New York’s first Chinatown is in Lower Manhattan, between Little Italy, TriBeCa and the Lower East Side - aren’t New York’s neighbourhood names fantastic! Anyway, there are now nine Chinatown neighbourhoods in New York city! But here we’re just talking about the original Chinatown, started by one man in the 1850s, New York’s first Chinese immigrant, Ah Ken. And these are some of Chinatown’s Best Hotels which have all grown up around where Ah Ken opened his cigar store on Park Row.

By Flickr user Enrique Gonzale

There are around 300 Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, plus fantastic markets, Chinese greengrocers and fishmongers - clustered around Mott Street, and a string of Chinese jewellers along Canal Street. There’s also vibrant street trading and both authentic and un-authentic Chinese architecture, decoration and statues. And you’re close to Sara D Roosevelt Park known for its old men walking their caged birds. There’s also a Museum of Chinese in America. And you’re close to Nolita and the Lower East Side.

Michael E. Lee

As well as being able to eat some of the best Chinese cuisine outside of China, to hear a range of Chinese languages all around you, to shop for traditional Chinese products and to wake up somewhere extremely vibrant and colourful, visitors to Chinatown are also extremely well connected to the rest of Manhattan island. The B and D trains serve Grand Street Subway Station and Canal Street has the 4, 6, J, N, Q, R, W and Z trains.

Chinatown’s Best Hotels

• 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.

If you haven’t found you idea of Chinatown’s Best Hotels on our Guru’s list you could try:

• Expanding your search to include our list of the best places to stay in New York or including our Guru's recommendations for 40 of Manhattan's Best Hotels.
• Or you could check out our Gurus' recommendations for 7 of the Best Midtown Manhattan Hotels, 5 of the Best Uptown Manhattan Hotels, 10 of the Best Hotels in Downtown Manhattan or 12 of Times Square’s Best Hotels.
• Alternatively you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.

Chinatown’s Best Hotels