Thanks to over a century of movies, music and television, New York City is instantly recognizable to people the world over. It has become synonymous with metropolitan sophistication and a dynamic, 'can-do' attitude that attracts travelers and wanderers from all four corners of the Earth, with each pilgrim eager to have their own taste of The Big Apple.
As is the case in most major cities, New York is served by a huge variety of tourist and business accommodation. Everything from hostels to five-star luxury apartment suites are encompassed within the relatively constricted bounds of Manhattan Island and the choice for consumers can be bewildering. Those looking for a boutique hotel in New York will undoubtedly find one to suit in this most cosmopolitan and dynamic of environments.The hotels that are presented here aim to provide visitors with lodgings of true distinction in this somewhat overcrowded marketplace.
For those who are unfamiliar with the term, a boutique hotel commonly refers to accommodation where emphasis is placed on uniqueness, whether through architectural design or services offered. Many boutique establishments cater for a younger clientèle than have traditionally been hotel customers in the past.
These properties can take many forms. A typical boutique hotel will be a recently renovated residential or commercial property, often in an upwardly-mobile neighborhood. Proximity to the best dining and entertainment venues is often of primary consideration when developers are deciding the placement of a boutique hotel, to cater for their target market of young, affluent and hip travelers.
Boutique hotels arose in the last ten or fifteen years as a response to the perceived homogenization of guest accommodation the world over. There is a tendency for a motel in any city to look exactly like a motel in any other city, and the same can be said for four or five star premises too.
A boutique hotel however, aims to provide an environment for guests unlike any other to be found within or without the city. Each of the hotels that are presented here has its own distinct characteristics and charm, with a frequently off-beat design ethos that aims to be more appealing to young (and young at heart) travelers.
It would be incorrect, though, to assume that boutique accommodation is all style and no substance. Indeed, many of these establishments take extreme pride in being able to attend to the wishes of guests on a far more personal level than larger, corporate entities.
Many boutique hotels are far smaller in scale than other, more traditional motels or hotels. This is in part a consequence of the properties within which they are developed, but also one of the quintessential elements that make for a successful business venture.
The atmosphere created by these hotel is vital to its success, and hoteliers realize that a hip, stylish clientèle doesn't necessarily wish to have service staff stand to attention, and so a more friendly, laid-back tone is often de-rigueur in such establishments.
In these circumstances, friendliness and informality should not be confused with tardiness or lack of care. Indeed the more intimate, compact nature of many boutique hotels means that there are often more staff on-hand per customer than in more mainstream establishments. It is not uncommon, for example, for the desk staff to be on first name terms with all guests.
With a strong emphasis on style, many boutique hotels have been designed by world leading architects (often being co-proprietors) and famous designers. The design ethic often echoes the original purpose of the building the establishment has been renovated from and can include relics from the past, whether the edifice served as a commercial building or an industrial unit.
This care and attention to detail is mirrored in the building's interior, where unusual, often dissonant objets d'art are to be found in public areas and guest rooms. Additionally, boutiques usually provide a high level of technological innovation to guests and visitors, with high speed internet access throughout the premises and modern audiovisual entertainment facilities within guest rooms and suites.
As one of North America's most established cities, New York somehow manages to be both old and young simultaneously. This is nowhere better exemplified by this new wave of boutique designer accommodation that caters for a new kind of consumer, who wants a place to stay that reflects some of their own personality.
The establishments included here represent the finest of this new wave in hotel accommodation, offering the best selection for those who wish to experience the charm and sophistication of a boutique hotel in New York City.
