The 19 Best Boutique Hotels in NYC 2022: Bookmark them for your next trip

When you visit New York, you make tough decisions. There are many good restaurants, there are many good bars and there are many good hotels. And the problem with choosing a hotel is that you usually only choose one. Limiting your options to NYC boutique hotels might simplify the decision, especially if you’re looking for an intimate, upscale stay that’s not just for out-of-towners. Also, boutique hotels were practically invented here. Typically with 120 rooms or fewer and characterized by strong, focused design identities, boutique hotels emerged in the 1980s. The phenomenon is widely credited to Studio 64’s Ian Schrager, whose scenic, now-closed Midtown Morgans Hotel is unofficially credited with being the world’s first boutique hotel.

Now everything old is new again. As Condé Nast Traveler highlighted in its December 2022 issue, the New York City hotel scene is fresh from exciting openings – and boutique hotels are strong. Author Tony Perrottet posits that the surge in real estate that has emerged from the pandemic reflects travelers’ increased need for space and tranquility while serving their desire to be part of a scene. Boutique hotels tick all of these boxes. The new Fouquet’s, Nine Orchard and the reopened Hotel Chelsea, all featured below, are just a few examples.

If any of these 19 hotels appeal to you, you can book a stay through Skylark on this page. Working exclusively with a curated group of luxury hotels around the world, Skylark ensures the quality of your trip by offering additional perks such as room upgrades or resort credits, insider offers, advice and 24/7 support. Read on to learn more about the best boutique hotels in NYC, or go straight to the area you want to stay in.

Upper Manhattan: The Lowell | Midtown: The Chat Whale | Highline Hotel | Chelsea Hotel | The Whitby Hotel | Queens: Boro Hotel | Lower Manhattan: The Bowery Hotel | The Beekmann | Crosby Street Hotel | Fouquet’s New York | Greenwich Hotel | Hotel Hugo | The Mercer | ModernHouse Soho | Mr C Seaport | Nine Orchard | Soho House | Wanderer Hotel, Greenwich Village | Brooklyn: The Wythe Hotel

FAQs:

What is the best area to stay in New York City?

Midtown and Downtown are the most popular and convenient areas for travelers exploring Manhattan. Midtown is best for first-time visitors due to its central location and proximity to tourist attractions like Times Square, the Empire State Building, the Met, and Central Park, while downtown is great for nightlife, top restaurants, and a more local experience. Brooklyn is a great choice for visitors who have seen the highlights of Manhattan and want to explore neighborhoods with cool restaurants, bars, and shopping.

What makes boutique hotels special?

Boutique hotels are popular for their strong character, intimate size, and overall cool factor. Their food and drink programs are also often a special focus and can be goals in their own right.

Has NoMad New York closed?

The NoMad Hotel sadly closed in 2020 due to the pandemic, but its former premises have just opened the new Ned NoMad, supported by Soho House’s parent company’s Membership Collective Group. The Ned shows, like its predecessor, promise to be a solid NYC hotel.

Upper Manhattan

The Lowell

Courtesy of The Lowell

The Lowell

The vibe: delicate, personal, unobtrusive
Location: Upper East Side
Top amenities: 300-thread-count Frette linens, fresh flowers by your bedside, in-room fireplaces
Best for: A trip to the city with an upscale living feel

At the Lowell, where bathrooms are marble, service is discreet and floral displays are likely to cost more than your outfit, five-star hospitality is tasteful and understated. The timeless Majorelle restaurant explodes with floral arrangements and serves French and Moroccan cuisine. One block from Central Park, the hotel’s location on East 63rd Street is like a snapshot from a New York postcard. The 74-room hotel is focused and dispenses with extras like a spa.

Downtown

The chat whale

Courtesy of Dream Hotel Group

The chat whale

The mood: meeting place in the theater district
Location: Times Square
Top facilities: infinity saltwater sports pool, personal butler service on request, wellness center, pets allowed
Best for: Being in the middle of the action – and escaping it at the same time

Located in the heart of Midtown’s Theater District, the Chatwal is an elegant, luxury boutique hotel with Art Deco aesthetics. The 76 rooms, inspired by early 20th-century travel, feature custom furniture designed by Despont, suede-upholstered walls, tinted floor-to-ceiling mirrors, rainfall showers, and in-room closets and vanities reminiscent of vintage luggage. Historically, the building was the Lamb’s Club – a social club for New York’s theater crowd that began in 1874. Now the hotel has a restaurant of the same name with 80 seats.

Highline Hotel

Courtesy of the High Line Hotel/Jesse David Harris

Highline Hotel

The vibe: Tiny, special, nostalgic
Location: Chelsea
Top Amenities: Intelligentsia coffee bar, jewel of a private garden, oversized beds, locally sourced furniture
Best Suited For: A birthday weekend, a stay in the city

The sixty-room High Line Hotel is a slice of the past in Chelsea’s hip gallery district — the Gothic brick building it occupies was an 1895 Collegiate Gothic Seminary where Clement C. Moore penned The Night Before Christmas. Rooms overlook the city’s decades-old High Line park and are estate-style with Gothic moldings, hardwood floors and antiques. Guests are encouraged to borrow the hotel’s bikes to get around.

The Hotel Chelsea

Annie Bader

The Hotel Chelsea

The Atmosphere: Former playground of Andy Warhol and the Factory
Location: Chelsea
Top Amenities: Legendary El Quijote restaurant, lobby bar, marble bathroom, rain shower, select rooms with bathtub and balcony
Best for: I wish you were there then