4* Walker Greenwich Village

Brooklyn gives you a very different New York stay, and Hotel Le Bleu makes a comfortable base on the edge of Park Slope and Gowanus. Park Slope has its own LGBTQ-friendly community and nightlife, while subway connections make both Manhattan and the livelier queer scenes farther north in Brooklyn easy to reach. The 48-room boutique hotel has a bright contemporary look, with comfortable beds, rainfall showers and free WiFi. Some rooms add balconies or Manhattan skyline views, while complimentary limited parking is a genuinely unusual perk if you happen to be arriving with a car. Barclays Center, Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Museum are also nearby, so there's plenty to do without crossing the East River. GayMapper tip: A strong choice if you want to experience residential Brooklyn rather than simply using it as somewhere cheaper to sleep.

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.

For a gay weekend centred on Hell’s Kitchen, citizenM New York Times Square is exceptionally well placed. You’re on West 50th Street, with Broadway and Times Square in one direction and the main gay bars around Ninth and Tenth avenues only a few minutes away in the other. Rooms are deliberately compact but cleverly designed around an XL king bed, rainfall shower and tablet-controlled lighting, blinds and entertainment. Downstairs, the oversized living-room-style lobby gives you much more space, canteenM serves food and drinks around the clock, and the rooftop cloudM bar has excellent Manhattan views. There’s also an unusually impressive high-floor gym. GayMapper tip: Ideal for couples or solo travellers who are happy with a compact room in return for one of the best combinations of design, social spaces and gay-nightlife location in Midtown.

There’s something wonderfully old-school New York about staying directly beside Washington Square Park. Washington Square Hotel has been part of Greenwich Village since 1902, and its Art Deco interiors, original artwork and compact rooms give it far more personality than a generic Manhattan chain. The location is superb for LGBTQ visitors. Christopher Street, the Stonewall area and the Village’s historic gay nightlife are only a short walk away, while SoHo, Chelsea and the Meatpacking District are all within striking distance. There’s also a fully equipped fitness room and a private treatment room offering massages and facials. The hotel’s neighbourhood knowledge is another advantage in an area best explored slowly and on foot. GayMapper tip: Pick this one when you want LGBTQ history, a classic Village address and a hotel that actually feels like part of old New York.

The former Radisson on Eighth Avenue has become DoubleTree by Hilton New York Times Square South. Penn Station and Madison Square Garden are around four blocks away, with Times Square, Broadway and Hudson Yards all within easy reach. The hotel adds more personality than you might expect from a straightforward Midtown DoubleTree thanks to Vue180, its rooftop bar with skyline and Empire State Building views and regular live music. There’s also an in-house restaurant, fitness centre and free WiFi. The main Hell’s Kitchen gay bars are farther north along Ninth and Tenth avenues, but still walkable from here. GayMapper tip: A particularly practical choice if you need Penn Station but still want Times Square, Hudson Yards and the gay nightlife within easy reach.

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.