Profile

A multi-million-dollar renovation by the luxury Thompson brand transformed a onetime Holiday Inn into this stylish boutique hotel hidden on an obscure corner between Wall Street and the South Street Seaport. Inside the cozy lobby, refurbished wood from an Amish farm graces the small front desk, while antler chandeliers, a faux-calfskin rug, and a leather-covered rhinoceros sculpture give the space a modern, masculine air. Like the lobby, the 126 rooms appear larger because of high ceilings, and each is meticulously decorated with oversized leather headboards; black, custom-made wood furniture; and massive round lighting fixtures. Homey details like fresh orchids, throw pillows on the corner banquettes, and bath products by C.O. Bigelow help evoke the feel of a tasteful friend’s apartment. The business amenities are surprisingly basic—Wi-Fi, cordless phones, a simple business center, and a compact conference room—but Gild Hall is a more intimate alternative to the nearby Ritz, Marriott, and Hilton properties. Rates are predictably high, but anyone can get a taste of Gild Hall’s charming elegance at Todd English’s Libertine restaurant or at the bar, separated from the lobby by a glass-enclosed staircase lined with books by literary giants like Steinbeck and Nabokov. — Julie Mehta

Tasteful décor and thoughtful amenities make this property an upscale financial-district choice for business travelers.

Cons
It’s out of the way unless you’re doing business in the financial district and nothing else. And since taller buildings surround the eighteen-story hotel, the views out of the small windows are uninspiring.