3* 414 Hotel

Few New York hotels feel as connected to their neighbourhood as The Standard, High Line. The building straddles the High Line in the Meatpacking District, putting Chelsea Market and the Whitney nearby, while the historic LGBTQ nightlife around Christopher Street and the Stonewall area of Greenwich Village is easily walkable. All 338 rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows with city or Hudson River views, but much of the appeal is downstairs – and upstairs. The Standard Grill, bustling Biergarten and rooftop Le Bain mean dinner, drinks and dancing can all happen without leaving the building. It’s lively, stylish and unmistakably downtown New York, with Chelsea and the West Village on either side. GayMapper tip: A particularly good fit if you want the hotel itself to be part of your nightlife rather than somewhere you simply return to afterwards.

Times Square can be intense, but The Times Square EDITION manages to create a surprisingly polished world above the crowds. You step straight out into Broadway and Times Square, while Hell’s Kitchen’s main gay nightlife around Ninth and Tenth avenues is an easy walk west. The rooms take a restrained, contemporary approach rather than competing with the neon outside, while larger categories add balconies and striking skyline views. The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens bring greenery into the middle of Midtown, and the hotel’s bars, restaurants and entertainment spaces give evenings plenty of energy without feeling like a conventional Times Square hotel. A well-equipped fitness centre rounds things out, and transport connections are about as comprehensive as New York gets. GayMapper tip: A strong splurge if you want luxury, Broadway and Hell’s Kitchen nightlife all wrapped into one exceptionally central stay.

Just one block from Central Park, 1 Hotel Central Park takes the usual Midtown luxury formula in a much more natural direction. Reclaimed materials, greenery and sustainable design run throughout the property, including the distinctive living green façade. Rooms combine warm timber and stone with modern comforts, while the fitness centre and in-room wellness touches make it easy to keep some semblance of a routine amid New York excess. Jams, from chef Jonathan Waxman, serves seasonal market-led food downstairs. You’re brilliantly placed for Central Park, Fifth Avenue and MoMA. The main gay nightlife of Hell’s Kitchen is farther west, but easily reached on foot or with a quick taxi or subway hop. GayMapper tip: An excellent luxury choice if sightseeing, Central Park and sustainability matter more than having a gay bar around the corner.

Space and views are two things you rarely get enough of in Manhattan, and The Dominick offers both from its 46-storey tower where SoHo meets Hudson Square. Large windows frame downtown and Hudson River views, while many of the suites provide genuinely generous living space. Wellness is a major part of the hotel, with Sisley Spa, a well-equipped fitness centre and the seasonal outdoor pool at Terrace on 7. The hotel also has Fendi Casa-designed suites and a contemporary art programme that extends into the surrounding neighbourhood. SoHo is outside the door, while the West Village’s historic LGBTQ nightlife around Christopher Street is within walking distance. GayMapper tip: Particularly good for a longer luxury stay when room size, skyline views and a proper spa matter as much as the neighbourhood itself.

The former SIXTY SoHo has been completely reinvented as The Manner, and the result feels more like a stylish downtown residence than a conventional five-star hotel. There are just 97 rooms at the Thompson Street property, giving it a much more intimate feel than New York’s big luxury hotels. Guests have access to The Apartment, a private lounge serving breakfast, snacks and evening aperitivo, while Sloane’s is the jewel-box cocktail bar upstairs. The Otter adds destination dining, and the seasonal rooftop gives the hotel another private social space. Wellness benefits and access to local fitness experiences are also built into the stay. SoHo surrounds you, with the Leslie-Lohman Museum nearby and the main historic LGBTQ nightlife around Christopher Street and the West Village within walking distance. GayMapper tip: A particularly stylish choice for couples who want downtown nightlife, design and a more private club-like hotel atmosphere.

The Bowery Hotel captures a darker, moodier version of downtown New York, sitting between the East Village and Lower East Side. The surrounding neighbourhood has plenty of LGBTQ bars and nightlife of its own, while Greenwich Village and the historic gay scene around Christopher Street are easily reached across downtown. Inside, hardwood floors, oriental rugs, velvet and vintage-style furniture give the hotel a residential feel, while rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and marble bathrooms. Downstairs, Gemma is a lively Italian trattoria serving everything from breakfast through to late-night food and drinks. The location also puts Nolita, SoHo and the East Village within a few minutes on foot. GayMapper tip: A great luxury choice if your version of New York is downtown restaurants, bars and late nights rather than Times Square and Midtown sightseeing.