Thanks to designer Kit Kemp’s inspired vision, the Crosby Street Hotel is a handcrafted, ultra-luxe retreat with whimsical interiors.

Guests of this discreet Upper East Side hotel feel as though they are in one of the city’s rarefied co-ops, some of which, in fact, are just around the corner. However, the Lowell lobby offers much better service than even the best Park Avenue buildings, because the concierge can arrange for theater tickets and babysitters and fill any other special requests guests may have. The pied-à-terre concept continues with the interior design of the 70 guest rooms, most of which have soft, comfortable color schemes and tasteful mahogany furniture and prints, courtesy of the designer Michael S. Smith.

Of the 72 room options, most are suites. The best have terraces and/or wood-burning fireplaces and some come with kitchens. The Garden Suite, with two terraces (one large enough for a small dinner party) and a fireplace in the living room, is popular with couples who want to entertain when in town. Another favorite is the Penthouse Suite on the 17th floor. Envision a three-bedroom apartment with four terraces, views in all directions and interiors that manage to bring just the right sunny Southern California ease and glamour to Manhattan apartment living.

While there is no spa, the hotel can arrange for in-room treatments and there is a small but fabulous gym with windows looking onto East 63rd Street. The elegant second floor dining room serves food throughout the day and the ground-floor Majorelle Restaurant, Club Room and Jacques Bar are neighborhood mainstays.

The Mark, like its guests, is elegant, discreet and flawlessly put together.

A part of the Firmdale hotel group, the Whitby in New York City is a collaboration of contemporary design and whimsical aesthetic.

Situated two blocks from Central Park, the 1 Hotel is an eco-friendly, sophisticated refuge in the midst of Midtown.

The subtle 11 Howard entrance sits next to a hard-to-miss blue and black mural facing Canal Street. This subtlety, in fact, persists throughout the property: guests are greeted not by a reception desk, but by a single staff member, iPad in hand, who assists with check in. The lobby is small but polished, and a flight up the industrial–style spiral staircase leads guests to the hotel's comfortable library and buzzing lounge bar, The Blonde.

The dimly lit, carpeted hallways are in stark contrast to the guest rooms, which are bright and airy with light wood floors, high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. Decorative accents in muted navy, gray and blush colors add warmth to the minimalist design (cultivated by New York's Anda Andrei and the Danish design firm Space Copenhagen). The Terrace Suite has a full kitchen, dining and living room with French doors that open to your own 12^th-floor private terrace, boasting views both up- and downtown. While there is no spa, the hotel can arrange in-room treatments and services and there is a small fitness center on the third floor.

11 Howard's commitment to conscious hospitality is ever-present, from the organic bathroom products to the ‘create your own’ minibar system that allows guests to choose from treats sourced through Conscious Commerce and Thrive Market. Other partnerships include those with Lauren Bush's FEED and NYC's Groundswell, a public arts initiative focused on using art as a tool for social change. Every booking at the property donates a portion of the proceeds to the Global Poverty Project.

The hotspot restaurant Le CouCou is another draw to the property. Curated by local restaurateur Stephen Starr and acclaimed Parisian chef Daniel Rose, the contemporary French restaurant is expectedly fabulous. Décor is old-school glam, featuring whitewashed brick walls, extravagant chandeliers and a trompe l’oeil mural. The cuisine is delicious, with dishes like white bean salad with pig ear and anchovy and toute le lapin (“the whole rabbit”).

Opened in 2015, the glamorous Baccarat is reminiscent of a French aristocratic home fused with a sleek Manhattan high-rise, and each of the 114 guest rooms are designed to make guests feel at home. Located across the street from the MoMA and right next to Fifth Avenue with its endless restaurants and shopping options, the luxe hideout is great for guests looking to explore the city from a Midtown base.

