Straddling the High Line, this unique hotel welcomes guests with an upside-down sign, a canary-yellow revolving door and a giant gumball machine in the lobby, signalling the offbeat design within. Each of the 338 rooms has sweeping views of Manhattan and the Hudson and is filled with cascading sunlight, making the glossy, wood-framed beds and marbled bathrooms glow.
The amenities are first rate, with a buzzing German beer garden and brasserie at street level, an ice rink in winter, and a plush nightclub on the top floor. The location is also unbeatable, with the best of NYC right outside. There's a hypermodern sister hotel in the East Village.