Hotel on Rivington

A high-design (and high-profile) herald of change in a once-grubby neighborhood, the glass-façaded Rivington soars above the old brick tenements of the Lower East Side. Dutch artist Marcel Wanders's white installation Eggtrance leads into a red-carpet foyer and the futuristic ground-floor Thor lounge; the check-in desk, on the second floor, abuts a salon with a black-felt pool table and wraparound banquettes. The 110 stylish rooms—all with ultrasuede curtains, angora ottomans, Swedish Tempur-Pedic mattresses, and yellow Bisazza mosaic-tile bathrooms—are drenched in natural light, thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows. Deep soaking tubs and mini-bars in which candles and massage oil share space with champagne lend any stay here a sexy subtext. The über-minimalist penthouse is (literally) the height of luxury, and an extravagant way to treat yourself—assuming a rock band hasn't rented it out for an after-party.

Tip: The colorful, open redesign of the hotel's nightclub (now called 105 Riv) is a welcome change; the fact that it's now geared toward bottle service, not so much.

Room to Book: The 19 Corner King rooms come with sweet views and extra square footage; get one as high up as you can.