The 114 rooms at the Baccarat feature French design details (thanks to the Parisian duo responsible for the interiors) including silk walls, jacquard bed covers, white marble bathrooms and Fauchon-stocked mini bars. The Baccarat boasts several dining venues, including hot spot bar The Bar (designed to resemble the stable at Versailles), a glitzy space with a lovely outdoor terrace. Guests and locals can dine at the bar, in the Grand Salon, which is open all day.

There is a tranquil La Mer–appointed spa, located on the same floor as the elegant pool, which features cabanas with day beds. The state-of-the-art gym allows guests to workout on their own or with a personal trainer. The Baccarat provides the additional service of a chauffeured transfer anywhere within 15 blocks of the hotel in their Mercedes.

On the border of Tribeca and the Financial District, the 189–room property feels surprisingly tucked away from the hub of downtown activity. Guests are welcomed into a sleek and understated lobby (noticeably different from the grand, chandelier-adorned entrances of other Four Seasons) that feels delightfully intimate, as the front desk and concierge area have been combined to create one streamlined, seamless experience at check-in.

In keeping with this theme, the hotel’s interiors, designed by Yabu Pushelberg (the group behind numerous hotels including the London EDITION) are über-contemporary. The elegant, minimal design emphasizes different textures and materials, as public spaces incorporate soft fabrics like wool carpeting with industrial-style woven metal accents and metallic-printed wallpaper.

Accommodations are similarly appointed with a warm, inviting décor and are filled with sleek furnishings in muted colors of greys and light blues. One-third of the guest rooms are corner-facing, welcoming lots of natural light. The gorgeous bathrooms are a highlight, each with a deep soaking tub, luxurious walk-in showers and mosaic marble surfaces. Each room, including the property’s 28 suites, is also outfitted with an iPad Mini, high-tech lighting and control fixtures, plus Bose stereos and entertainment systems that allow guests to access their own Netflix and Airplay with ease. For spectacular views of the city, the Tribeca, Gotham and Royal Suites offer the best lookouts from the 23rd and 24th floors.

Guest rooms (and, in fact, the entire building) are insulated with material that blocks outside noise, so the hotel feels surprisingly serene, and guests are meant to feel like they are coming home to an intimate, comfortable space. The new restaurant, CUT by Wolfgang Puck, is sure to add an element of buzz to the downtown scene. The celebrity chef’s signature steakhouse (he previously headed the Michelin-starred CUT at the Beverly Wilshire) comes highly anticipated as Puck’s first restaurant in New York City that will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner to Four Seasons guests (dinner is open to all). With menu specialties like Japanese Wagyu beef and pastries from acclaimed chef Zairah Molina, the 86-seat restaurant also has a sultry bar area and private dining room, which are guaranteed to be hot-ticket seats.

Among the property’s amenities is the luxurious seven-room spa, an utter oasis, that offers custom treatments from the Switzerland-based wellness expert Dr. Burgener. Guests can enjoy signature therapies with special products like detox purifying mud and hydrating milk. There is also a 24-hour, 6,000-sq.-ft. fitness center with a steam room and yoga studio that offer views of the Oculus and World Trade Center, plus a 75-ft. indoor lap pool and outdoor terrace.

The Gansevoort New York's transformation encapsulates the essence of the Meatpacking District's journey—a fusion of heritage and innovation.

Following a 2010 refurbishment, the elegant Plaza Athénée remains its traditional self, only newer. Discreetly tucked among townhouses on a residential street on the Upper East Side, the iconic property is a beacon of European style and taste, notable in the intricate wallpaper and ornate, gilded furnishings.

The hotel's 114 guest rooms and suites are carefully appointed, featuring a similar design aesthetic as the rest of the hotel, as well as uncommon amenities like kitchenettes and balconies. The best suites boast atrium-like, enclosed-glass balconies that illuminate the room and offer the perfect perch from which to take in the city below. There is a small spa and gym, but guests can also head to Central Park, only two blocks away, for exercise and fresh air. The beautiful Arabelle restaurant is an elegant spot for dinner, and the hotel further indulges European sensibilities with daily afternoon tea.

