Best hotels in New York: Where to stay in Manhattan, Brooklyn and more

Stylish hotels that don't cost the earth? They're like gold dust in Manhattan

It's see and be seen at the Standard High Line (Standard Hotels)

When it comes to choosing where to splash out for some shut-eye in New York, the city that never sleeps, the challenge is that there’s no shortage of hotels in the Big Apple – especially since each district of this dynamic city has its own distinct personality, and discerning travellers can now stray from Manhattan’s thoroughfares in almost any direction.

So, from old-school New York glamour to boutique rooms, exclusive rooftop bars and family-friendly stays with little ones in mind, how to sift the wheat from the chaff? Pick a neighbourhood and decide whether you want to stump up for something fancy or if you’re happy to go back to basics, as long as it’s stylish.

Whether you’re looking for floor-to-ceiling city views of Manhattan or accommodation with a spa built (very nearly) on your doorstep, here are the hotels that combine soul and style, that ditch buttoned-up service, and feel steeped in the spirit of this caffeinated city.

The best hotels in New York are:

• Best for value: The Marlton
• Best for views: Standard High Line
• Best for shopping: The Mercer
• Best for New York first-timers: INNSIDE Nomad
• Best for families: The Carlyle

Best hotel for art: The Whitby

Neighbourhood: Midtown

The Whitby is close to MoMA, but has many artworks of its own (The Whitby Hotel)

Tim and Kit Kemp of Firmdale Hotels were smart to create a Midtown sibling (two blocks north of MoMA) for their popular Crosby Street Hotel. Their London-centric design formula may be familiar – a slick 16-floor, 86-room new-build filled with characterful design – but as in their other hotels, the interiors are a tonic of colour and textures, thanks to Kit’s artful imagination (minimalists steer clear). Specially commissioned witty artworks and larger-than-life sculptures are scattered throughout the building. A wall glows with artist Martha Freud’s votive ceramics, each etched with different New York landmarks. In the bar, the cocktails are first class – try a tangy Whitby Paloma (Ocho Blanco tequila infused with house-made marmalade, fresh pink grapefruit, lime, agave and soda) – while the leafy Orangery terrace is a blissful retreat from the concrete jungle. JK

Best hotel for value: The Marlton

Neighbourhood: Greenwich Village

The Marlton in Washington Park offers great value

Hotelier Sean MacPherson is a master of creating a seemingly historical hotel that fits into the fabric of a once-seedy district – look no further than his most famous project, the Bowery Hotel, for evidence. For The Marlton’s 2013 opening, he gave this nine-storey, 1900-built building a new lease of life – a world away from its original incarnation as a student dorm.

A block north of Washington Park, the 107 rooms are small but well designed, exemplifying MacPherson’s shtick of crisp quality bed linens, Persian rugs and seemingly vintage yet utterly modern bathrooms. The sociable lobby lounge and bistro at the back make it a favourite with the music and fashion pack, and service is friendly but unashamedly low key. JK

Best hotel for views: Standard High Line

Neighbourhood: Greenwich Village

It's see and be seen at the Standard High Line (Standard Hotels)

Hip hotelier André Balazs may have sold his pop-culture-loving hotel brand, but its most iconic 18-floor high-riser still straddles the High Line in the heart of the Meatpacking District, an arm’s length from Chelsea’s galleries and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Voyeurs and exhibitionists alike appreciate the wall-to-wall windows in the 338 rooms, which ensure you can see and be seen (remember that, as you reach for your bathrobe).

The Standard Grill steakhouse is another place to see and be seen, as is the street-level German pub, Biergarten, complete with ping pong tables. The rooftop Le Bain bar is as exclusive today as it was when it opened – non-residents have to queue, and though hotel guests aren’t guaranteed admission, they get priority. JK

Best hotel for hipsters: The Ludlow

Neighbourhood: Lower East Side

The Ludlow, New York’s Lower East Side

Part of the gentrification of the once gritty Lower East Side, the Ludlow opened in 2014 opposite Katz’s Delicatessen. The days of artists living in cheap lofts are long gone, but the hotel lobby evokes a louche 1980s vibe of dive bars and underground recording studios, with a sociable work-rest-and-play space with low-slung leather sofas and giant Marshall speakers.

