there are still quite a few hotels in new york on my wish list, but i have to say hôtel americano was right there at the top of it. i had read great reviews and had been following their account on instagram for a while, so i felt quite confident it would be a good match for our trip. turns out i was entirely right.

the location might not be ideal for those who love to take the subway everywhere (we do!) because the nearest stop is several blocks away. but the neighborhood was one we hadn’t really explored before, and we were glad to use the walks to and from the subway to do so. there were lots of really interesting galeries worth checking out. paul kasmin – practically next door – hosting a david lachapelle expo was our personal highlight. also, the hotel is superclose to the most recently opened part of the highline – my favorite park in new york.

besides its location, hôtel americano really has everything i look for in a hotel. a cool lobby and downstairs coffee bar and restaurant, nice little details like felt key and door hangers, awesome interior design, incredible toiletries (they’re aesop and they’re refilled daily) and cool gadgets such as an ipad in every room that allows you to airplay your own playlists. we had booked a downtown king room, but upon arrival we were granted an upgrade to an uptown studio with a king size bed (inside a cool wooden boxlike structure), little salon and very cool gas-lit fireplace. it was awesomesauce, naturally. we also loved the glass-walled bathroom with an enormous tub and rain shower, and really didn’t mind it when one rainy day we had to cut our program short and just stay in for the night.

the service was impeccable, breakfast was expensive but delicious, and i will always have a soft spot for hotels that rent out cool bikes and have great typography – so hôtel americano was a shoe-in to be added to my list of new york evergreens.

photos by stephanie duval

for your information – hôtel americano gave us a press discount and free upgrade. this new york trip was also made possible by brussels airlines – read my review of their business flight between brussels and new york right here.