NEW YORK HOTELS
Crosby Street Hotel, 79 Crosby Street, SoHo +1 212 226 6400
Classic English elegance meets New York contemporary at this SoHo hotel. Designed by Kit Kemp, each room is individually decorated, and if you’re a returning the guest, the staff will do their best to make sure you never stay in the same room twice (unless you request to of course). The perfect location for a trip to New York, plus they have a great bar and restaurant downstairs too, which serves up an impressive afternoon tea.
Ace, 20 West 29th Street, Midtown +1 212 679 2222
Bursting onto the NYC boutique-hotel scene with a thrum of guitar strings and a bohemian shrug, Ace Hotel New York is one for the creatives, with turntables in rooms, scrawlable chalkboard walls and a youthful air of hipster chic. There’s no shortage of great food and drink too, with The Breslin (opened by The Spotted Pig founders April Bloomfield and Ken Friedman), The John Dory Oyster Bar, A No. 7 Sub Shop, and Stumptown Coffee Roasters.
The Standard, 848 Washington Street, Meatpacking District +1 212 645 4646
The central buzz of the Meatpacking District. Even if you’re not a guest, you can get a lot out of the Standard, with the spectacular Boom Boom Room and Le Bain on the top floor offering the best views in the whole of the city. On street level you’ll also find The Standard Grill and the outdoor Biergarten (though on a sunny day expect to wait in line to get in!).
Gramercy Park Hotel, 2 Lexington Avenue, Gramercy Park +1 212 920 3300
This hotel is relaxed elegance at it’s best. Built in 1925, the hotel’s primary charms, art and history, are prevalent at every turn. From the Warhol and Basquiat artworks in the velvet draped Rose Bar, to the Damien Hirst and Julian Schnabel pieces you will notice scattered through the rest of the hotel, to the list of guests including Humphrey Bogart (the hotel hosted his wedding). Guests receive exclusive access to Gramercy Park, the city’s only private park. You’ll find more exclusivity at the Gramercy Terrace, a private rootop space with a retractable roof.
The Bowery, 335 Bowery, East Village +1 212 505 9100
An intimate and stylish hotel located in the bustling East Village. The rooms reflect New York’s loft style apartments, with views over the city. Check out the Lobby Bar with outdoor patio, and Italian restaurant, Gemma. Restaurant reservations are only for hotel guests, so get there early if you’re doing a walk-in.
The Mercer, 147 Mercer Street, SoHo +1 212 966 6060
Clean, stylish, and simple decor inside a Romanesque revival landmark building, with 75- loft style rooms. Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s contemporary French dishes with an asian twist can be sampled at The Mercer Kitchen, which also features a bar. Or if you’re looking for some late night action, The SubMercer is open until 4am Wednesday to Saturday.
Mandarin Oriental, 80 Columbus Circle & West 60th Street +1 212 805 8800
With panoramic views of Central Park and the Manhattan Skyline, this is the ultimate New York experience hotel. Located in the very centre of the city, if you’ve never been to New York this is a nice place to start. The hotel features a 14,500 square foot spa, restaurant Asiate (also with panoramic views), and 248 rooms and suites, ALL with views of either Central Park or the Hudson River. A little piece of nature right in your NYC hotel room.
The Cooper Square Hotel, 25 Cooper Square, East Village +1 212 475 5700
Located between Avenues 2 and 3, this hotel is right in the heart of all the action. East Village on one side, SoHo and Nolita on the other. Set in a contemporary building of glass and steel that towers above its neighbours, the 145 rooms have excellent views of downtown Manhattan. Check out The Trilby bar and restaurant for dinner, a light snack, or pre-outing cocktail. In the rooms you’ll find Red Flower bath products, Tina Thor jewelry in the mini-bar, handpicked film selections, and 400-thread-count linens.
Tribeca Grand Hotel, 2 6th Avenue, Tribeca +1 212 519 6600
Located in the heart of downtown Manhattan, this hotel is located within walking distance to some of lower Manhattan’s most renowned shops and restaurants. 201 sleek and minimalist rooms, including the iStudio, luxury rooms fitted with an iMac G5 computer with film, photo and sound editing software. For anyone who left the laptop at home! The Church Lounge is a great place for a pre-dinner martini, and on sundays they serve up a mean brunch.
The Lowell, 28 East 63rd Street, Upper East Side +1 212 838 1400
If you’d prefer to relax in style on the Upper East Side while in New York away from the crowds, this is the place for you. This hotel is all indulgence and elegance, so it’s not surprising that it is frequented by a long list of celebrities. Treat yourself to afternoon tea in The Pembroke Room, or to a fine cut of meat at ‘steak and chop house’ The Post House, voted as one of America’s Top 1o steakhouses.
