Would it be weird to spend a week in New York City and check into a different hotel each day? Because we really want to do just that. Not in recent memory can we recall a time when such a thrilling spate of new accommodations burst onto the scene and at price ranges that—gasp!—won’t force us to take out a second mortgage on our home. Spread across multiple NYC neighborhoods, phrases like “whimsical art,” “perfect skyline views” and “timeless elegance” are a few of the many accolades we’ve heaped upon these gems. You’ll always have a million reasons to plan a visit to New York City, but here are seven new ones to add to the list.
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Photo courtesy of Life Hotel
Life
The best things in life are free, right? While the rooms at the new Life hotel in hip ‘hood NoMad may not be, they sure are reasonable. Located in the former headquarters of the old LIFE magazine building, we’ve spotted weekday rates as low as $128/nightly and $208/nightly on weekends—so yeah, we’re basically obsessed with this hotel. We love that all 98 guestrooms rock a turn-of-the-century vibe featuring brass fixtures, crisp linens and whimsical art. Check out Gibson + Luce, a new bar named for the mag’s former editors.
Photo courtesy of 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
Want the most awesome view of Manhattan’s skyline—while also sipping a cocktail in your swimsuit? Brooklyn has many amazing features (Prospect Park, BAM, kitschy Coney Island and a rockin’ food scene among them), but one of its best might be its waterfront views. Enter DUMBO’s new 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge which is perfectly perched at the base of Brooklyn Bridge Park. But that’s not all: We love that the hotel was partly crafted from reclaimed materials and that guestrooms are bathed in beautiful golden hues.
James Hotel
The James New York
Another addition to NoMad (what is it with this neigborhood?!), the James replicates its winning formula that has made it such a hit in Chicago and also in nearby SoHo. Some of the features we love: a brilliant location smack in between Madison Square Park and Penn Station; its own outpost of Scarpetta, the celebrated Italian eatery boasting locations in Newport, Rhode Island and Philly; super charming guestrooms with nice touches like triple-filtered water upon request, in-room pantries, dining niches and bedside USB ports.
Photo courtesy of Public Hotel
PUBLIC
If you’re going to open a hotel just a few blocks from our favorite NoLita restaurant (that would be pizza joint Rubirosa) we’re definitely going to take notice. The new PUBLIC from nightlife (Studio 54) and lodging (Morgans, Delano, Mondrian Hotel) kingpin Ian Schrager promises “luxury for all” (we’ve seen rooms for as low as $225/nightly). We found that in the form of stunning gardens, photogenic neon escalators, a smorgasbord of enticing dining and drinking options, and super modern and efficient guestrooms—many with perfect skyline views.
Photo courtesy of the Beekman
The Beekman
As evidenced by an exciting new spate of stylish eateries along the East River, Lower Manhattan is no longer just for Wall Street types. The Beekman, a Thompson Hotel, gives leisure travelers a reason to spend a few days exploring attractions like One World Trade Center, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Battery Park and more. Housed inside a gorgeous building from 1893, check out the nine-story atrium and pyramid skylight. The guestrooms exhibit timeless elegance and we love the occasional shocks of rich color.
Photo courtesy of 50 bowery
50 Bowery
Located in the heart of Chinatown, we love that this new Joie de Vivre hotel is only steps from the Lower East Side…and Little Italy…and the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges…and, you get the idea. Another affordable option, we’ve seen rates as low as $195/nightly on Friday, plus the 50 Bowery includes rooftop cocktail bar the Crown (those views!), pan-Asian eatery Rice & Gold, bright and airy guestrooms featuring bath amenities from Jonathan Adler and impressive art and an upbeat vibe throughout.
The Hoxton Williamsburg (coming soon)
How much longer do we have to wait? The Hoxton, a collection of hip hotels with outposts in Amsterdam, London and Paris at last crosses the Pond to plant 175 new guestrooms smack in the middle of Williamsburg—or so they say. The building has been buzzing hard for the better part of a year now, but as of yet no opening date has been determined. Still, website renderings showcase concrete ceilings, shiny brass fixtures, plush bedding and a courtyard you’ll almost certainly never want to leave. If it ever opens that is.
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