Located on Madison Avenue across from St. Patrick's Cathedral lies the historic New York Palace hotel. The main building, the Villard Mansion, was constructed in 1882 as a private home, but the bulk of the hotel was constructed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when a 55-story tower was built and opened as the Helmsley Palace. The hotel now offers 909 rooms and suites, of which 176 were recently renovated and comprise “The Tower” section of the hotel, located on the top 14 floors.

The renovated rooms are by far the most luxurious, and interior design styles vary drastically from room to room. The more modern rooms feature earthy color palettes with lots of grey and silver, while the unrenovated ones are over-the-top with chintzy gold furnishings and heaving draping. The corner suites are spacious, at over 1,200-square-feet, and feature contemporary art and stunning panoramic views. The Tower has two themed suites: the Jewel Suite by Martin Katz and the Towers Champagne Suite. Both offer floor-to-ceiling windows, over 5,000-square-feet of space, three floors and a large outdoor terrace with a hot tub. The Jewel Suite is more feminine, with a warm color palette and Martin Katz jewelry on display. The Champagne Suite’s dark carpets and walls make the space feel more masculine, incorporating aesthetic elements of the Dom Pérignon brand.

A two-story lobby with a grand staircase links the historic mansion with the tower, and includes a ballroom, three dining venues and space for special events. The upstairs Gold Room Bar is a Gilded Age masterpiece, and is popular with Midtown locals and out-of-towners alike (you may recognize it from shows like Gossip Girl and Inventing Anna). 

The transformation of Columbus Circle from a roundabout bordered by a dingy meeting hall to a high-end shopping and cultural hub owes a lot to the hotel that anchors one of the two towers in the Time Warner Center. Mandarin Oriental has long been known for luxury in Asia (specifically its legendary Bangkok outpost), but its 2003 opening in New York helped cement its place as a global luxury brand. Among other features, it gave the city its first sky-high lobby, on the thirty-fifth floor, affording stunning Central Park views: in the morning, you can see hawks soaring among the high-rises, and at night, the show of city lights below hypnotizes.

An Asian aesthetic informs the 244 rooms and suites. The angular configuration of the rooms may at first seem odd, but many of them maximize what the hotel knows is its winning feature: floor-to-ceiling windows, the best of which face east for spectacular views over Central Park.

In addition to its incredible vistas, the hotel has proved that it can deliver the same seamless service in America as it does in Asia, thus attracting sophisticated travelers from around the world. It has also become a popular overnight retreat for couples from Greenwich and Bedford who come into town for opera or ballet at Lincoln Center and would rather walk home than face a drive. Be sure to go downstairs for a performance at Jazz at Lincoln Center, especially if you can hear a concert in the Allen Room, where musicians stand before the four-story-high windows. Listening to Jazz riffs with an electric-cityscape backdrop can raise goose bumps in even the most jaded.

City-grit meets Parisian glamour at the NOMO SOHO, set back from Crosby Street and just steps from downtown Manhattan’s best shopping. Guests enter below an ivy-covered trellis (candles light the path after dark), framed by NOMO Kitchen in a chic greenhouse-like atrium. Check-in is on the second floor, but the lobby is so detailed—an oversize Marylin Minter photograph hints at the sexy celebrity clientele that frequent the boutique hotel—guests are likely to spend hours bewitched by the décor before heading upstairs.

The idyllic Beauty and the Beast theme lingers throughout the hotel with inspired, thoughtful accents like white claw-footed coffee tables and silver rose decals swirling on walls. The rear of the hotel opens to Lafayette Street and the not-too-distant Chinatown, which is subtly incorporated into the design: white oriental stools blend seamlessly into the lobby's décor, but allude to the location’s diversity. Also on the Lafayette side is a separate entrance to the discreet Mr. H nightclub, which goes entirely unnoticed by most hotel guests, and has a Shanghai-inspired design with bright red walls and rabbit murals (a nod to the Year of the Rabbit, 2011, when the hotel was constructed.)

