New York's Best New Hotels

By Catesby Holmes
July 27, 2010
Credit: Courtesy of InterContinental
Luggage carts repurposed into clothing racks, a daily Best-Dressed Guest contest, and bedside tables modeled after sewing stands—if this sounds like a hotel fit for Heidi Klum, that’s because it is: at New York’s style-centric Fashion 26 hotel, which opened in the Garment District in April, models can book one of the 280 rooms for a discounted rate, as can professors from the nearby Fashion Institute of Technology.

The current recession may have been tough on U.S. tourism (hotel occupancy was down almost 9 percent in 2009—and that’s compared to the already dismal figures of 2008, according to research by Travelzoo), but in the Big Apple, business has never been better. More than 6,800 rooms are slated to come onto the market in 2010, and in the past few months at least a dozen new properties have joined the Manhattan scene.

“What’s incredible is the diversity of where these hotels are located,” says Chris Heywood of NYC & Company, the city’s tourism authority. “They’re all around the island—in Chelsea and Nolita and lower Manhattan. Finally, visitors are able to stay in lesser-known enclaves and get to know the real New York.”

Neighborhoods are indeed a good way to pick your digs, since there are so many options to choose from. Prefer the cool factor of downtown? Try the James, a Modernist property in SoHo with a permanent art collection, multilevel “urban garden” (swimming pool included), and 114 eco-friendly guest rooms with reclaimed-wood floors.

Guests can also choose their hotels by interest. Fashion 26 lures style mavens, while theater fans may opt for the stately Chatwal, near Times Square (and just steps from virtually every musical in town). A $95 million renovation converted the Lambs Club—an early 20th-century actors’ hangout designed by Stanford White—into this 88-room Empire Deco gem, which recalls Broadway’s golden era with rich oak paneling and terrazzo floors in the lobby, and vintage-luggage-inspired wardrobes in the sleeping quarters.

Plus, with most of these new hotels offering introductory rates for the first few months, there is, quite literally, no better time than the present to visit Manhattan.
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The Chatwal

Credit: Courtesy of The Chatwal New York

Art Deco interiors (oak paneling; terrazzo floors) recall the glamour of Broadway’s golden era at this 88-room property.

We Love: The Lamb’s Club Restaurant’s oversize stone fireplace. Doubles from $695.

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Andaz 5th Avenue

Credit: Courtesy of Andaz 5th Avenue

The city’s second Andaz has Tony Chi interiors in sophisticated muted tones, an intimate bar, and 184 rooms with marble-clad bathrooms.

We Love: An in-house book collection selected by staffers at the nearby New York Public Library. Doubles from $435.

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Eventi, a Kimpton Hotel

Credit: Courtesy of Eventi

A landscaped 5,000-square-foot terrace on the fifth floor will remind you that you’re in the heart of the Flower District. Textured walls add a playful touch to the 292 guest rooms.

We Love: The hotel’s iPhone app, which lets you order room service from anywhere in the city. Doubles from $349.

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Gansevoort Park Avenue

Credit: Courtesy of Gansevoort Park Avenue

This summer New Yorkers are flocking to the hotel’s much-anticipated rooftop, with its indoor-outdoor pool and lounges with fireplaces. Most of the 249 spacious rooms have balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows.

We Love: A welcoming gift of Prosecco in every room. Doubles from $395.

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Fashion 26 - A Wyndham Hotel

Credit: Courtesy of Fashion 26

A fan of Project Runway? At this design-minded spot, the front desks are backed by colorful spools of thread and luggage carts are made from repurposed clothing racks. Happily, the 280 understated rooms are more about comfort than couture.

We Love: Daily Best-Dressed Guest contests (top prize: a free room upgrade). Doubles from $299.

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Nolitan Hotel

Credit: Courtesy of The Nolitan

Set to debut at summer’s end, Nolita’s first hotel radiates low-key hipness and local charm (bath products come from the nearby Red Flower store). The 55 rooms are compact, but glass walls and balconies create a sense of space.

We Love: Complimentary bikes—and, for the more daring, skateboards. Doubles from $325.

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James New York

Credit: Jesse Harris, Courtesy of The James New York

Opening in September, this Modernist addition to SoHo has a permanent art collection and 114 rooms with natural linen bedding and reclaimed-wood floors.

We Love: Wall-size murals by area artists. Doubles from $345, including breakfast.

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W New York - Downtown

Credit: Courtesy of W Hotels Worldwide

With 217 futuristic guest rooms and unrivaled skyline vistas, this 57-story tower will bring a dose of style to Wall Street this fall.

We Love: Sleek modular furniture by Graft in every room. Doubles from $269.

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Intercontinental TimesSquare

Credit: Courtesy of InterContinental

The sleek, sculptural LEED-certified skyscraper is welcome new eye candy for Times Square denizens—plus, its five-corner design means that most of the 607 guest rooms enjoy unrivaled panoramas of Midtown, the Hudson, and beyond.

We love: The “concierge lounge,” in which staffers dole out insider tips about restaurants in nearby Hell’s Kitchen. Doubles from $349.

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By Catesby Holmes