The Best New NYC Hotels To Book Now

It seems fitting that one of Manhattan’s most fashionable districts (SoHo) is now the home to one of the city's buzziest new stays. A Scandinavian-style revamp by Space Copenhagen and Anda Andrei has given the 221-room 11 Howard, formerly a post office, serious edge—think solid colors, clean lines, handcrafted furniture, and custom artwork (don’t miss Calder’s 1976 Untitled mobile in the lobby). Its communal spaces, however, are the real story: the cozy, art-filled Library is definition of hygge; the Blond bar and lounge (which moonlights as a nightclub come 9 p.m.) is a sexy den for cocktails and canoodling; and meals at Le Coucou continue to pop up on the Instagram feeds of the city’s socialites and foodstagrammers de jour.

It seems like 1 Hotel Central Park just debuted its responsible ethos to upper Manhattan, but the new 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge followed hot on its heels. The buzzword here, as with its predecessor, is “ecoluxury”—over half of the materials used here are reclaimed, 100% of its energy is supplied by wind power, and it uses a rain-water reclamation system that feeds Brooklyn Bridge Park. Rooms follow suit with hemp blend mattresses, hour-glass timers that discourage long showers, and plantable room keys (yes, that’s right). But the aesthetics are as pleasing to the eye as to the environment: floor-to-ceiling windows look out over the city and Brooklyn Bridge, living walls give the lobby serious texture, and a rooftop bar with fire pits and a lounge pool keep the sybarites coming in droves.

Downtown’s renaissance is underway, and it’s all thanks to some incredibly big openings, including The Beekman and the city’s second Four Seasons, one of the best new hotels in NYC. This one is a doozy: 24 floors of rooms, including 28 suites by Yabu Pushelberg, a restaurant by Wolfgang Puck, and one of Manhattan’s prettiest pools since the Park Hyatt. Guest rooms are elegant and flooded with light, with big marble bathrooms featuring deep soaking tubs. If that’s not enough to wind you down, the Spa will—treatments incorporate the U.S. debut of products by Dr. Burgener Switzerland skincare.

NoMad is (still) having its moment. First there was The Nomad. Then, Arlo Nomad. The latest to move in: HGU New York. A 1905 Beaux Arts building has been transformed into an eclectic, 90-room boutique, with all the trimmings and trappings you might expect from an art collector who lives in the same neighborhood. Asfour Guzy-designed interiors are spare but textural, with patchwork Turkish rugs, fur throws, and cone-like overhead lamp shades. We especially love the communal lounge, decked out with tweed couches, sunburst chandeliers, a marble fireplace, and a smattering of local art by talents including Liz Markus and Jamie Roadkill, lifted from Chelsea’s Gallery 151. Ready to strike out and explore? Le Labo, Rizzoli Bookstore, and Madison Square Park are blocks away.

The Redbury, in the shell of the fading-but-iconic Martha Washington Hotel, packs a sensory punch—not a surprise, given the hotel is the latest work of the SBE Hotel Group, famous for its lime of SLS Hotels and famous partnerships that include visual artist Matthew Rolston. Rolston, who’s directed music videos for names like Beyoncé and Madonna, injected a heavy dose of drama—and nods to the neighborhood’s 20s music history—into the hotel’s 256 rooms (think bohemian accents, deep red walls, and gramophones) as well as its public spaces (heavy velvet drapery, historic photography). Even more of a draw: Marta, Danny Meyer’s Roman-inspired pizzeria that serves up thin-crust pies alongside craft cocktails, and the second-floor terrace, lit by string lights and the neighborhood’s surrounding skyscrapers.

Perhaps the greatest selling point of a hotel stay in Brooklyn is the chance to score a sweeping view of Manhattan’s skyline—but for years, only The Wythe, with its industrial-chic guestrooms and indoor-outdoor top-floor bar, possessed all the cache. No more. The William Vale, which opened last September, understands the value of its Williamsburg address. Rising above the warehouses by the riverside, its 183 guest rooms feature provocative artwork and balconies with unobstructed skyline views. The rooftop is even more of a scene, with its own garden park and enclosed bar serving up small plates from chef Andrew Carmellini. But don’t spend all your time upstairs. The ground-floor Southern Italian restaurant Leuca (also from Carmellini) is an easy choice for staples like wood-fired pizza and pasta, while its 60-foot outdoor pool, overlooking a park, is the longest of any New York hotel.

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