The High Line Hotel | The Independent UK | May 4, 2018 | VPM: 6,758,987

Stylishhotelsthatdon'tcosttheearth?They'relikegolddustinManhattan.AnNYCexpertpicks10ofthebestJULIET KINSMAN 4daysago

Ifthere’saquestionIgetaskedmorethananyother,itis:“WhereshouldIstayinNewYork?”Thechallengewithchoosingwheretosplashoutforsomeshut-eyeinthecitythatneversleepsisthatthere’snoshortageofplacestorestyourhead–especiallysinceeachdistrictofthisdynamiccityhasitsowndistinctpersonality,anddiscerningtravellerscannowstrayfromManhattan’sthoroughfaresinalmostanydirection.

I’vebeenstayinginNewYorkhotelsfordecades–IgrewupontheUpperEastSide,andvisittwiceayeartoseefamily–andalthoughthatmaymakemebiased,Ithinkforward-thinkingNYhotelsaresomeofthebestintheworld.Havingsaidthat,characterlesschainsabound,andwithNYCbeingoneofthemostexpensivecitiesaroundforaccommodation,it’seasytoendupwithadud.

Sohowtosiftthewheatfromthechaff?Pickaneighbourhoodanddecidewhetheryouwanttostumpupforsomethingfancyorifyou’rehappytogobacktobasics,aslongasit’sstylish.Hereare10ofmyfavouriteplacesthatcombinesoulandstyle,thatditchbuttoned-upservice,andfeelsteepedinthespiritofthiscaffeinatedcity.

TheWhitbyisclosetoMoMA,buthasmanyartworksofitsown(TheWhitbyHotel)

Bestforart:TheWhitbyTimandKitKempofFirmdaleHotelsweresmarttocreateaMidtownsibling(twoblocksnorthofMoMA)fortheirpopularCrosbyStreetHotel.TheirLondon-centricdesignformulamaybefamiliar–aslick16-floor,86-roomnewbuildfilledwithcharacterfuldesign–butasintheirotherhotels,theinteriorsareatonicofcolourandtexturesthankstoKit’sartfulimagination(minimalistssteerclear).Speciallycommissionedwittyartworksandlargerthan-life-sculptures

arescatteredthroughoutthebuilding.AwallglowswithartistMarthaFreud’svotiveceramics,eachetchedwithdifferentNewYorklandmarks.Inthebar,thecocktailsarefirstclass–tryatangyWhitbyPaloma(OchoBlancotequilainfusedwithhouse-mademarmalade,freshpinkgrapefruit,lime,agaveandsoda)–whiletheleafyOrangeryterraceisablissfulretreatfromtheconcretejungle.

Doublesfrom$695(£525),roomonlyBookNow

TheInnatIrvingPlaceislikesteppingbackintime(InnatIrvingPlace)

Bestforhistory:TheInnatIrvingPlaceThisintimateturn-of-the-centurybrownstonetownhouseisararebreedofold-fashionedretreatinGramercyPark.Classicchintzes,Tiffanylamps,Victoriancuriosandtheoddfour-posterbedmakethistiny12-roomhotelaworldawayfromthecontemporarycoolthatdominatesManhattan’saccommodationlandscape.BesuretobookaprettytableattheirteasalonLadyMendl’s,toenjoytherefinedfive-courseafternoonspread.Notethatchildrenaren’tallowed–it’sfor12yearsandupwards.

Doublesfrom$445(£330),B&BBookNow

Aformerseminary,TheHighLineHotelisfurnishedwithVictorianandEdwardianantiques(TheHighLine)

Bestfordesign:TheHighLineHotelIntheheartofChelsea’sgallerydistrict,thisneo-GothicformerseminarywithitsIntelligentsiacoffeetruckandbarparkedoutsideisanexpertatblendingheritagewithhip.eBay-sourcedVictorianandEdwardianantiquesareamongthefurnishings,perfectfortheInstagramgeneration.