Bedrooms are bright and breezy, and most have incredible views over the city. A perk of staying in this place is that you can also leapfrog the techpreneurs and art-world hotshots who hang out here to get into the popular ground-floor restaurant, Dirty French, which is always booked up. JK

Best hotel for shopping: The Mercer

Neighbourhood: SoHo

(The Mercer)

If the hotel industry had its own almanack, the birth of this 75-room hotel (Andre Balazs’s creation) in 1998 would be catalogued as having set the blueprint for the boutique trend. More than 20 years on, the exposed brick and wooden floorboards in the bedrooms are as on point as ever. Here, near Apple’s HQ, in a 1890 Romanesque Revival mansion, you will find a gym where you can push for the burn by yourself at any hour, day or night, call for the help of a private exercise trainer, relax into massage therapy and lean into pose at a yoga class. JK

Best hotel for eco chic: 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

Neighbourhood: Dumbo

Incredible views of the East River from 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge (1 Hotels Brooklyn Bridge)

Barry Sternlicht declares this the best hotel he’s ever created – and, as the founder of W Hotels, he knows what he’s talking about. A 25ft living wall of figs and ferns in the lobby, decor made from reclaimed materials, wind-powered electricity and a dedicated triple-filtered drinking water tap in every room confirm this a seriously eco-friendly hotel – there’s even a Tesla available for local transfers. The bedrooms are a warm and welcoming tableau of upcycled wood and natural, organic fabrics. Be sure to book one that has epic views over the Brooklyn Bridge and East River, but for the full scene in high definition, head to the 10th-floor rooftop, where there’s also a pool. JK

Best hotel for sense of place: The Wythe

Neighbourhood: Williamsburg

The Wythe is the place for a hyper-local focus (Wythe Hotel)

A former textile factory, The Wythe’s pine-beamed, brick-walled, cast-iron-columned bedrooms overlook Brooklyn’s (current) beer brewery, making this the most authentic of the crop of hip hotels in this corner of Brooklyn. It’s also the most appealing, thanks to the attention to detail by the owner Andrew Tarlow, the man behind hipster delicatessen, Marlow & Sons. The minibars are packed with superior snacks, and there’s a tip-top brasserie, Le Crocodile.

In the rooms, specially made wallpapers by local artists reference the neighbourhood, while Goldie’s natural soaps are among the hyperlocal amenities. Cocktails should be taken on the Manhattan-view rooftop bar – the hotel is only a couple of blocks from the East River. JK

Best hotel for New York first-timers: INNSIDE Nomad

Neighbourhood: Chelsea

INNSIDE Nomad comes with superb views (INNSIDE Nomad)

This hotel is the United States’ first INNSIDE, a sub-brand of Spanish company Melia, which has several outposts across Europe. On the periphery of Broadway, the INNSIDE Nomad is a sleek addition to the streets of Chelsea, doubling as both a cosy bolthole for tourists and a handy base for business travellers working in Midtown.

Its well-designed and bright guest rooms, fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, offer superb views of Midtown and the Freedom Tower; while signature restaurant The Wilson does a neat line in fresh seafood dishes. The 24-hour fitness centre and proximity to Midtown will suit business travellers, but it's first-time visitors to New York that the hotel really caters for. The hotel offers the INNSIDE Urban Guide, packed full of New York tips from locals, to make the most of your stay. JS

Best hotel for a touch of class: Soho Grand

Neighbourhood: SoHo

Soho Grand (sohogrand.com)

The gorgeous interiors at this celeb hangout channel old-school New York glamour. Draperies, velvet couches, vintage rugs and plush fabrics all recall the Gilded Age, while The Parlour – found at the back of the genteel Club Room – is like a cosier version of a gentleman’s club, replete with roaring fire and leather recliners. What the guestrooms lack in space, they make up for in style: think wood floors, leather headboards, Frette robes, and great views of Manhattan landmarks (if you score a high floor). SoHo was once famed for artists’ lofts, but today it’s probably the chicest part of Lower Manhattan: known for expensive boutique stores and NYC food icons Balthazar and Dominique Ansel Bakery (home of the “cronut”). LC

