Five stylish New York City hotels on our wishlist

Undoubtedly one of the coolest cities in the world, New York City is host to some of the most stylish hotels around, boasting stunning interiors and enviable skyline views. Read on to check out the 5 on our wishlist, and learn about their rich architectural history, distinctive decor styles and where to book your visit.

The Henry Norman Hotel

Located in Brooklyn’s trendy Greenpoint area, the Henry Norman hotel has transformed a 19th-century textile warehouse and artist studio into a luxury hotel. Eager for the interior’s industrial-chic design to pay homage to the building’s history, the hotel has retained the loft-style rooms for its suites and features several original factory details throughout, such as the impressive staircase that dominates the lobby and highlights the vastness of the building. 

If you ever doubted you were in the Big Apple, a vintage bright yellow taxi greets you upon arrival – one of the many quirky design features that appear throughout the hotel. Antique lampshades and coloured glass adorn the reception area, with industrial silver and original brickwork retaining the warehouse feel.

Wyndham Garden Brooklyn

A short distance away in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighbourhood is the Wyndham Garden Brooklyn Hotel. Designed by Horst Design International, the bold silver facade of the building evokes the image of a vintage airstream, with dramatic lighting accentuating each of the hotel windows. In sharp contrast to the aluminium exterior, each of the hotel’s floors is designed to reflect one of four seasons—winter, spring, summer and autumn. Expansive wall murals of trees and fields throughout the year cover the walls to immerse each guest in the natural world.

PUBLIC Hotel

When PUBLIC opened in 2017, it revolutionised the guest experience with its progressive use of technology – iPads replaced a concierge check-in desk and each room came with its own Bluetooth speaker. The hotel's striking neon escalators have developed quite the reputation as a photo opportunity in the city, as well as the lush green exterior – an antidote to the harsh cement and brick skyscrapers that surround it. The minimal Scandinavian inspired interior is the work of architect Ascan Mergenthaler of the renowned Herzog & de Meuron, who desired to create rooms as “wooden capsules” that felt at once homely without guests feeling cramped. 

The Wythe Boutique Hotel

Often cited as one of the first of Brooklyn’s ‘designer’ hotels, this former barrel factory in Williamsburg has been impeccably preserved, with each of its 70 rooms boasting authentic industrial architecture. Brooklyn-based architects Workstead was responsible for the design of the lobby, restaurant/ bar and outdoor terraces at the Wythe. The project revitalised the 19th-century shell of the building while retaining as many of the original materials as possible.

The Wythe is known to embrace and support local artists, with a plethora of bright paintings and sculptures brightening up the space. Each bedroom contrasts exposed brick with delicately patterned wallpaper, white linen and immense windows. For an evening cocktail, the Wythe's sixth-floor restaurant Bar Blondeau offers simply stunning views of the city with uninterrupted vistas of the Manhattan skyline through floor-to-ceiling windows.

The Collective Paper Factory

A space that exudes character, the Collective Paper Factory is owned by the UK-based group The Collective, which provides high-quality co-living spaces in London. The Collective Paper Factory is the first short-stay hotel in the portfolio yet still preserves the brand’s focus on community inspired living. As the name would suggest, it’s situated within an old paper factory building and embraces the heritage of the structure. 

Throughout the communal spaces, rich textures of velvet and antique furniture complement the large industrial windows and exposed brickwork. Various rooms in the hotel are designed to encourage interaction and connection between guests, some of whom will be staying there for an entire month. The Den features large vintage leather sofas for groups of hotel guests to join together in the evenings and the chic Conservatory is a bright space flooded with natural light, with comfortable pouffe ottomans that create a relaxed, informal atmosphere to casually lounge. A social hub of the hotel, the Playroom is complete with a chess set, board games and a community polaroid camera to contribute to the "be more together' wall.

Written for In Good Taste / Lick