• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 1694 0

rooms are mainly focused on the view out the ample windows; bathrooms are stark but have deep soaking tubs. A great seasonal pleasure is the Yard—a large outdoor space where you can have a drink or meal and then spread out on the grassy lawn—the only one of its kind in the city. The staff here is professional, polished, and more experienced than you’ll find at other fashionable hotels. Pros: fashionable, laid-back sophistication; great service; surprisingly discreet setting; diverse eating and drinking options. Cons: closer to Canal Street than prime SoHo; rooms on small side. TripAdvisor: “great ambience and design,” “excellent room service,” “great hotel in great location.” | 310 West Broadway, at Grand St., SoHo | 10013 | 212/965–3000 or 800/965–3000 | www.sohogrand.com | 353 rooms, 10 private-access suites, 2 penthouse loft suites | In-room: a/c, safe, refrigerator, Internet, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, room service, bars, gym, laundry service, parking (paid), some pets allowed | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Subway: 6, J, M, N, Q, R to Canal St.

EAST VILLAGE

The Cooper Square Hotel.

$$ | A jarring, 21-story glass-and-steel finger rising up in the low-rise East Village, the Cooper Square Hotel was never going to pass under the radar; the addition of the even more futuristic Cooper Union building next door has alleviated the hotel’s out-of-character look somewhat, but it’s still a focal point. The lobby goes for casual chic: there are no check-in desks, just reservation agents positioned to meet guests as soon as they walk in the door. (There is a hidden private room for checking in VIPs.) The lobby is lined with cushy leather chairs and hundreds of books from the Housing Works and available for purchase, with proceeds going to that charity. Thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the eponymous square, rooms are bright, though the sage or slate-blue carpeting looks cheap. The thoughtful amenities include three different kinds of robes—even one for your dog—as well as a minibar stocked with tiny bottles of Hendricks gin and Maker’s Mark bourbon, Sferra linens on the beds, flat-screen televisions, iPod docks, and Red Flower bath products. Chef Scott Conant runs Faustina restaurant on the ground floor, which features modern Italian food and a great bar with a memorable burger and views of the iconic Village Voice building across the road. There’s no gym in the hotel, but you can use the New York Health and Racquet across the square for free. Pros: stylish rooms; excellent amenities; creative guests. Cons: out of character with the area; ugly carpeting. TripAdvisor: “superior service,” “small rooms,” “steam shower built into bathrooms.” | 25 Cooper Square, between E. 5th and E. 6th Sts., East Village | 10003 | 212/475–5700 | www.thecoopersquarehotel.com | 145 rooms | In-room: a/c, safe, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, room service, bars, Wi-Fi hotspot, some pets allowed | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Subway: 6 to Astor Pl.; R to 8th. St./NYU.

LOWER EAST SIDE

The Bowery Hotel.

$$ | A stay at the Bowery centers on the lobby, stocked with newspapers for guests, old-world dark wood, and leather chairs; it’s an English hunting lodge in Manhattan, warmed by rich floor-to-ceiling tapestries, fireplaces, and chandeliers—the only thing missing is a trusty hound, and there’s certainly no shortage of British, who flock to the property. The mood created by the attractive red-coated doormen, the clubby bar, and trendy address makes this one of the hottest hotels—or lobbies, at least—of the moment. Sadly, rooms upstairs don’t maintain the richness of the lobby—they’re on the minimalist side, with big console desks and old-school windows the only grand flourishes. Pros: quirky, fun location; ravishing bar and lobby-lounge area; celebrity sightings; interesting views. Cons: gritty neighbors; rooms aren’t luxurious; restaurant is crowded but underwhelming. TripAdvisor: “very large rooms,” “great showers,” “very relaxed bar area.” | 335 Bowery, at 3rd St., Lower East Side | 10002 | 212/505–9100 | www.theboweryhotel.com | 135 rooms, 25 suites | In-room: