THE BEACH AT DREAM DOWNTOWN

In the back of the lobby at the Dream Hotel Downtown is an industrial staircase enveloped by climbing strands of ivy. Now, up these stairs is a private restaurant called The Beach. WARNING: you cannot just walk in. You need a reservation and you need to purchase a $65 day pass. Let’s say you go through all of the steps (both figuratively and literally) you will find yourself in an urban oasis—Toto, we’re not in Manhattan anymore. 

Under a light blue canopy intertwined with taught hanging lights and an abstract gold and black fish mural, are two-top wood slatted tables. To the left is a long narrow pool lined with towel wrapped lounge chairs. 

The food is exactly what you’d look for in a poolside menu. There are those bikini-ready go-to thoughtfully composed salads, the I'm fancy sitting poolside so of course I’m ordering lobster roll sliders—you get the idea (button to menu, below). All of that is made better by wine, cocktails and most importantly their awesome frosé—talk about the cherry on top of to a city getaway(ish).