NottobeconfusedwiththemuchflashierStandardHighLine,whichisafewblockssouth,thisisoffthetouristtrailonTenthAvenue,ablockfromtheHighLineparkandclosetoChelseaMarket’smanyfoodiedelights.Serviceandfacilitiescomewithalighttouch;intheabsenceofaconciergedesk,thisquirkierspotissuitedtoseasonedvisitorstothecitywhodon’tneedtheirhandsholdingbythekindofbrassbadge-flauntingstaffinstarchedsuitsyougetatthebigchainhotels.

Doublesfrom$250(£180),roomonlyBookNow

TheMarltoninWashingtonParkisgreatvalue,withdoublesfrom£150(TheMarlton)

Bestforvalue:TheMarltonHotelierSeanMacPhersonisamasterofcreatingaseeminglyhistoricalhotelthatfitsintothefabricofaonce-seedydistrict–looknofurtherthanhismostfamousproject,theBoweryHotel,forevidence.ForTheMarlton’s2013opening,hegavethisnine-storey,1900-builtbuildinganewleaseoflife–aworldawayfromitsoriginalincarnationasastudentdorm.

AblocknorthofWashingtonPark,the107roomsaresmallbutwelldesigned,exemplifyingMacPherson’sshtickofcrispqualitybedlinens,Persianrugsandseeminglyvintageyetutterlymodernbathrooms.Thesociablelobbyloungeandbistroatthebackmakeitafavouritewiththemusicandfashionpack,andserviceisfriendlybutunashamedlylowkey.

Doublesfrom$200(£150),roomonlyBookNow

TheCarlylehasanumberoffamouschildren’sbooksforkidstoenjoy(TheCarlyle,ARosewoodHotel)

Bestforfamilies:TheCarlyle Havingthetop-hattedbellhopsatthisBeauxArtsbrickbuilding(nowownedbyRosewoodHotels)openthedoortoyouinthesamewaytheydoforhigh-profiledignitariesisenoughtogiveyouathrill.Findyourwaytooneofits188roomsandsuites,andyoudon’tknowwhichVIPorcelebrityyoumightpass;lasttimeIwasthere,DaphneGuinnesswasgettingablow-dryinthesalon.

Theeye-poppingcityscapeviewsfromtheupperfloorsevokesweepingopeningscenesfromthemovies.GeorgeGershwinspenttimehereinthe1930s,andtodayWoodyAllenisknownasaweeklyregular,havingplayedtheclarinetwithCaféCarlyle’sresidentjazzband.Althoughitrecentlyunderwentarefurb,BemelmansBarisasatmosphericasever,withmuralshand-paintedby–andnamedafter–LudwigBemelmans,authoroftheMadelinechildren’sbooks,whopaintedthebarinreturnforlivinghereinthe1950s.Becauseofthelink,thehotelisagoodbetforwell-heeledfamilies,withMadeline-themedpackagesandgoodprovisionsforchildren.

Doublesfrom$800(£600),roomonlyBookNow

It’sseeandbeseenattheStandardHighLine(StandardHotels)

Bestforviews:StandardHighLineHiphotelierAndréBalazsmayhavesoldhispopculture-lovinghotelbrand,butitsmosticonic18-floorhigh-riserstillstraddlestheHighLineintheheartoftheMeatpackingDistrict,anarm’slengthfromChelsea’sgalleriesandtheWhitneyMuseumofAmericanArt.Voyeursandexhibitionistsalikeappreciatethewall-to-wallwindowsinthe338rooms,whichensureyoucanseeandbeseen(rememberthat,asyoureachforyourbathrobe).

TheStandardGrillsteakhouseisanotherplacetoseeandbeseen,asisthestreet-levelGermanpub,Biergarten,completewithpingpongtables.TherooftopLeBainbarisasexclusivetodayasitwaswhenitopened–non-residentshavetoqueue,andthoughhotelguestsaren’tguaranteedadmission,theygetpriority.

