10 Design Hotels in New York
New York City, a global epicenter of art, fashion, and architecture, naturally excels in the realm of design-forward accommodation. From boutique hideaways in SoHo to reimagined landmarks in Chelsea, the city offers discerning travelers a wealth of visually stunning and conceptually innovative places to stay. These design hotels don’t just provide a place to sleep—they offer immersive aesthetic experiences that capture the creative spirit of the Big Apple. Here’s our curated selection of ten New York hotels where exceptional design takes center stage.
1. The Mercer
Nestled in the heart of SoHo, The Mercer embodies understated luxury with its loft-inspired accommodations. Designed by celebrated French interior designer Christian Liaigre, this 75-room boutique hotel maintains the architectural integrity of its 1890s Romanesque Revival building while introducing clean lines and a warm, minimalist aesthetic.
Floor-to-ceiling windows flood rooms with natural light, while the carefully curated furniture pieces create living spaces rather than typical hotel rooms. The Mercer Kitchen, helmed by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, continues the design narrative with its subterranean dining room featuring exposed brick vaults and industrial touches that pay homage to SoHo’s artistic heritage.
2. Crosby Street Hotel
British design sensibility meets New York energy at the Crosby Street Hotel in SoHo. The first American venture from Firmdale Hotels, this property showcases the distinctive style of designer Kit Kemp, known for her bold use of color, pattern, and texture. Each of the 86 rooms and suites has a unique character, featuring floor-to-ceiling warehouse-style windows, custom headboards, and an eclectic mix of contemporary art.
The hotel’s whimsical public spaces include a sculpture garden and a colorful drawing room with a 10-foot-tall Jaume Plensa human head sculpture. The screening room, with its orange leather seats, exemplifies the hotel’s playful yet sophisticated approach to design.
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3. The Greenwich Hotel
Robert De Niro’s Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca exudes a worldly, collected aesthetic that feels both timeless and deeply personal. Designed by Grayling Design and Samantha Crasco, with the Japanese spa by Mikio Shinagawa, the hotel features 88 rooms and suites, no two exactly alike.
Reclaimed oak, terracotta floors, and Moroccan tile work create rich textural experiences, while the carefully selected antiques and artisanal furnishings evoke the feeling of a well-traveled collector’s home. The hotel’s crowning glory is the Shibui Spa with its lantern-lit swimming pool housed under the roof of a 250-year-old Japanese farmhouse that was dismantled and reassembled on-site—a breathtaking feat of architectural preservation and reimagination.
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4. Hotel Alameda, Highline
Perched along the elevated park that transformed Manhattan’s West Side, Hotel Alameda embraces its industrial surroundings with a design that balances raw elements with refined details. Conceived by New York-based architecture firm Morris Adjmi, the hotel features a distinctive façade of weathered steel and glass that echoes the neighborhood’s manufacturing past. Inside, the 152 rooms offer panoramic views of the High Line through floor-to-ceiling windows, while interiors combine concrete surfaces with warm wood accents and custom-designed furniture.
The rooftop garden, designed in collaboration with High Line landscape architects, creates a seamless visual connection with the park below, featuring native plant species and outdoor sculpture installations by local artists.
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5. Pendry Manhattan West
A relative newcomer to New York’s luxury hotel scene, Pendry Manhattan West brings California-inspired warmth to the developing Manhattan West complex. Designed by acclaimed architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill with interiors by Gachot Studios, the hotel’s curved glass exterior makes a bold contemporary statement. Inside, the 164 rooms and suites feature a sophisticated neutral palette punctuated by rich textures—leather headboards, custom-designed lighting fixtures, and marble bathrooms.
The hotel’s art collection focuses on New York-based artists, creating a distinct sense of place despite its modern international aesthetic. The Garden Room restaurant, with its abundant greenery and retractable glass walls, offers a biophilic counterpoint to the building’s sleek architecture.
