No Diving unless you are a tadpole.

OK not the best photo but I had to take a sneaky photo of the pool on the roof top of Jimmy’s Bar in The James Hotel in Manhattan.  It is the size of a pond and as shallow as a puddle so I’m glad they put the No Diving because you know. we were all wondering there for at least two seconds.

Now I’m a bit of a hotel bar slag.  I love a good cocktail but, Manhattan your service and clientele are disappointing me.  Jimmy’s bar had so many questions to get into the place from security I thought I was going through customs again.  And surprise surprise,   there weren’t that many people upstairs;  and neither it seems was a waitress.  Oh wait there was one but just not one for us.  In fact I’m not sure who she served.   One barman on and one man behind him with not much to do but shuffle lemons place to place and look at the floor with a face saying please don’t ask me anything.  Getting a drink felt like an eternity

The seats outside by the pond are park benches.  Yes the view is great. That is all that is.  Google images make it look a lot better which is why I put my rank photo.

Taken from their site so it will look good

The Thomson hotel well that one was even worse.  After looking nervously at a very vexed security guard to again get up stairs and feeling like you are dealing with a headmaster we got sent to the top floor only to be sent back down for half hour to the middle bar where the DJ, who did look amazing, decided she would like to play the music really loudly whilst attempting to ‘scratch’ the records.  Painful to all involved. Again service pretty dismal.

We made it to the top and these seats are much comfier and the place more relaxed and chilled.  Service was much better.  However who you get to sit next to is roulette. You’d think if you wanted a private conversation you wouldn’t bother with others listening, but no.  We got to listen in on a guy introducing his boyfriend to his very straight parents whilst the boyfriend said the classic line.  It’s not just women who have a biological clock, I do too….  I almost spat my drink out at this point.  After they moved we thought hurrah and then got the drunk couple making out.  Fail….

Taken from their site and looks better than this

But there is a winner and no it may not have a rooftop but for great service and excellent cocktails and that’s the Crosby Street Hotel.  We had someone come over and say they could make us anything we wanted.  They put food on the table, they smiled without willing us to curl up and die.  They genuinely wanted us there.  Bar Staff and any Waitresses.  Best cocktails, best atmosphere.  Only moan is the bathroom is a mile away.And even though these bars are expensive, best priced.  I had an espresso Martini.  Delicious.  I have been there about three times since.  So nice to find a place where the staff don’t think they are more important then the customers.