New York City has always been a top tourist destination, but somewhat surprisingly, it's not always had enough hotel rooms to accommodate the crowds. But that's been changing: according to stats put out by NYC & Company, the official marketing and tourism organization for the city, close to 40,000 hotel rooms have been added in the last 10 years, with another 22,000-plus currently in the pipeline. Of those, 39 hotels opened in Manhattan between 2014 and 2015, with another 75 in the works for this borough alone. Here, we take a look at some of the most notable newcomers to open their doors in 2015 and 2016. Some are top-to-bottom new, others are the result of rebranding and renovation, and all should be on the shortlist for your next stay in Manhattan. —Sandra Ramani
New York EDITION
Opened: May 2015
From hosting fashion events to earning raves for its restaurant, hotelier Ian Schrager's New York EDITION quickly became a hotspot upon opening in mid-2015. Set in the landmark, clocktower-topped Metropolitan Life Building, just steps from the Flatiron, the 273 residential-style rooms and suites feature oversized windows to showcase views of nearby Madison Square Park or, on higher floors, the Empire State Building; other perks include BEATS Bluetooth speakers and Le Labo amenities. There's a cozy two-room spa for in-house guests only, and a buzzing lobby bar that draws locals and visitors alike. Michelin-starred British chef Jason Atherton and noted restaurateur Stephen Starr joined forces to create the gourmet The Clocktower restaurant, which sits adjacent to the 24-karat gold-leaf-adorned Gold Bar, a sexy spot for handcrafted cocktails and a round of pool.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide
The Marmara Park Avenue
Opened: August 2015
A 1927 building on the border of the NoMad and Murray Hill neighborhoods now houses the luxury Marmara Park Avenue, the U.S. flagship of the Turkey-based Marmara Collection. Past a vestibule made of 670 pieces of faceted steel, and a lobby with hand-blown glass accents and a 14-foot fireplace, you'll find a hotel almost entirely decorated and stocked with items that were custom designed by NYC artisans. The 128 chic accommodations include a mix of traditional guestrooms, suites, penthouses, and extended-stay apartment-style spaces with fully equipped kitchens. There's a guests-only rooftop, while below the lobby sits a Wellness Center with lap pool and traditional, marble-lined Turkish hammam. The OneOneFour bar and lounge serves the house label Vinkara Wine, among other signature drinks.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide
1 Hotel Central Park
Opened: August 2015
The relatively new 1 Hotel brand is dedicated to responsible, sustainably minded hospitality—and to demonstrating that “eco-friendly” can still be comfortable, luxurious, and well designed. This Central Park South outpost—the brand's second, following South Beach—showcases all the hallmarks of the 1 philosophy, including the use of organic materials, triple-filtered water systems on all taps and showers, and paraben-free cleaning products. The stylish, natural light-filled rooms all have hemp-blend mattresses, yoga mats, streaming-equipped TVs, Bluetooth speakers, free Wi-Fi, and “green design moments,” like glass terrariums. There's also a well-stocked gym, inviting social spaces, the buzzing Jams by Jonathan Waxman restaurant, and a lobby farmstead where guests can pick up fresh goods to fuel their active city days.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide
The Roxy
Opened: September 2015
Goodbye, Tribeca Grand—following a total redesign, the former downtown hotel was reopened in the fall of 2015 as The Roxy. This new incarnation (which is set to be completed in spring 2016) includes 201 guest rooms redone by local designer Briana Stanley, and stocked with perks like Frette robes and Roku technology. There's an in-house cinema that screens a curated selection of flicks, outposts of Jack's Stir Brew cafe and the East Village's Blackstones salon, and modern-American dining by chef Joseph Abbruzzese, formerly of The Breslin. Music plays a big part in the scene, too: Grammy nominee (and Lady Gaga's jazz bandleader) Brian Newman programs performances for the lobby and Paul's Cocktail Lounge, while underground club, The Django, pairs world-fusion jazz and blues with craft cocktails.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide
Hotel Indigo
Opened: November 2015
