The best hotels in the Meatpacking District

This ocean liner-inspired hotel lets you feel like you’re on the most sophisticated cruise ship in the city, complete with porthole windows with views of the Hudson. In fact, the hotel lives in a building that was once a headquarters for the National Maritime Union. The spacious second-floor pool deck seems like your ship has arrived on the Cote d’Azur with the only sand beach at a NYC hotel (we know, right?) and a 50-foot glass-bottom pool that allows swimmers to keep an eye on the lobby and check-in desk; there’s also a bar and cabana, which attract all sort sorts of sexy landlubbers. Rooms, while a little tight on space, have plush bedding, state-of-the-art electronics, and even mini-fridges to fill as you like.

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Although there are other Gansevoort hotels both in the city and around the world, this is where the hip property group got its start. Smack in the middle of the Meatpacking District, it still retains its hold as the epicenter for everything trendy in the neighborhood. The entryway is lit by glowing purple runway lights that lead the way to the lobby and The Chester restaurant. Head downstairs to the sybaritic Exhale Spa. The scene at the hotel, however, really centers around the pool – soak up those warm summer days soak poolside, and even come cold weather a retractable bubble roof protects guests from the elements and keeps the fun rolling. At night, regardless the season, The Plunge Rooftop Bar is a scene. Spacious rooms have a fun modern feel, with hot pink headboards and photography-peppered walls.

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Who said you can’t get a great deal in Manhattan? The Jane took what were once seedy sailor accommodations in a landmark 1908 building and cleverly kitted them out into spaces resembling vintage ship cabins. Expect bunk beds and narrow spaces (50 square feet total) and shared bathrooms for the least expensive rooms (about $125 per night), but all rooms have a sleek retro feel and clever under-the-bed storage. The upscale design and appreciated touches, such as slipper and robes, TVs, phones, free Wifi, and complimentary bicycles will make you feel especially well taken care of.

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If you hear “plush vintage yacht” and think: stained teak, rounded corners, rich fabrics, 5-foot portholes, then you’re ready to say “Ahoy” to this nautical-theme hotel. Not unlike the Dream Downtown, the sailing theme is in keeping with the building’s original 1960s provenance as the headquarters of the National Maritime Union of America. Rooms are called “cabins” and feel like a luxury liner from the Mad Men era.

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Straddling the Highline, the Standard, High Line is synonymous with the devil-may-care attitude of the “new” Meatpacking; floor-to-ceiling windows, notorious for their lack of glazing, offer unparalleled views over the entire elevated High Line urban garden walkway, and also allows offer passersby a clear sightline inside, where showers are also open to the room (be sure to take advantage of the plush hooded robes if you’re shy). The Standard fills its 18 floors with unique entertainment and nightlife, not to mention some of the best service in the neighborhood. At street level, grab a brew at the beer garden in the summer or lace up your skates at their ice skating rink in the winter, or get a stylish bite at Standard Grill. Zip up to the top of the tower for a stylish night at Top of the Standard and Le Bain rooftop disco towers 18 floors above it all.

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