HotelTonight – Harlem Hotels
New York City is a mosaic. It's a tapestry. It's whatever metaphor you want to use if it describes a massive work of art that's comprised of countless smaller pieces. I've been traveling to New York for years, and I've never really experienced the same thing twice. I've spent most of my time in Manhattan, as that's where my work has taken me most of the time. I've fallen in love with the place to the point where I recently decided that I wanted to start exploring it on a deeper level. That's why, when I'm there for work now, I build an extra 24 hours into my trip so that I can have one day to myself. I use that day to dive deeply into life in a neighborhood of my choosing. My last trip featured Harlem. I hadn't really been there before, but I was looking forward to seeing firsthand what I had heard was one of the most interesting neighborhoods in the Big Apple. I wasn't worried about lodging, either, as I travel with HotelTonight. It would find me a Harlem hotel room as soon as I needed one.
The Culture
If you want to spend some time in a neighborhood that holds historical cultural significance, you need to spend some time in Harlem. The Apollo Theater is here, and there are few if any venues in the world that have been host to more iconic figures than this one. Everyone from James Brown to Ella Fitzgerald and countless others have put their talents on display at the Apollo for generations. There are many other musical and theater venues in Harlem as well, and one could spend weeks trying to see shows at all or even most of them.
The Transformation
There was a time when Harlem struggled mightily. There was a lot of poverty there and that poverty created a difficult environment for its residents. In recent years, however, that has all started to change a bit. There is a lot of reinvestment occurring here and that's leading to refurbished buildings, rebuilt infrastructure and an even deeper sense of community pride than what has existed here traditionally. It's fun to watch a neighborhood come to life, particularly one with as strong a backbone as Harlem. It's always going to be here, and it seems as though positive days are ahead.
The Cuisine
I have to admit that I've long been a sucker for down-home, home-cooked fare. Soul food is big here. You'll find quite a few options in Harlem that serve it, and I was giddy with excitement as I sat down to dinner at a place that had been serving famous chicken and waffle dinners for generations. I ordered it and could not believe how delicious it was. The chicken was tender and crispy and the waffle's texture and flavor completed the entire masterpiece.
HotelTonight – Harlem Hotels Brought to You
After such a great dinner and great day, I decided to open my HotelTonight app and find a Harlem hotel room. It took only seconds to book a room, and before I had even paid the restaurant bill I knew I was minutes away from a restful night of sleep.