With his 40 x 16-foot ceiling mural depicting some of the people and stories that shaped the Lower East Side, legendary subway graffiti artist Lee Quinones gave his stamp of approval to Hotel Indigo, which arrived in the downtown neighborhood in late 2015. The bright, clean-lined rooms range from smaller standards to one-bedroom and penthouse suites, plus a few deluxe options with terraces; all have Frette linens, C.O. Bigelow bath products, mini-bars stocked with locally sourced products (Sixpoint craft beer, Brooklyn Winery wines), and spa bathrooms. The Lobby Bar & Lounge also serves local goods, like Irving Farm Coffee and Russ & Daughters bagels, while the 15th-floor rooftop Mr. Purple bar and restaurant—named for a well-known L.E.S. character—and adjacent lap pool enjoy 360-degree city views.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide
https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/apa/5439778887.html
Opened: November 2015
Make yourself at home in downtown Manhattan, courtesy of apartment rental company Furnished Quarters. For its first short-stay option (that's any length of time under 30 days ), the company launched Q&A Residnetial Hotel in part of the landmark Art Deco building at 70 Pine Street, once the home of finance company AIG. (Long-term rentals take up the rest of the renovated structure.) The 132 suites are separated into six categories, each named for inventors throughout history; choices include one-bedroom Wright Brothers apartments, with blueprints of the brothers' 1906 flying machine, and kitchen-equipped studios named for Mary Anderson, who patented the windshield wiper. Smart HDTVs with cable and streaming capabilities, free Wi-Fi, complimentary morning coffee and treats, and concierge services like grocery delivery make things even homier. A 21,000 square-foot gym (opening in 2016) and rooftop restaurant and bar from the team behind The Spotted Pig (opening in 2017) will round out the perks.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide
The Time New York
Opened: December 2015
A lot has changed since The Time New York originally opened in 1999, from the vibe of its surrounding Times Square neighborhood to the expansion of its parent company, the Dream Hotel Group (which also owns the nightlife-centric Dream brand). To keep up with the—ahem—times, the hotel underwent a comprehensive transformation, including a redesign of its lobby, restaurant, and guest rooms by the noted Rockwell Group. Guests will now find 193 rooms (including 25 suites) with custom furnishings, leather-upholstered beds, and jewelry case–inspired wardrobes. A new lounge with communal work tables encourages socialization and lingering, as do the lobby-level Serafina restaurant and the LeGrande Lounge, where small plates are paired with cocktails created by mixologist Christian Sanders.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide
Riff Downtown
Opened: February 2016
Following the 2014 opening of a Chelsea location, affordable, '80s-inspired Riff Hotels moved farther downtown with this boutique Tribeca/Financial District outpost. While the retro theme is much more pronounced in Chelsea, with bright colors and pop culture memorabilia throughout, the nods here are a bit more subtle—a boom-box here, a rotary dial phone there. Also unlike Chelsea, the 34 rooms here are loft-like, with platform beds and exposed-brick walls, and have kitchenettes and either private or shared balconies. (They also all have private bathrooms, while Chelsea offers some budget shared bath options.) A subterranean bar for drinks and light bites is in the works.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide
The Bernic
Opening: Spring 2016
Midtown East's Turtle Bay neighborhood has never been a hotbed of hotels, but that will change with the opening of the 21-story The Bernic, where touches like house-made lavender lemonade and complimentary wine hours help set the refined tone. All 96 rooms will have upscale linens, 43-inch flatscreens with Apple TV, complimentary Wi-Fi, and Beekman 1802 amenities; almost all will also feature private balconies. Elsewhere, you'll find the Allora restaurant, serving old-school Italian favorites in a room of Carrara marble and herringbone floors, and a rooftop sky lounge from Elio & Sons. The whole hotel will also feature accelerated cellular service through a Distributed Antenna System—just one example of the overall focus on art and technology.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide
The Redbury Hotel
Opening: Spring 2016
The hotel on 29th Street between Park and Madison avenues has gone through a lot of changes—and names—in the last few years. In 2016 it will change again, this time from the Martha Washington Hotel to The Redbury, joining a brand that currently has locations in Hollywood and South Beach. Redbury is a partnership between renowned photographer Matthew Rolston, who serves as creative director, and sbe founder/CEO Sam Nazarian, and as result, guests have access to experiences at other sbe properties, which range from SLS hotels to restaurants and nightlife spots like Hyde. (The Redbury New York will sit a few blocks from the SLS Park Avenue, also slated to open this year.) The 256-room hotel will undergo a transformation under the direction of Rolston, who will take inspiration from the neighborhood's “Tin Pan Alley” musical past, among other things. One thing that thankfully won't change: Danny Meyer's beloved restaurant Marta will remain on the ground floor.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide
