Chambers Hotel

These minimalist digs put the spotlight where it belongs: on the 200-plus pieces of world-renowned contemporary art prominently displayed throughout the lobby of this 60-room boutique hotel. Take note of Evan Penny’s eerily lifelike sculpture of an elderly man’s face and torso, which is displayed across the lobby from bad boy Damien Hirst’s bull head preserved in formaldehyde, while flat-screen TV’s in the hallways and public bathrooms run video art 24 hours a day. Once you’re ensconced in the high-ceilinged white spaces, the masterpieces on the walls and the walk-in rain showers compete for your attention. Venture downstairs to the Chambers Kitchen by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Tip: Every winter, beautiful bartenders in fur hats sling cocktails in the Ice Chamber (yes, it’s made of ice), an outdoor bar that is built in the hotel courtyard in December and lasts until the snow melts.

Room to Book: Ask for No. 517, the penthouse studio and the only standard room with a 75-square-foot balcony.