Doublesfrom$295(£220),roomonlyBookNow

TheLudlow,NewYork’sLowerEastSide

Bestforhipsters:TheLudlowPartofthegentrificationoftheoncegrittyLowerEastSide,theLudlowopenedin2014oppositeKatz’sDelicatessen.Thedaysofartistslivingincheaploftsarelonggone,butthehotellobbyevokesalouche1980svibeofdivebarsandundergroundrecordingstudios,withasociablework-rest-and-playspacewithlow-slungleathersofasandgiantMarshallspeakers.

Bedroomsarebrightandbreezy,andmosthaveincredibleviewsoverthecity.Aperkofstayinginthisplaceisthatyoucanalsoleapfrogthetechpreneursandart-worldhotshotswhohangoutheretogetintothepopularground-floorrestaurant,DirtyFrench,whichisalwaysbookedup.

Doublesfrom$195(£145),roomonlyBookNow

TheMercerhaslongbeenoneofManhattan’smoststylishhotels(TheMercer)

Bestforshopping:TheMercerIfthehotelindustryhaditsownalmanack,thebirthofthis75-roomhotel(AndreBalazs’screation)in1998wouldbecataloguedashavingsettheblueprintfortheboutiquetrend.Twentyyearson,theexposedbrickandwoodenfloorboardsinthebedroomsareasonpointasever.Here,nearApple’sHQ,ina1890RomanesqueRevivalmansion,Soho’smediaandmusicwranglersandfashionluvviesstillheadtochefJean-GeorgesVongerichten’sMercerKitchenrestaurantdownbelowtoschmooze,boozeandmaketheirmoves.

Doublesfrom$600(£445),roomonlyBookNow

IncredibleviewsoftheEastRiverfrom1HotelBrooklynBridge(1HotelsBrooklynBridge)

Bestforecochic:1HotelBrooklynBridgeBarrySternlichtdeclaresthisthebesthotelhe’severcreated–andasthefounderofWHotels,heknowswhathe’stalkingabout.A25ftlivingwalloffigsandfernsinthelobby,decormadefromreclaimedmaterials,wind-poweredelectricityandadedicatedtriple-filtereddrinkingwatertapineveryroomconfirmthatthisaseriouslyeco-friendlyhotel–there’sevenaTeslaavailableforlocaltransfers.Thebedroomsareawarmandwelcomingtableauofupcycledwoodandnatural,organicfabrics.BesuretobookonewhichenjoysepicviewsovertheBrooklynBridgeandEastRiver,butforthefullsceneinhighdefinitionheadtothetenth-floorrooftopwherethere’salsoapool.

Doublesfrom$350(£260),roomonlyBookNow

TheWytheistheplaceforahyper-localfocus(WytheHotel)

Bestsenseofplace:TheWytheAformertextilefactory,TheWythe’spine-beamed,brick-walled,cast-iron-columnedbedroomsoverlookBrooklyn’s(current)beerbrewery,makingthisthemostauthenticofthecropofhiphotelsinthiscornerofBrooklyn.It’salsothemostappealing,thankstotheattentiontodetailbytheownerAndrewTarlow,themanbehindhipsterdelicatessen,Marlow&Sons.Theminibarsarepackedwithsuperiorsnacks,andthere’satip-topbrasserie,Reynard.

Intherooms,speciallymadewallpapersbylocalartistsreferencetheneighbourhood,whileGoldie’snaturalsoapsareamongthehyperlocalamenities.CocktailsshouldbetakenontheManhattan-viewrooftopbar–thehotelisonlyacoupleofblocksfromtheEastRiver.

Doublesfrom$300(£225),roomonlyBookNow

Thisarticlehasbeenupdated.ItwasoriginallypublishedinDecember2017.

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/hotels/best-new-york-hotels-for-families-with-a-view-budget-near-central-park-manhattan-brooklyn-where-to-a8093001.html