The Beekman Hotel
Opening: May 2016
After sitting empty for years, the landmark building at 5 Beekman Street—built in 1881 as one of Manhattan's first skyscrapers—will enjoy a new life in 2016 as the part-residence, part-hotel The Beekman. The latter, operated by Thompson Hotels , will include 287 rooms; two signature penthouses will be set within the structure's original towers, and will boast private terraces with views over downtown. The LEED-certified property will also feature destination dining courtesy of James Beard award-winning names like restaurateur Keith McNally and chef Tom Colicchio, as well as a curated art program in the guest rooms and public areas—including the dramatic, nine-story Victorian atrium topped with a pyramid skylight.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide
Four Seasons Downtown New York
Opening: Mid-2016
In the heart of Lower Manhattan, just a short walk from the World Trade Center complex and on the same block as the landmark Woolworth Building, will rise one of the most anticipated new hotels of the year: the 185-room Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown, which will join its beloved Midtown sister in mid-2016. With exteriors by Robert AM Stern Architects and interiors by Yabu Pushelberg, the luxury hideaway will be home to naturally lit public and event spaces, an exclusive spa and fitness facility (with heated indoor pool), and a Wolfgang Puck CUT restaurant and bar. The hotel will occupy the first 24 floors of the structure; above that will be 157 private residences, whose owners will enjoy the perks of living next to Four Seasons.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide
Intercontinental New York Barclay
Opening: Summer 2016
Following a $180 million renovation, Midtown classic The Barclay will re-emerge in 2016 with a refreshed look and updated amenities. Originally opened in 1926, and a favorite of New Yorkers like Katherine Hepburn and Jackie O, the hotel's Federal-style elegance will remain throughout, although the 704 rooms now feature modern technology (like in-room shopping, “virtual butlers,” and more than 2000 e-magazines), plush comforts, and custom Caswell-Massey amenities. (Still a showstopper: the Penthouse Sky Suite with a 1,500 square-foot terrace overlooking the Chrysler Building.) The building has also been made more energy efficient, and new ballrooms and event spaces have been added to cater to groups. As befits a hotel that has hosted many a diplomat, head of state, and celebrity, the staff here speaks over 40 languages—so everyone feels at home.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide
SLS Park Avenue
Opening: Summer 2016
Articles touting the opening of the SLS Park Avenue—the brand's first in NYC—have been running since 2013, so it's with cautious optimism that we add this to the list for 2016. Now boasting an anticipated summer launch, the hotel will feature 190 guest rooms, subtly grand interiors by master of minimalism, Philippe Starck, and a an outpost of chef Jose Andres' Bazaar restaurant. There will also be two lounges, including the intimate, subterranean S Bar, and a showpiece rooftop lounge that will no-doubt spark a rivalry with the one at the Gansevoort Park Avenue, just a couple of blocks away.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide
Tommie Hudson Square
Opening: August 2016
Call it a “millennial” brand, or a “lifestyle” one—whatever the language, tommie hotels are positioned as the younger sister to Commune Hotels' other collections (which include Thompson Hotels), and are designed for travelers who might not mind sacrificing space or five-star touches, but definitely want their quality-of-life amenities. At this Hudson Square location, the 325 self-proclaimed “micro-lifestyle rooms” are small but equipped with rain showers, flip-down work stations, under-bed storage, and peg board closets; some also have Hudson River views. Guests at tommie probably won't stay in their rooms much, though: communal spaces here include The Library, The Courtyard (where you might find a yoga or fitness class), Lobby and Rooftop bars, a Harold's Meat + Three American Eatery, and a 24-hour General Store, from which you can pick-up items—some complimentary—to personalize your rooms, from games to throw blankets. Guests are also encouraged to “co-create” the tommie experience through social media engagements and on-site activations, and will be able to interact with crowd-sourced art projects and communal brainstorm sessions—all part of that lifestyle focus.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's New York City Guide