NYC: My stay at The Wagner at the Battery

I was looking for a nice place to stay somewhere equally far from Midtown and Brooklyn, and the Wagner popped up. In the not too distant past, the Wagner used to be The Ritz-Carlton Battery Park, and The Ritz-Carlton is one of my favorite hotel chains, so I did not hesitate to give the Wagner a try.  Furthermore, the Wagner is much cheaper than the one remaining Ritz-Carlton in the city, with roomrates starting at around $150-$200 if you book well in advance.

The room

I was lucky and got an upgrade to a room with a view of the Statue of Liberty, and the room had a telescope, so I could get an even closer look at her. I loved that feature, which is btw. also a legacy from back when the Wagner was The Ritz. 

The hotel restaurant 2 West

I got up early to have breakfast at the hotel restaurant 2 West and the restaurant was full of what I assume were business travelers heading to work or meetings (though they could of course also have been same-sex couples, wearing suits on their vacation without kids). My Eggs Benedict was nice, but it would probably have been a better deal to choose one of the breakfast set menus. With a glass of fresh juice and a latte, my breakfast bill ended on the wrong side of $40 before tips, which is expensive, even for New York City.

The location

Unless I am carrying a lot of luggage, I usually just take the subway from JFK, but the Wagner is quite a walk from the nearest subway station, so I ended up taking an Uber instead. In fact, I ended up taking a lot of Ubers during my stay, which is one of the drawbacks of the, otherwise very nice but slightly off, waterfront location on the southern tip of Manhattan. 

You have Battery Park right at the doorstep and further up West Street is Brookfield Place, which is a shopping mall/office building. In the summer, the patio at Seamore’s (restaurant at Brookfield Place) is a popular spot for happy hour drinks.

The vibe

The Wagner is definitely more business than casual, and when I was there, one of the big investment banks had an event at the hotel, which made the hotel appear even more corporate. Though the room was nice and spacious and very quiet, which is what matters the most to me, and if you are looking for affordable luxury in New York City, the Wagner is an excellent choice.

The Wagner at the Battery, 2 West Street, New York