New York City (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [239]
Maritime Hotel.
$ | In just about any other city, the Maritime would be a major entertainment and cultural center; inside is the Hiro Ballroom nightclub, with room for 800; Matsuri, the cavernous Japanese restaurant below the hotel; and La Bottega, a delightful, expansive plaza-level restaurant and bar. You wouldn’t need to leave the hotel for a full dose of nightlife. But this is New York, and the Meatpacking District is two blocks away, so you’re also near the city’s sceniest, priciest clubs and boutiques. The Maritime’s white-ceramic tower, the former HQ for the National Maritime Union, was the first luxury hotel to be built in the Chelsea gallery district. The warm, small rooms resemble modern ship’s cabins, with burnished teak paneling, sea-blue drapes and bed accents, and 5-foot-tall “portholes” that face the Hudson River skyline. Bonus: the hotel is said to be haunted. Pros: nightlife options galore; great restaurants; fun rooms with big porthole windows. Cons: all nightlife all the time; street noise. TripAdvisor: “rooms are small,” “really inventive design,” “staff is incredible.” | 363 W. 16th St., at 9th Ave., Chelsea | 10011 | 212/242–4300 | www.themaritimehotel.com | 120 rooms, 4 suites | In-room: a/c, safe, DVD, Internet, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: 2 restaurants, room service, bars, gym, laundry service, Internet terminal, Wi-Fi hotspot, some pets allowed | AE, MC, V | Subway: A, C, E to 14th St.
GREENWICH VILLAGE
Washington Square Hotel.
$ | This low-key European-style hotel in Greenwich Village is popular with visiting New York University parents—the location near the renovated Washington Square Park and its magnificent arch (and just down the street from Mario Batali’s Babbo restaurant) is just a bonus. One block from the very central West 4th Street subway station, it’s easy to get to the rest of downtown’s sights. Some rooms are cheerfully decorated—deluxe rooms have a snazzy Hollywood Art Deco style and much more natural light than the plainer standard rooms, which have pastel florals and a more limited selection of amenities. Deluxe rooms come with pillow-top mattresses and free high-speed Internet access. The intimate Deco Room has mosaic floors, elegant mirrors, and a wrought-iron-and-glass brass gate from Paris. Daytime guests can sip tea; at night they can pull up a stool at the beautiful bar hidden in the back. North Square restaurant has a jazz brunch and surprisingly sophisticated fare. Pros: park-front location; deluxe rooms are charming; great hotel bar. Cons: NYU students everywhere; rooms are small. TripAdvisor: “well-situated hotel,” “price is great,” “delicious breakfast.” | 103 Waverly Pl., at MacDougal St., Greenwich Village | 10011 | 212/777–9515 or 800/222–0418 | www.wshotel.com | 160 rooms | In-room: a/c, safe, Internet (some). In-hotel: restaurant, bar, gym, Wi-Fi hotspot | AE, MC, V | CP | Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, M to W. 4th St./Washington Sq.
MEATPACKING DISTRICT
Hotel Gansevoort.
$$ | Don’t you hate it when a younger sibling shows you up? Unfortunately, that’s the case at the Gansevoort, which is looking a bit frumpy since the Standard opened a few blocks to the west. Still, there’s plenty to like at this chic Meatpacking District pioneer, starting with the sleek rooms that overlook the city or the Hudson River, a rooftop deck with a 45-foot heated pool that remains a draw for locals and tourists alike, and even video-game systems delivered to your room for free. The furnishing themselves are starting to show signs of wear, though the Exhale spa works much better now that it doesn’t have to double as a lounge. What was once the high-end restaurant Ono is now the scaled-down Tanuki Tavern, but it’s still serving Asian fusion fare. Pros: rooftop pool; wonderful art collection; nice amenities. Cons: too-trendy location at times; worn rooms; slipshod service. TripAdvisor: “efficient staff,” “trendy neighborhood,” “rooftop bar/club.” | 18 9th Ave., at 13th St., Meatpacking District | 10014 |