Rooftop Restaurant Penthouse808 @ Ravel Hotel

stayed overnight at this hotel and enjoyed my stay. The staff was pleasant and pictures online are accurate. The hotel lobby/lounge/bar area looks bigger in the picture than it actually is but clean. I saw a review where someone complained of cracks in the floor and this is true but I was looking for them. The few cracks are small in comparison if reviewing the hotel as a whole. The hotel room floor hallway rugs either need a good shampooing or new rugs all together (no smells in hallway, just well traveled rugs) BUT when I entered MY room (512) that all went out of the window. The room was very NICE and clean and just as it is pictured online. I am a New Yorker and the view from my room of the city Skyline was AMAZING!! YES, the hotel is located in somewhat of an industrial/vacant area and there are eye sores. THIS DOES NOTHING TO THE AMAZING VIEW. Its like a DOT. You can stay in MANHATTAN and skip the couple of eye sores for about an extra $200-300 a night, be my guest. Manhattan is just across the bridge. I will suggest and recommend this hotel to all of my friends and family. In fact, I already did. I would go again.

My husband and I got married at the Ravel hotel about 9 months ago. It was one of the happiest, most fun days of both of our lives that was accentuated by the helpful event planning staff of the Ravel Hotel. I will start by saying that we are both very laid back. We didn't have a large budget, but being as stubborn as we both are, wanted so badly to get married in New York, where we live. I dreamed of having a terrace wedding overlooking the Manhattan skyline where we could entertain our out of town family and friends, as if to say "look how awesome this place is!". It was an amazing day and night. 

To this day, our friends and family remark on how that was "the best wedding I have ever been to", and "the food at your wedding was amazing!". I agree with both of these statements. To start, the terrace is unbelievably beautiful, the views of Manhattan at sundown could make you weep. The cocktails, food, and service is terrific, creative, and entertaining. The rooms are spacious, well cooled, and urban chic in design. We had no problems with noise (although, to be fair, we may have been the noise). Also:

1) Annie (the event planner at the Ravel) is the most accomadating, sweet, and organized woman I have met. She is professional to a T and an awesome chick as well.
 

2) They accomodated my Gluten Free diet for our wedding! This was awesome. Not only did we enjoy (love, love, love) our menu tasting dates- where we got to select a variety of gluten free apps and entrees like sushi rolls (with gluten free soy sauce!), greek sliders with cucumber yogurt sauce, and grilled salmon with polenta, the FOOD WAS AMAZING. For anyone who has ever been to a wedding,  you know how much the food is usually boring and terrible and totally not worth the price. Our wedding meal remains one of the best New York meals I have had in my 6 years living here. They also accomodated my vegetarian friends and my kosher friends. The chef there is AMAZING.

3) They accomodated us with a room block at a discounted rate for family and friends. This was amazing because it was like a giant family reunion, where we were all under the same roof for the whole weekend. No one needed to drive anywhere to attend our wedding, just take the elevator to the 8th floor! The night before the wedding, we chilled at salsa night on the terrace, and the morning after we were shuttled (by their service) to a family brunch in Astoria. 

4) Our signature cocktail was a Spicy Pear Margarita. Need I say more?

5) Ok, fine, I will. We had a champagne toast of some of the best Rose I've tasted

6) The bartending and wait staff was courteous and sweet as well as nicely dressed.

7) We had the best Wedding suite (for free). My husband and I spent our first night together with the best views of the 59th street bridge and Manhattan you have ever seen. We were feeling groovy!

8) They have a nearby order in service from a diner. The morning my bridesmaids were getting ready with me, we ordered omelets to be delivered at the hotel. I was nervous and couldn't eat much, but it was awesome, convenient, and delicious.

9) My bridesmaids and I took a pre wedding run across the 59th street bridge (my last workout as a single woman). It is really close (and gorgeous, as I mentioned)

10) My wedding planner was able to reach Annie at any time, and we were able to set up multiple meetings with her for planning.

11) They allowed my brother (who is a professional DJ), to DJ our wedding on their sound system! People still tell me how awesome the music was.

12) My mom, the baller, shot caller, who paid for the whole thing, was thoroughly satisifed and wrote a review right after the wedding. And as many of you know, if mommy ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. She was treated with respect and was a happy customer.

13) It rained on the day of our wedding : (
BUT, Annie and staff jumped right in and gave us our options for a tent, which we ultimately went with. They say that's good luck anyway. We're still going strong, so maybe!

14) Our families toured New York the next day via the N train, which is near the hotel. It was almost a destination wedding for non New Yorkers. China town, the Statue of Liberty, and Grimaldi's were all among favorites for our guests that weekend. 

15) Our wedding pictures are amazing. I have a framed picture of my husband placing the ring on my finger, the background is the empire state building, and the 59th street bridge. I mean, come on!

As I said, we are very laid back. We didn't have a lot of money to spend and I was comfortable with a more casual, party feel for our wedding.

Very modern and boutique sized hotel in LIC has great views of Manhattan and the Queensboro bridge. Rooms are very spacious for NYC and all the amenities in the room and decor feel brand new. The hotel itself offers wine by the glass in the lobby 24 hours a day, through their fancy wine machines. The restaurant at the top of the hotel is called penthouse 808. Restaurant has the best views of manhattan, attentive service and tasty food, espcially the fried rice and sushi! The hotel staff was very friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend this place to stay if you are looking to stay in LIC!

**This review is for a private event/wedding reception**

The rooftop of The Ravel was absolute the perfect location for a small wedding reception, even in the rain.  "The rain?" you ask.  YES! The rain.
That wasn't, of course, the plan at first.  The idea was to have it in the open air, but Mother Nature had plans of her own with a terrible torrential downpour complete with lighting.
No sweat.  For 1) we took it as good luck for the bride and groom and for 2) the rooftop had retractable windows.  Yes, a little bit of a mist snuck in here and there, but not enough that it was too terrible and all of the guests were having such a wonderful time, no one cared.
Honestly, the rain hitting the glass with the low lights, candles, and beautiful flowers made for a really, really romantic event. And don't even get be started with the food!  MY GOODNESS!  The spare ribs came out and I was in heaven.  I skipped getting the chicken because well, chicken is often just chicken at receptions, but that was not the case this time.  It came out HUGE