20 of the Best Hotels for a New York Shopping Trip

New Yorkers would argue that every district of New York could make for a great New York shopping trip. You’ll find all the high end brands on elegant 5th Avenue, the hipper high end brands in the Meatpacking District, small boutiques in SoHo and Greenwich Village and a crazy array of markets in Chinatown - and that’s just the obvious districts in central Manhattan. So our list of 20 of the best hotels for a New York shopping trip contains hotels dotted all over Manhattan island, and a good range of styles and prices too, depending on how much of your shopping budget you want to spend on your hotel…

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Columbus Circle, close to Central Park, is a good place to start your New York shopping trip, it’s not too big or crowded, but it’s still got a good range. If you think you can handle a truly bustling New York shopping experience you could try out Heron Square, with its massive Macy’s, or for a non-mall experience try Lexington, which is where you’ll find Bloomingdale’s.

One of the things to remember about shopping in New York is that many brands have their flagship stores here, and sell pieces in them that you can’t get hold of elsewhere. This is also where some trends are tested out, so be prepared for a few surprises, even if you’re only planning to shop for brands you already know. Another thing to remember is that opening times can be flexible - some stores are open 24hours! Those tend to be around Times Square, but you’ll find many are open until 9pm at night every night, so there are plenty of shopping hours in a New York day, but you will eventually need to head back to your choice from our 20 of the best hotels for a New York shopping trip.

For 5th Avenue

• The Mark is right in the heart of the Upper East Side, and offers an old fashioned elegance, despite a recent refurbishment by French designer Jacques Grange, who put in a fantastic, Esher-esque restaurant which has become extremely popular with celebrities and New York royalty.

For Soho

• The Mercer is an iconic New York hotel offering the ultimate in SoHo chic. If you dream of being an arty New Yorker living in a fantastic loft apartment and that’s not exactly who you are then this is the place to stay to live out your dream, surrounded by artistic cool and modernist designs. The Kitchen restaurant is another institution.
• The SoHo Grand Hotel is in lively, fashionable SoHo, and is a sumptuous, elegantly designed 353 room hotel - think the gilded cage of the 1870s meets the lux. fashion of the 1970s? Perfect for your average ultra-chic New Yorker, with the original artworks, the stylish bar, sophisticated club and acclaimed restaurant. Plus, if you didn’t bring your pet you can ask for a complimentary goldfish!

For the Meatpacking District

• The Maritime Hotel has really taken the nautical theme and run with it throughout its 125 cabin-style rooms and suites, it’s library, lounge, it’s pool, cafe, bar and both restaurants, and all the way out its porthole shaped windows overlooking the Hudson River. And they have a 10,000square foot terrace.
• Gansevoort Meatpacking is a vibrant, 186 room hotel with a fantastic rooftop pool and terrace with 360degree views of New York, a relaxing spa and a reputation being being a fun place after dark. The decor is modern in a 60s way and stylish, with an industrial feel that goes with the area, and rooms have big windows and high ceilings. The bistro is good too.
• The Standard is tall, thin and covered in windows, so you have views from every room - even from the comfort of your bath. The decor is chic, and a bit edgy to suit the neighbourhood, and the bar and restaurant are places to be seen in, as well as to enjoy hip all-American food. The 18th floor lounge has 360degree views, and becomes a nightclub after 9pm.

For Chinatown

• The Hotel 50 Bowery is new and chic, with the latest in design taste - think exposed brick and brushed concrete walls, fantastic hanging lights and trendy colours, the kind you’d see in a Scandinavian film, or an Art Nouveau era factory? There are also Chinatown inspired splashes of red and lantern-esque lights. The views are excellent, from both the 229 rooms and suites and from the incredible rooftop bar.
• Right on Canal Street, on the edge SoHo and Chinatown, 11 Howard is another super chic Scandi-style design hotel. The floors are oak, the ceilings high, the restaurant French - with a Michelin star, and the art is original and contemporary.

For a luxury hotel

• The Lowell Hotel is a charmingly crafted Upper East Side Hotel, just a block to the east of Central Park. The decor is very classical, think marble bathrooms, neutral tones, elegant furnishings and art and even proper wood-burning fireplaces. The location is residential, a quiet, tree-lined street off Madison Avenue, and the overall feels is of staying in a gorgeous, 70 room townhouse.
• The Whitby is one of the newest additions in husband and wife duo Tim and Kit Kemp's portfolio and it doesn't disappoint. Their beautifully designed rooms makes traditional style contemporary - and the best rooms have large terraces. There’s also a chic bar, an excellent restaurant and a cinema!

For a classic property

• The Hotel Elysee was once hosted Manhattan’s literary elite - most famously Tennessee Williams, who spent his final years living here. It’s classy, elegant and intimate so you can see why people lived here. The suites feature French style furnishings, rich fabrics and plush carpets and the Monkey Bar has become one of Midtown's most iconic and hip bars.

For a design hotel

• The Freehand hotel is hip, affordable and central. The interiors are bold and interesting, with walls covered in murals painted by local artists. It also has three restaurants, two bars and a 24hour gym - and all of them are achingly cool. As are the 340 rooms and suites.

The Best Value Hotels for a New York Shopping Trip

• Vibrant and friendly, the Casablanca Hotel is one of the best places to stay if you want to be right in the heart of things. The decor, as you may have guessed, is Moroccan, with beautiful mosaics, tapestries ad paintings, impressive rugs and even ornate ceiling fans. These unique, careful touches, and the fact that it's incredibly well priced for the location, means that the 48 rooms are often booked solid with repeat guests.
• CitizenM New York is another in that set of innovative, modern, no-frills-hotels-with-funky-design-frills. It’s about one minute from Times Square, has wall-to-wall windows and a panoramic rooftop bar.

If you haven’t found you idea of the best hotels for a New York shopping trip on our Guru’s list of 20 you could try:

• Expanding your search to include our list of the best places to stay in New York? or our Guru’s recommendations for 40 of Manhattan's Best Hotels?
• Or you could try our Guru's recommendations for 7 of the Best Midtown Manhattan Hotels? or 5 of the Best Uptown Manhattan Hotels? or 7 of the Best Hotels for 5th Avenue? or 12 of Times Square’s Best Hotels?
• Or you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.

20 of the Best Hotels for a New York Shopping Trip

 

Written by Kat Parr Mackintosh

posted Monday, 26th August 2024