Long Island City’s best lobby for working and using the free Wi-Fi is at the Boro Hotel. The elegant industrial space, designed by the firm Grzywinski + Pons (also behind the Hotel on Rivington in the Lower East Side), has lots of natural light, tables and chairs, modern sofas, a fireplace and bookshelves curated by Strand Books in Union Square. Rooms and suites have a similar minimalist feel, thanks to mid-century modern furniture, stark white linens and hanging edison bulbs. A select few rooms even have sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline. Non-guests can order coffees at the cafe and drinks at the lobby bar. Happy hour is from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Neighborhood: Long Island City is in the middle of a profound shift from a one-time manufacturing district to cultural hub. Cheap rent brought savvy Manhattan- and Brooklynites to the nabe and excellent restaurants, bars and clubs followed shortly thereafter. These days, local institutions like the Chocolate Factory, MoMA PS1 and the Oracle Club have made Long Isladn City a destination in its own right.
Nearby:
LIC Beer Project: For top-notch local beers in a relaxed taproom
MoMA PS1: For boundary-pushing contemporary art and funky live events
Mu Ramen: For steaming bowls of tender tonkotsu and oxtail broth
Time Out Tip: Don’t cross the East River into Manhattan without first checking out Socrates Sculpture Park, a city park that hosts large-scale sculpture exhibits year round. Views of the Manhattan skyline are just an added bonus.