Co. Walk north a little more, and you’re in the East Village; go east from there, and you’ll end up in Alphabet City, one of the best places to roam and get a cocktail (or two, or three). Stop by ABC Beer Co. for a beer, then head to Bobwhite’s to devour a chicken sandwich.
Why I keep coming back:
Though the first time I stayed at The Ludlow was through a press invite, the next few times were splurges on my small salary—staycations that allowed me to get away from my roommates for a night, get a drink downtown with friends, order room service, and take a bath looking at the skyline. I loved that the beds were fitted with clean, crisp sheets, and that the robe was made from perfectly plush terry cloth. And while the rooms are on the smaller side (especially the ones I was paying for in the early aughts), they still felt cool and chic.