Review: Graduate Roosevelt Island

Why book?

For a true and undeniable sense of getting-away-from-it-all without technically leaving Manhattan. Rooms facing the East River also enjoy unrivaled views of the city skyscape, with the commuters on the Queensboro Bridge and Roosevelt Tram each infinitely watchable.

Set the scene A 13-foot-tall statue of Flyboy by artist Hebru Brantley is the first thing you’ll see upon entering the hotel, a beacon of bright curiosity bolstered quite literally by the light bulb he holds Albert Einstein-style above the front desk. In that spirit, the entire lobby is beautifully airy—5,000 square feet of bookshelves lined with textbooks, deep leather couches, floor-to-ceiling windows.

The backstory The Graduate’s mission, from which it derives its name, is to provide a cool and chic place to stay for parents and family visiting their loved ones’ college campuses. This property sits directly beside Cornell Tech, the largest staple of former Mayor Bloomberg’s efforts to answer the tech dominance of San Francisco and the surrounding areas.

The rooms In keeping with the interests of the adjacent university, The Graduate Roosevelt Island has an eye towards the cutting edge. The motifs are subtle; carpets in the hallways don a red-and-gray grid, and textures spanning bedside lamps are actually Cornell's Alma Mater dashed out in morse code. All the while, there’s also a deep sartorial reverence for the island’s namesakes—Franklin, Eleanor, and Teddy all make appearances on the walls, and each room is outfitted with a framed excerpt from FDR’s Four Freedoms speech, a nod to the Four Freedoms Park at Roosevelt Island’s Southernmost tip.

Food and drink Has it ever occurred to you to order duck wings? Have you even seen such a thing on the menu? More succulent than you could dream, these come with chile morita and chives, and are the highlight of the fabulous lobby restaurant Anything At All. The grilled hanger steak with bordelaise is another must-try. Upstairs lies the rooftop bar, Panorama Room, and there seems to be a consensus these days amongst our best and brightest that this is one of the city’s finest. The digs are swanky, with rich color and plush round-booth seating. There’s live jazz on Wednesdays, unbeatable views (as the name suggests), and a bevy of cocktails worth trying.

The spa There is no spa at the Graduate Roosevelt Island.

The neighborhood/area Roosevelt Island is quiet—a late night run to the nearby Duane Reade is straight-up uncanny for its sheer absence of people—but this is the enclave’s greatest appeal. Set on a thin stretch of land that runs parallel to Midtown and the Upper East Side, it’s like a satellite with all the convenience and none of the noise. The tram, which again crosses the river perfectly framed by many of the rooms’ windows, is certainly the most idyllic way to get there, and you can swipe in with your MetroCard like it’s the subway. But those fearful of heights can just as easily hop on the F and get off at—you guessed it—the Roosevelt Island stop. From there, it’s a quick stroll to the front steps of The Graduate and the comforts within. Out-of-towners in need of easy access to Midtown will find the location convenient, as will anyone eager to see Manhattan’s sights and include their hotel experience in the novelty.

The service Warm and thorough without being overbearing—not full-service, although you’ll find yourself wanting for very little.

For families Built to accommodate the visiting families of nearby universities, the Graduate Roosevelt Island is indeed a sweet spot for anyone traveling with children—there’s even a fabulously playful room inspired by Tom Hanks’s apartment in Big. Those bringing their babies and toddlers to the Big Apple will likely especially appreciate the totality of the area’s peace and quiet.

Accessibility The elevators are ADA-compliant in size, with the accessible rooms on each floor in close proximity. Best of all, the registration desk is wheelchair accessible—everyone can check in with ease.

Anything left to mention? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: be sure to spring for an East River-facing room.