Best hotel for some zen: MADE Hotel

Neighbourhood: Nomad

MADE Hotels (MADE Hotels)

Though it’s plum in the middle of the Midtown madness just north of Madison Square Park – and just five blocks from the Empire State Building – the airy design at this boutique address says “...and relax”. Wall-to-wall reclaimed wood, handwoven textiles and abundant greenery make the surroundings earthy-luxurious, extending even to the bedrooms, where mattresses sit on trendy wooden platforms, and pendant lights dangle from concrete ceilings. The 18th-floor bar offers floor-to-ceiling Manhattan views, but gets unbearably crowded. Our advice: head here early, before diving into the hustle and bustle beyond the lobby. LC

Best hotel for atmosphere: The Bowery

Neighbourhood: Lower East Side

The Bowery (Annie Schlechter)

There’s something irresistibly cinematic about the lobby at The Bowery, all low lighting, wood-panelled walls, worn Turkish rugs and red velvet. It’s precisely how a hotel lobby should look, and you’ll want to spend as much time here as possible, sipping cocktails on sumptuous couches, and keeping your eyes peeled for the odd A-lister. Bedrooms have a completely different vibe: white painted brick walls and factory windows reference the edgy neighbourhood outside, and the bathrooms, while small, are contemporary-luxe (marble, brass, rain shower). Do tear yourself away from that lobby at some point: the LES is a brilliant nightlife district, and bar-hopping the narrow streets below East Houston is equally atmospheric. LC

Best hotel for longer stays: Loews Regency

Neighbourhood: Midtown

The signature suites of Loews Regency New York are ideal for long-stay guests (Loews Regency New York)

Following a $100m renovation, the ritzy Loews Regency on New York's Park Avenue gained six bespoke signature residences fitted out with a living room, dining area, kitchen, bedroom and balcony, ideal for longer-stay guests in search of a place to decompress. Elsewhere in the hotel, there's an entire floor dedicated to its spa, which should help return calm after a day wandering nearby Central Park; and the Art Deco-in-feel Regency Bar & Grill, which serves its much-loved Power Breakfast. It's a convenient base for exploring Midtown or the museums of the Upper East Side. With the look of a classic New York City apartment block, returning to Loews Regency is like coming home. JS

Best hotel for design: The High Line Hotel

Neighbourhood: Chelsea

A former seminary, The High Line Hotel is furnished with Victorian and Edwardian antiques (The High Line Hotel)

In the heart of Chelsea’s gallery district, this neo-Gothic former seminary with its Intelligentsia coffee truck and bar parked outside is an expert at blending heritage with hip. eBay-sourced Victorian and Edwardian antiques are among the furnishings, perfect for the Instagram generation.

Not to be confused with the much flashier Standard High Line, which is a few blocks south, this is off the tourist trail on Tenth Avenue, a block from the High Line park and close to Chelsea Market’s many foodie delights. Service and facilities come with a light touch; in the absence of a concierge desk, this quirkier spot is suited to seasoned visitors to the city who don’t need their hands holding by the kind of brass badge-flaunting staff in starched suits you get at the big chain hotels. JK

Prices: Doubles from $340 (£277)

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Best hotel for families: The Carlyle

Neighbourhood: Upper east side

Having the top-hatted bellhops at this Beaux Arts brick building (now owned by Rosewood Hotels) open the door to you in the same way they do for high-profile dignitaries is enough to give you a thrill. Find your way to one of its 188 rooms and suites, and you don’t know which VIP or celebrity you might pass; last time I was there, Daphne Guinness was getting a blow-dry in the salon.

The eye-popping cityscape views from the upper floors evoke sweeping opening scenes from the movies. George Gershwin spent time here in the 1930s, and today Woody Allen is known as a weekly regular, having played the clarinet with Café Carlyle’s resident jazz band. Although it underwent a refurb, Bemelmans Bar is as atmospheric as ever, with murals hand-painted by – and named after – Ludwig Bemelmans, author of the Madeline children’s books, who painted the bar in return for living here in the 1950s. Because of the link, the hotel is a good bet for well-heeled families, with Madeline-themed packages and good provisions for children. JK

Read our full review of The Caryle

Price: Doubles from £934

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