A NoMad Weekend: 48 Hours from 31st Street
NoMad rewards a slow weekend. Everything here is within a ten-minute walk, from Koreatown one block north to the Morgan Library eight minutes east, which leaves the traveling to your feet.
Friday: land, eat, and stay local
Check-in is 3:00 PM. If you arrive early, leave bags and walk to Madison Square Park, six to seven minutes south on Fifth Avenue, then back through the Flatiron blocks.
Dinner is the easiest decision of the trip: Koreatown one block north, or ZOI Mediterranean on the ground floor of the hotel, which runs from 11:30 AM through late evening and serves shareable mezze, crudo and whole grilled fish.
After dinner, TEN 11 sits below the lobby: a cocktail room that opens at 5:00 PM and runs to 2:00 AM Sunday to Wednesday, and until 4:00 AM Thursday to Saturday.
Saturday: park, library, and the long walk
Start at Madison Square Park, six to seven minutes south, then Fifth Avenue north to the Empire State Building, four minutes from the hotel, and on to The Morgan Library and Museum, seven to nine minutes east, for the 1906 library and rotating exhibitions.
Lunch options cluster on the walk back: Eataly at 200 Fifth Avenue, eight minutes, or the Flatiron blocks nine to ten minutes south. Afternoon is for Rizzoli Bookstore at 1133 Broadway, six minutes, and coffee at Stumptown in the Ace lobby, two minutes.
Sunday: Broadway, brunch, and out
Sunday is the quietest morning. Coffee and tea are served in the hotel from 7:00 AM as part of the destination fee. Walk to Union Square, 17 to 20 minutes south, or take the N, R, W two stops.
Check-out is 11:00 AM, and luggage storage is complimentary for up to 24 hours, so a late train from Penn Station, seven to ten minutes west, does not require dragging bags.
What to know about the building
The 1895 building was the original LIFE Magazine headquarters, and Norman Rockwell lived and worked here. There are 98 rooms, all with Wi-Fi, and a fitness center on the second floor with a treadmill, bike and free weights.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in NoMad?
Two nights covers the neighborhood comfortably. Three allows a Broadway evening, which is a 15 to 25 minute walk or a short subway ride north.
Where is breakfast?
ZOI opens at 11:30 AM on weekdays and 10:00 AM on weekends. Morning coffee and tea are included in the destination fee from 7:00 AM.
What is the closest subway?
34th Street-Herald Square (B, D, F, M, N, Q, R, W) is about three minutes north.
Life Hotel New York, 19 W 31st Street, New York, NY 10001, (212) 615-9900.