The 270 rooms are decked out in a French blue-and-white color scheme, with chrome bedside tables and traditional scalloped mirrors. The boutique side of the hotel comes into play here: the rooms are very small. None have bathtubs and many have minimal bathroom space, but floor-to-ceiling windows in all rooms help open up the space. Unobstructed views begin at the eighth floor, and the best are to be had in the Deluxe rooms, which have a window in lieu of a headboard (the uptown-facing rooms perfectly frame the distant Empire State Building.)

The gym is small and dark, but guests can easily get Equinox gym passes and book personal training sessions. The spa facilities at Equinox are also available to hotel guests, and bicycles to explore the neighborhood are available on a first-come first-serve basis.

The Park Hyatt New York’s entrance feels like that of a high-end city apartment building. The sparse, sleek entryway is surprisingly simple, with only the bellman to greet and usher you to the third-floor lobby. Once there, the minimalist theme continues with cool grey stone floors, high ceilings, modern furnishings and a predominantly black-and-white color palette. Adding some flair to the otherwise simple style is the property’s expertly curated art collection boasting pieces by the likes of Ellsworth Kelly, Rob Fischer and Robert Longo, along with some works commissioned for the hotel.

Occupying the first 25 floors of a 90-story skyscraper, the Park Hyatt has 92 suites and 118 guestrooms, all of which have floor-to-ceiling windows and a monochromatic palette. (Of special note: the suites have balconies). Floors 16-25 have the best views, though none have unobstructed panoramas of Central Park. While some are called Park rooms, that refers to the brand, not the view; those with semi-obstructed views are the rooms facing 58th Street. Some rooms overlook Carnegie Hall.

Wellness is definitely a focus here, as the star of the hotel is most certainly the 13,000-square-foot Spa Nalai on the 25th floor. The stunning, sun-drenched oasis has a number of spa suites (which are more akin to luxe apartments than treatment rooms), including some with balconies where guests can enjoy a post-treatment meal. The pool is large enough for laps in, and the fitness center rivals even the poshest gyms in the city. When not taking advantage of the city’s best restaurants nearby, guests can light bites and cocktails at The Living Room, whose bar overlooks Carnegie Hall.

Renovated and rebranded in 2014, SIXTY Soho (formerly 60 Thompson) is a cozy boutique hotel with a refined feel. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the second-story lobby overlook the quiet street below and throughout, the décor evokes a luxurious library, with stacks of coffee table books, plush velvet sofas and dimly lit lamps. Located just off the lobby is the sleek bar, which draws a buzzy, but unpretentious scene at night, and a chic seating area, with greenery-laden walls and high ceilings.

The 97 rooms and suites are comfortable and spacious, outfitted with light wood furnishings, velvet Alexander McQueen pillows and couches and brown marble bathrooms. The premier accommodation, the Penthouse Suite, is a bi-level space with massive windows and a terrace large enough for loungers and a dining table overlooking the cityscape.

The hotel’s rooftop bar, open in the summer months, is a stylish spot for a cocktail, and the main restaurant, Sessanta, serves rustic Tuscan cuisine in a contemporary, whimsical setting. The hotel houses a small gym, but no spa facilities.

When guests walk into the Soho Grand, they are greeted by its darkly lit lobby and bright glass bottle staircase, which cleverly references the preserved cast-iron past of the funky neighborhood. In fact, the hotel's 309 rooms perfectly represent the neighborhood’s artistic and fashionable community.

The Soho Grand prides itself on the many creative details that adorn the interiors, such as a large birdcage that is decorated according to the season and the vintage inspired tables, trunks and coffee stands made out of recycled newspapers. Rooms are small but adequate for an urban stay. Those looking for more space prefer the Grand King rooms, which feature the comic illustrations of Saul Steinberg on the bathroom walls.

