4* AC Hotel Times Square

From West 40th Street, AC Hotel New York Times Square puts Broadway, Bryant Park, Times Square and the transport hub at Port Authority within a few blocks. Hell’s Kitchen’s main gay nightlife around Ninth and Tenth avenues is also an easy walk north-west. The hotel has the clean, contemporary look associated with the AC brand, with streamlined rooms and a fitness centre. The real highlight is Castell, the all-season rooftop lounge on the 21st floor, where cocktails come with panoramic Manhattan views. Boqueria adds Spanish-inspired dining downstairs. Its position works especially well when you want to move between sightseeing, theatres and nightlife without spending half the trip on the subway. GayMapper tip: A good middle ground between a functional Midtown hotel and something with a little more atmosphere – particularly if you’ll actually use that rooftop bar.

If nights out are a major part of your New York plans, the location of 414 Hotel is hard to argue with. It sits on West 46th Street in Hell’s Kitchen, only a few minutes from the main concentration of gay bars along Ninth and Tenth avenues, while Times Square and Broadway are equally easy to reach. Set across two red-brick townhouses, this is a much smaller and more personal stay than the big Midtown chains. Rooms face either the street or internal garden and include mini-fridges and free WiFi, while guests share a useful kitchenette area. The little courtyard is a welcome escape from the neighbourhood outside. GayMapper tip: A particularly good choice if you want to spend your evenings in Hell’s Kitchen and would rather stay somewhere small and characterful than in a large Times Square hotel.

Pod Brooklyn takes the familiar New York problem of tiny hotel rooms and turns it into part of the concept. The compact rooms are cleverly designed for travellers who expect to spend far more time exploring Williamsburg than sitting in their hotel. The buildings are linked by courtyards and outdoor spaces, including several roof decks, giving the property a sociable feel despite the small bedrooms. The Metropolitan Avenue subway is close by, while Bedford Avenue, restaurants and bars are all easily walkable. For LGBTQ visitors, Williamsburg has its own queer venues and Bushwick’s alternative LGBTQ nightlife is nearby, while the L train gets you to Manhattan quickly when you want a change of scene. GayMapper tip: Particularly good for solo travellers and short stays when location and price matter much more than having a large bedroom.

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.

Williamsburg’s restaurants, bars and independent shops are the main attraction at Hotel Le Jolie, with the Lorimer Street subway close by for quick journeys into Manhattan. LGBTQ nightlife is spread around Williamsburg and neighbouring Bushwick, giving you a more alternative scene than the concentrated gay-bar strips in Manhattan. This small independent hotel has around 50 colourful contemporary rooms, with free WiFi, refrigerators and some views towards the Manhattan skyline. Complimentary continental breakfast and limited free parking add useful value, especially by New York standards. The location near both the L and G subway lines also makes exploring different parts of Brooklyn remarkably straightforward. GayMapper tip: Well suited to travellers who want Williamsburg and Brooklyn’s queer nightlife on the doorstep while keeping Manhattan only a short subway ride away.

Walker Hotel Greenwich Village feels properly rooted in its neighbourhood rather than transplanted into it. Set on West 13th Street, it’s close to Union Square while the historic LGBTQ heart of Greenwich Village around Christopher Street, Stonewall and the surrounding gay bars is an easy walk south. The building channels 1920s New York with Art Deco details, warm lighting and an intimate lobby. Society Cafe serves seasonal American food, while regular live jazz in the Parlour gives evenings at the hotel a particularly relaxed Village feel. You’re also well placed for Chelsea, the Meatpacking District and Washington Square, with several subway lines nearby for everything farther afield. GayMapper tip: A lovely couples’ choice if you want Greenwich Village atmosphere and gay history nearby without staying in the middle of Midtown.