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Brad A. Johnson

Food & Travel

Brad A Johnson
  • Blog
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    • Food Photography
    • Travel Photography
    • Restaurant Photography
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First Look: Upper Stories at Thompson Central Park, NYC

  • October 1, 2022
  • Brad A. Johnson
The Thompson Central Park opened about a year ago, replacing the old Parker Meridien, a few blocks south of Central Park in Midtown Manhattan. Just about everything was gutted. They installed all-new plumbing, all-new electrical and air-conditioning and, of course, a brand new look. But that was only half the story. The hotel is actually two buildings, not one. And the second half finally opened this month just in time for my recent visit, which meant I was one of the first to see the hotel’s beautiful new Upper Stories.

The Upper Stories at Thompson Central Park are essentially the hotel’s club-level floors, which come with all-day access to a beautiful 2,000 square foot lounge that includes complimentary breakfast, plus snacks, desserts and a self-serve bar throughout the day. Many of these Upper Story rooms have peek-a-boo views of Central Park. Booking in the Upper Stories costs about $200 more per night (or $300 extra for a suite) than standard room categories. More importantly, they still have that new-hotel-room smell, which is always hard to quantify. Here’s a quick look around.

Balcony of the club lounge overlooking Parker’s at Thompson Central Park (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
The Upper Stories lounge at Thompson Central Park (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Peek-a-boo view of Central Park from the Upper Stories of Thompson Central Park (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
King Studio Suite in the Upper Stories at Thompson Central Park (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
King Studio Suite in the Upper Stories at Thompson Central Park (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)

One of my favorite things about this hotel is the Burger Joint, which I didn’t discover until my fifth day at the hotel. That’s because it’s totally hidden (not kidding). It’s a hole-in-the-wall burger bar that originally opened in 2002 inside the Parker Meridien, and it’s the one thing the Thompson kept it intact. Look for the velvet curtains in the lobby, then make your way down the adjacent hallway, where you’ll notice a simple neon sign in the shape of a burger. That’ll be your only clue.

The Burger Joint at Thompson Central Park (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Burger Joint at Thompson Central Park (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
The Burger Joint is hidden behind the lobby at Thompson Central Park (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
The lobby at Thompson Central Park (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Parker’s restaurant and bar at Thompson Central Park (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)

There’s also a modern Indian restaurant in the hotel, next door technically, but I didn’t get a chance to check that out on this visit. Next time! It looks like this hotel will be my home base for most of my visits to my new company headquarters.

Rates from $750 (at least $200 more for the Upper Stories); 119 W. 56th St., New York, 212-245-5000, thompsoncentralpark.com

For more travel inspiration and photos, I invite you to follow me and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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Brad A. Johnson

Brad A. Johnson is a writer and photographer specializing in food and travel. His work has been honored by the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards, James Beard Awards, World Food Media Awards, Food Photographer of the Year Awards, Society of Features Journalism Awards and others. Based in Southern California, Brad currently serves as Editorial Director of the new luxury consumer travel magazine of the Global Travel Collection (launching Spring 2023).

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Hey, OC. FYI in case you missed it, @ryegoods has opened a new location on Red Hill in Tustin, just down the street from Flight/Mess Hall. Same incredible breads and pastries as the original on the peninsula. No lines here, plus a huge seating area. #sourdough #pastries #coffee #orangecounty 323 9
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I’m not sure which I liked better about the @fstokyo, the valet greeter and escort from the train station, the view of the trains from our room, or the super comfy pajamas. Excellent service all around. #Tokyo #Japan #hoteljunkie 79 3
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Well, that was interesting.  A toast to 2022. And looking forward to ‘23. Cheers, and safe travels to all. 81 1
Brad A. Johnson
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Writer. Photographer. Traveler. Restaurant Critic.

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