4* The Time New York

If your gym routine normally disappears the moment you go on holiday, Equinox Hotel New York rather dramatically removes that excuse. The Hudson Yards property is built around fitness, recovery and sleep, with hotel guests receiving access to the huge Equinox club and its indoor saltwater lap pool, outdoor pool and extensive training facilities. The spa goes equally hard on wellness, with everything from massage and skin treatments to cryotherapy and infrared sauna, while rooms have been designed around soundproofing and sleep optimisation. Hudson Yards, the High Line and the Hudson River are on the doorstep. Hell’s Kitchen’s main gay nightlife around Ninth and Tenth avenues is about a 15–20 minute walk north-east. GayMapper tip: Probably the most distinctive luxury hotel on this list if fitness, spa time and serious wellness are an important part of your trip.

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.

Broadway fans and gay-bar regulars are both well served at The Time New York. The hotel sits on West 49th Street in the Theatre District, with Times Square steps away and the main LGBTQ nightlife of Hell’s Kitchen only a short walk west towards Ninth and Tenth avenues. Now part of JdV by Hyatt, the hotel has 193 stylish rooms and suites with a sleek, slightly playful contemporary design. There’s an on-site restaurant, fitness centre and social spaces, while the surrounding streets contain an almost ridiculous choice of restaurants and theatres. The location lets you move between a Broadway show and a night in Hell’s Kitchen without ever needing transport. GayMapper tip: One of the easiest choices if your ideal New York evening involves theatre first and gay bars afterwards.

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.

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.

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.