Looking for NYC Travel Options? Check Out @TheBenjaminNYC Hotel

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We recently had the pleasure of experiencing the accommodations at The Benjamin Hotel in New York City.
They have a wonderful package going on right now called Lions and Tigers and Cereal, where families that book can experience a fun-filled family package including tickets to the Central Park Zoo, sunscreen and a Frisbee for some park fun, a few boxes of cereal delivered to the room the night before so it is ready for the kids, and room service breakfast the next day for mom and dad from Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian’s restaurant, located in the hotel.

The staff was friendly and helpful- which any mom will tell you is key when traveling with little ones. They even found me a new needle when mine broke and I NEEDED to fix Little Man’s owl- it had a hole- and it was just a major emergency, as you can imagine 🙂
The hotel was very clean and well organized. The refrigerator was well stocked, if pricey. The bathroom shower was clean enough to give the kids a bath in- which as you know I am VERY particular about.

You can also order up many pillows as you’d like from the 12-choice pillow menu. While that may sound odd- it was really a cute, interesting experience, and the kids had fun. Oh yes, and of course- a pillow fight.


After said pillow fight, the kids took a bath and got into their Winkzzz kid-sized robes, provided by the hotel. The staff delivered up some cookies and milk, as well as a plate of fruit for an evening snack, and then it was time to start winding down for bed. I thought that the milk and cookies (with a healthy option) was a nice touch, and very sweet for the kids. They really enjoyed it, and it felt more like home to them. Something familiar. As for bedtime routines- the hotel offers a wide variety of lending books to choose from- you choose the ones that appeal to your child(ren), and then they remove them the next day when you are finished with them. One less thing to pack, and it is fun for the kids to pick- like a portable library- how adorable is that?

The kids also liked snuggling with Winkzzz himself (well, ok- the stuffed version- an owl by Mary Meyers) while they read their books, were read to, and got ready for bed.
The next day, the kids ate their cereal and we ordered breakfast. We both ordered eggs, toast, and potatoes- and let me tell you- the potatoes alone were worth the trip, LOL. The kids, of course, stole half our breakfasts, but what can you do? Haha. Then we took out Central Park Zoo Tickets and were off and running. The kids were really excited to get to the zoo and children’s zoo.
The kids (as you would imagine) had an amazing time at the zoo- the Sea Lions were a favorite, and the really enjoyed the Delacorte Music Clock in the park as well. There was a 3D movie- we missed Dora, but that’s OK, there was a Frozen Earth one that was just as good (and maybe better since it was so hot outside). This polar bear will illustrate the heat for you- it spent the day swimming all about in the cool waters. I was very jealous 🙂


The Benjamin also reminds us to be environmentally aware when we travel. They are one of five hotels to have earned the ECOTEL Five-Globe certification in the entire United States. The grueling Five-Globe certification is a worldwide program which holds hotels to strict criteria. The Benjamins’ efforts include using energy-efficient light switches and thermostats, getting all hotel food from local places and sources, and even providing recycled hotel guest soap to impoverished families around the world. I always wondered what hotels did with all that soap! LOL.

There is no way I can show you all the fun that we had in just a few photos- please check out my Google Plus Album Here 🙂 The kids had a great time at the hotel and zoo. They stole the big bed- which was amazingly comfortable, by the way, leaving us grown-ups on the pull-out couch in the living room area. Not bad, considering that gave them their own room, and they went to bed early (ish) and gave us time to be adults. I would recommend this hotel and package to families looking to spend the day in New York and be in the center of it all. What can be better then a little change of pace?

Google Plus Photos

For Lions & Tigers & Cereal (oh my!) reservations, visit www.TheBenjamin.com or call 1-888-4-BENJAMIN (1-888-423-6526) and use booking code KIDZZZ. You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter, too.