Last summer, my best friend and I decided to plan a weekend trip together. She had been living in Boston for several months and I was in Austin, so we came up with the brilliant idea to meet in New York City for a girls’ weekend away as a chill bachelorette party two weeks before my wedding.

To be honest, New York was never really a city on my radar. It seemed dirty and overly populated and way too expensive, and I just wasn’t super interested in visiting. But once the suggestion of going to New York was out there, it suddenly sounded like the perfect getaway!

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Our trip was a complete whirlwind – 48 hours in a city as huge as New York is simply not enough time to even scratch the surface of what the city has to offer. I really wish I would have had a few more days to really fall in love with New York. As it was, the city captured a piece of my heart in the time I did spend there. I find myself constantly watching for cheap flights or any excuse to pop back into the city!

I booked our stay with The Evelyn Hotel, located in midtown Manhattan. I was looking for a moderately-priced hotel with easy access to many of the locations we wanted to visit. Since it was my bachelorette party, I wanted the hotel to feel more upscale and unique than the hotels I usually stay in. The Evelyn fit the bill!  

Suites at The Evelyn Hotel

The Evelyn is a boutique hotel tucked away between 5th and Madison in midtown. When I visited it was undergoing quite a bit of construction and the main lobby was not open, although I believe it is currently functioning.

The hotel has been remodeled to feature an adorable mid-century modern charm that guests will appreciate. Our small room featured wood plank flooring instead of carpet, which I thought was such a great touch.

Although the room was quite small (it’s NYC, what can you expect?), it was expertly furnished to make the most of the space. There was a small coat closet to hang up our dresses, an iron and ironing board, and a great radio/iPhone charging dock that was actually a great music source while we got ready.

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There was a large bay window along one side of the room, although our view was of the side of the building next door so we didn’t get any natural light. Cute features such as a modern headboard, a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and bathroom tiles with musical notes add to the room’s unique charm.

Location of The Evelyn Hotel

My flight landed in Newark on a Friday around noon and departed Sunday around 3:00pm, giving me just over 48 hours in the city but only one full day to explore. Since I was so short on time, I chose a hotel located in midtown Manhattan that was close to just about everything.

Located at 5th Avenue and E 27th Street, The Evelyn Hotel is in Manhattan’s NoMad neighborhood, meaning it is just a block or so north of Madison Square Park (an actual little park, not the performance venue!). Being right in between 5th Ave and Madison Ave made catching an Uber uptown or downtown super simple.

I don’t think we ever spent more than 20 minutes traveling by car to any of our destinations, which ranged from the Upper East Side to the West Village to the Financial District, keeping our Uber costs relatively low and saving more time for exploring.

What’s Nearby The Evelyn Hotel

Flatiron Building

I actually didn’t realize that this iconic building was close by until I left the room and began walking around during my first afternoon. It was such a pleasant surprise to spontaneously come across the famous building. Besides making a great photo op, there are several shops and restaurants around the Flatiron that are worth checking out including Eataly, an Italian market with several restaurants inside.

Madison Square Park

Next to the Flatiron and just a few minutes from The Evelyn Hotel, this picturesque park is a great resting point after blocks of city walking and is a great place to take some photos as well. The park also features one of New York’s Shake Shack locations. Yes, it’s technically a chain – but it’s so good. Plus, this is the original location. If you’re visiting from a city that doesn’t have one of these restaurants, I definitely recommend checking it out for an easy lunch. The park setting is a great place to stop and relax, especially if the weather is nice!

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Empire State Building

Yet another surprise! With all the research I did for this trip, I really had no idea where things were in NYC. Although you can see the top of the building from just about anywhere in the city, a five minute walk up 5th Avenue will land you at the entrance to the Empire State Building. I decided to save my $30 and skip a ride to the top in favor of checking out the observatory at Top of the Rock instead, but I enjoyed stepping into the gorgeous lobby and feeling like I was doing an important piece of sightseeing.

230 Fifth

Literally across the street from The Evelyn Hotel is a great rooftop bar called 230 Fifth (named for its location at 230 Fifth Avenue). Although I was not able to visit due to rain and lightning, this is on my list for next time! The views are some of the best in the city, and it would make a great spot to catch the sunset and have a cocktail before heading out for the night.

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The Evelyn made a great location for our quick trip. I would happily stay here again and was quite pleased with the price. For two nights in August, we paid $354 total, or $177 per night.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that I earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!) if you decided to purchase something. Everything I link is a product I personally use and 100% believe in, I promise! This post was not sponsored in any way. I paid for my trip in full and all experiences and opinions are my own.