When you visit New York, you make hard choices. There are a lot of good restaurants, there are a lot of good bars, and there are a lot of good hotels. And the problem with choosing a hotel is that you usually only choose one. Limiting your options to boutique hotels in NYC might simplify the decision, particularly if you’re seeking an intimate, upscale stay that’s not only for out-of-towners. Plus, boutique hotels were practically invented here. Typically with 120 rooms or fewer, and characterized by strong, focused design identities, boutique hotels sprung up in the 1980s. The phenom is widely credited to Studio 64’s Ian Schrager, whose scene-y, since-closed Morgans Hotel in Midtown is unofficially considered the first boutique hotel in the world.

Now, everything old is new again. As Condé Nast Traveler spotlighted in its December 2022 issue, New York City’s hotel scene is fresh off a splash