The High Line Hotel

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Built in 1895, the High Line Hotel is in a landmark building once occupied by the General Theological Seminary, which still resides in the area on West 21st Street. Its rich history (the property used to be the apple orchards of Clement Clarke Moore, author of “’Twas The Night Before Christmas”) is preserved in this 60-room hotel; its design aesthetic, referred to as “Vintage Eclectic Americana,” has been restored down to the building’s original ventilation grates and floor-tile patterns, with new elements added like the heirloom rugs, antique furniture, and vintage typewriters in rooms, to capitalize on the old-timey charm. Check into the hotel with the baristas at the Intelligentsia Coffee counter, who act as de-facto concierges and serve one of the best espressos in the city (Forbes called it a “hipster paradise”). When coffee service ends in the early evening, the space flips into a bar with beer, wine, and seasonal cocktails to be enjoyed at the zinc-topped bar or outside on the back patio. Rooms are spacious, well-lit, and some have views of the Seminary and its grounds. Expect to run into artists and other gallery visitors, models and designers, Silicon Valley’s best, and Chelsea locals. The hotel hosts public events like an annual Christmas-tree lighting, Halloween dog parade, and Easter-egg hunt. The hotel’s event and meeting space, the Refectory, still functions as a lunching room for Seminary students and is often used as a reception space for weddings. From May through October, the hotel partners with a New York–based eatery to provide full restaurant service in the front, Parisian-style courtyard. Past iterations include Alta Linea and Champagne Charlie’s. The hotel also partners with a nearby Equinox gym, which guests use for free. — Kari Sonde

Gorgeous architecture, carefully curated furnishings, great location, tons of event and meeting space.

Cons
No year-round restaurant.

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