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6. 6 Columbus Central Park Hotel
Positioned at the southwest corner of Central Park, 6 Columbus reinterprets 1960s modernism for contemporary travelers. Recently redesigned by the team behind the successful SIXTY Hotels brand, this 88-room boutique hotel pays homage to mid-century photography and design. Guest rooms feature walnut paneling, custom-built furniture with brass accents, and a carefully curated collection of vintage photography emphasizing 1960s New York street scenes.
The dramatic lobby showcases terrazzo flooring, sculptural lighting, and a rotating gallery of emerging photographers’ work. The hotel’s Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar continues the design narrative with its intimate wood-paneled space that feels like a modern interpretation of a traditional Japanese dining room.
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7. Luxury Apartments Next to Times Square
Breaking the traditional hotel mold, these serviced apartments offer design-conscious travelers a more residential experience just steps from Times Square’s energy. Conceived by international design firm Yabu Pushelberg, these luxury accommodations occupy the upper floors of a mixed-use tower with a streamlined glass exterior. Inside, the apartments range from studios to three-bedroom units, all featuring full kitchens with marble countertops, custom millwork, and integrated high-end appliances.
The interiors balance cosmopolitan sophistication with livable comfort through a neutral color palette, subtle textural contrasts, and statement lighting pieces. Residents enjoy access to a dramatically designed sky lounge with panoramic city views, featuring a curated art collection focusing on New York-based contemporary artists.
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8. Time Square Condos
At the crossroads of the world, Time Square Condos offers a boutique hotel experience with a distinct design perspective. Conceived by Dutch design collective Concrete, the property transforms a historic theater district building with a bold contemporary vision that still honors Broadway’s theatrical heritage.
The 72 rooms feature dramatic lighting schemes that can be adjusted to create different moods—a nod to stage lighting—while custom furniture pieces take inspiration from backstage equipment and theatrical rigging. Materials like velvet, polished brass, and backlit translucent resin panels create a sense of drama and visual interest. The rooftop lounge, with its glass-enclosed observation deck, offers a design spectacle with illuminated floors that reference the neon lights below.
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9. Westgate New York Grand Central
Occupying a historic building near Grand Central Terminal, Westgate New York represents a successful marriage of preserved Art Deco elements and contemporary design sensibilities. Following an extensive renovation led by design firm Jeffrey Beers International, the hotel’s 300 rooms and suites now feature a sophisticated color palette of deep blues and warm neutrals that complement the building’s original architectural details.
Custom-designed furniture with subtle curves echoes Art Deco forms without veering into pastiche. The dramatic lobby retains its original marble floors and restored bronze elevator doors while introducing modern lighting installations that create a dialogue between past and present. Tudor City Tavern, the hotel’s signature restaurant, continues this conversation with its modern interpretation of a classic New York dining establishment.
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10. The Hotel Chelsea
Perhaps New York’s most storied design destination, The Hotel Chelsea has recently emerged from a comprehensive restoration that honors its bohemian history while introducing contemporary luxury. Under the direction of preservation specialists Roe Corporation and interior design firm Roman and Williams, the legendary hotel has maintained its iconic red brick and iron façade while transforming its interiors.
The eclectic rooms—no two alike—feature carefully restored architectural elements alongside contemporary furnishings, vintage-inspired lighting, and an impressive collection of artwork that references the hotel’s artistic legacy. Original details like Victorian fireplaces and ornate moldings coexist with modern amenities, creating spaces that feel both historically significant and thoroughly contemporary. The lobby still displays its famous art collection, now complemented by new works that continue the Chelsea’s tradition as a haven for creative expression.
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New York’s design hotels offer far more than stylish accommodation—they provide immersive aesthetic experiences that reflect the city’s creative energy. From adaptive reuse projects that honor architectural heritage to bold contemporary statements, these ten properties demonstrate the diversity and innovation that define New York’s approach to hospitality design.
Whether you’re an architecture enthusiast, a design professional, or simply someone who appreciates thoughtfully conceived environments, these hotels offer inspiring spaces that elevate the travel experience beyond the ordinary. In a city renowned for its visual dynamism, these design destinations stand out as compelling expressions of New York’s ever-evolving creative landscape.