The best bed-and-breakfasts in NYC

An Italianate villa built in the 1860s, the once-derelict Akwaaba Mansion in Brooklyn’s historic Stuyvesant Heights district was granted a gorgeous renovation by husband-and-wife team Glenn Pogue and Monique Greenwood. They maintained the gaslight fixtures, stained glass, antique furnishings and lofty ceilings and updated each room to reflect a different culture. The Ashante suite, for instance, is decorated with African artifacts. There’s also a private garden and sun porch and a raved-about Southern-style breakfast. From $195

_{Photograph: Courtesy Akwaaba}

As a bed-and-breakfast, it’s a newcomer to Bed-Stuy, but you’ve seen this restored brownstone before in Spike Lee’s Crooklyn. The design of its three bedrooms melds modern and Victorian, with a claw-foot bathtub next to sleek Danish furniture. Meals are made to order and include fresh herbs and produce from the rooftop garden. From $195/night

Built in 1826, this landmarked house on the edge of Tribeca provides sanctuary from the downtown hustle. The current owners are furniture designers who've preserved many of the original features while adding their own touches. The rooms, each named for a family that resided here, have decorative fireplaces, exposed brick and claw-foot tubs. Plus, there’s an outdoor deck where you can enjoy a breakfast of waffles, French toast, frittatas or granola. From $179

This spot’s rooms, studios and apartments (take your pick!) have touches harking back to its namesake founding year—a spiral staircase, marble fireplaces and high ceilings. Its proximity to Museum Mile is a draw, as are its breakfast baskets of fruit, quiche lorraine, croissants and fresh-squeezed OJ. From $185/night

If you can’t swing a seaside getaway, this beachy Staten Island inn is a strong substitute. Perched right on New York Harbor, it boasts clear views of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn from its spacious porch. The quiet, surrounding neighborhood of Rosebank oozes history: The Revolutionary War-era Fort Wadsworth is nearby, and the Alice Austen House, the historic home of a prolific photographer of the late 1800s, is right across the street. Inside the bed-and-breakfast, you’ll find homey rooms and suites starting at $79, and continental breakfast is included. 

_{Photograph: Flickr/Matthew X. Kiernan}

The Midtown East spot offers studio apartments (a fully stocked kitchen is included!) with private terraces and romantic details. Lounge in a canopy bed next to cherrywood furniture, classic tapestries and, yes, modern necessities like a flatscreen TV. From $285/night

A Victorian inn in the heart of brownstone Brooklyn, these rooms and apartments come with quaint names like the Fitzgerald. The antique-stuffed rooms have walk-in closets and fireplaces, and if the views of the garden aren’t enough greenery for you, Prospect Park is only a block away. From $79/night

_{Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/Bob Marvin}

Built in 1888, this bed-and-breakfast overlooks Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem and has a number of classic details—think marble bathrooms, high ceilings, crown moldings and parquet floors—that will transport you to the Gilded Age. In addition to breakfast, it also serves up fresh-baked brownies and cookies every day. From $175/night

An 1880s brownstone in the heart of Bed-Stuy, this bed-and-breakfast retains Victorian details in its parlor floor, intricate, dark woodwork and antique fireplace. Inside the elegant rooms (from $90 per night), you’ll notice crown moldings and marble wash basins. And on Fridays and Saturdays, Sankofa Aban zooms into the jazz age, hosting live performances at which guests can hang out with the musicians. It’s an experience full of old-time glamour—folks get decked out for the multiple sets—and admission includes a fish-fry dinner.

Peak Williamsburg attained: This bed-and-breakfast is the apotheosis of Brooklyn’s love of going rustic without actually schlepping into the woods. All Brooklyn jokes aside, the decor in this townhouse is transporting. The cathedral ceilings, wood-burning potbelly fireplace, pine wood floors and hot tub bubbling away in the backyard will make you feel like you’re in a luxe mountain hideaway. For the full experience, check out the standalone Kanoono Cabin. From $150 (breakfast included)