With only 30 rooms spanning six floors, this small hotel books months in advance but affords guests the sense that they're staying in a cozy home.

Guest rooms are divided into Small, Medium and Big categories, descriptions that accurately describe their sizes (keeping in mind that New York hotel rooms run small). All feature custom-made furniture and fittings that have a cozy and warm aesthetic. Bathrooms come with rain showers, and some also feature freestanding baths. The Small rooms feature wood-paneled walls that give them a rustic feeling. Guests staying on the 4th and 5th floors typically have inspiring views of downtown, including the Freedom Tower.

The Club Level hosts breakfast in its country-style pantry nook, and meals throughout the day and night in comfortable booths. This area also serves as an all-hours work space for hotel guests and members, offering privacy and quiet. The rooftop pool framed by lounge chairs and a bar offers an escape from the busy streets below. Rare in New York, the pool area is never too crowded as only members and guests have access to this coveted spot.

The Cowshed Spa offers excellent massages, skin care treatments and manicures and pedicures and is the perfect place for guests to relax and unwind. Cowshed spa products from London are made exclusively for the Soho House hotels.

Hotel guests are welcome to use the club's amenities including the Club Bar, Drawing Room, breakfast pantry and rooftop pool, and are invited to such events as movie screenings in the hotel's private 44-seat theater

This trendy property fuses modern, downtown cool with old New York charm. Read Indagare's review of the Beekman Hotel.

When the Bowery Hotel opened in 2007, Ian Schrager fans were quick to point out that its brooding lobby complete with Gilded Age antiques, a fireplace and velvet, tasseled furniture was similar to the Gramercy Park Hotel’s own salon-like entranceway. But while both properties have been cited as examples of the High Bohemia design craze, the Bowery’s vibe is a little less dramatic. There are no Warhols and Damien Hirsts here, and the vibe is a bit cozier and brainier—as evidenced in the shelves of leather-bound classics and the old-fashioned newspaper rack. The rooms are simultaneously elegant and industrial-sleek: long, flowing curtains cover floor-to-ceiling windows and dark mahogany furniture offsets exposed piping and white brick walls. All have fantastic Manhattan views (there are, after all, very few tall office buildings down here to obstruct them), but only the seven private terrace suites contain the hotel’s famous outdoor showers, which allow guests to literally soak up the view.

Though it pains us to say it, there is only one historic grand hotel left in the city: the Carlyle, on East 76th Street and Madison Avenue.

Indagare Travel reviews the glitzy downtown New York Soho hotel property The Dominick. This property is perfect for guests looking for a downtown scene with great views, a comparably large gym and spa, and shops at your doorstep.

Constructed and decorated with materials recovered from all over Manhattan and from as far as Japan, the Greenwich Hotel, Robert DeNiro's passion project, will bring any aesthetically savvy guest to tears.

Housed in the former General Theological Seminary in Chelsea, the High Line Hotel feels like a sophisticated old-world dormitory that today houses well-dressed patrons. With just 60 rooms, the boutique property has an intimate, welcoming atmosphere. Its tree-lined inner courtyard, sheltered from the craze of Manhattan, sets the tone for the rest of the hotel, an oasis of serenity nestled in the heart of the city.

Each room features custom-made furniture and wallpaper, and original, working 1920s rotary telephones. The attention to detail and authenticity contributes to the feeling that the hotel is more akin to an impeccably decorated, quirky mansion from a bygone era. Each room offers unexpected touches, like a custom embosser or stack of vintage books.

Coffee lovers convene in the lobby for cult favorite Intelligentsia brews, and at night, the barista-cum-bartender swaps caffeine for cocktails. Working, antique typewriters placed throughout the lobby are available for use by those looking to be transported back in time. Casual and homey, yet with the elegance of a luxury property, the High Line Hotel is a terrific choice for those looking for a cozier take on New York. The hotel even welcomes dogs, who are treated to the same five-star service as the guests.

One of New York’s most storied properties rises again after 11 years of renovations to feel like the coolest hotel in the city right now, also thanks to super buzzy dining and bar options

Situated on a lively block in NYC’s gritty Lower East Side, the Ludlow fuses a vibrant, edgy atmosphere with the simple luxury typical of a Sean MacPherson hotel (the hotelier is also responsible for the charming Marlton Hotel). Opened in 2014, the Ludlow is right at home in its downtown address, and manages to feel at once like a neighborhood staple and a trendy newcomer. This duality evokes the neighborhood as a whole, which is known as much for its classic institutions (Katz’s Delicatessen, Russ & Daughters) as it is for the roster of new speakeasies, restaurants and galleries that are always opening.

The 20-story Ludlow has 175 rooms, the best of which boast an outdoor balcony or terrace. But even the accommodations without patios feel light and airy, as all benefit from oversized factory windows that supply ample natural light and great people watching. The rooms feature a bohemian décor with velvet armchairs, shearling rugs and Moroccan lamps, while the bathrooms are glamorous, with black-and-white tiles, gold fixtures and bathrobes courtesy of Maison Margiela.

While the hotel offers travelers a respite from the bustling Lower East Side, its ground-floor spaces draw a crowd of their own, with a chic lounge and garden, and the hugely popular restaurant Dirty French. The hot spot eatery prioritizes reservations for its hotel guests (a big plus, considering how difficult it is to secure a table). Between the restaurant and the lounge, the lobby is buzzing into the wee hours, but by morning, the hotel is quiet again and guests can appreciate the homey vibe created by a crackling fire (in winter) and vintage couches. While the hotel does not have a spa, it does feature a good gym.

Almost subterranean in feel, the Marlton’s lobby is dark and brooding—thanks to rich oak paneling and lovingly aged leather sofas—much like the famous residents who once graced its hallowed halls. Prior to the hotel’s construction in 2013, the building was known as Marlton House, a single-room occupancy hotel beloved by creative types (Jack Kerouac drafted On the Road there, and Julie Andrews surely gave the building a dose of glamour during her residency).

Refurnished and restyled, the Marlton is now a chic hideout with a Parisian vibe—and space constraints. Each of the 107-rooms is tiny, ranging from 100- to 150-square-feet, and the rates are appropriately affordable. Should guests feel constricted, the lobby is a retreat worth spending time in; the espresso bar runs all day, the bar serves well-crafted cocktails and the restaurant, Margaux, has a romantic, greenhouse-like atrium abutting the dining room and well-executed dishes.

If cramped quarters just won’t do, the Marlton boasts two spectacular penthouse suites, almost triple the size of the regular rooms with additional space on a private terrace. These, too, are a steal, and worth splurging on.

This intimate 74 room hotel, situated in a renovated six-story Romanesque Revival building from 1890, has a simple, contemporary vibe. Its location in the heart of Soho is ideal, and despite the craze of one of Manhattan’s busiest neighborhoods, the hotel exudes peace and quiet. Once guests pass through the discreet entry off Mercer Street, they find themselves in a sparse but chic lobby (bookshelves populated with photography and art books line the walls) with dark wood paneling. Daylight filters into the spacious entry lounge through veiled windows, making the lobby feel at once open and private. When the hotel opened in 1998, its Christian Liagre–conceived décor of dark wengé wooden floors and furnishings, pale-hued walls and well-proportioned rooms created a sensation. Years later, it still looks well kept, if slightly dated.

The Mercer has eleven room categories, so there is an enormous amount of variety, but all feature high ceilings, big windows and a sitting area. Studios and larger rooms boast oversized two-person marble bathtubs, and Loft Studios sport architecturally interesting arched windows (with blackout curtains as an added feature.) Because the guest rooms feature extremely high ceilings, even the smallest feel capacious and airy, although slightly uninspired. The gym is open 24 hours by appointment only and trainers are available upon request.