Everyone who knows New York seems to think it was better before — “before” being when they first visited or moved to the city. (The rumored existence of native New Yorkers has never been proven.) But my favorite version of the city is always the one I saw most recently. This time, my raison du retour was to see the new and by all accounts improved Frick Collection, one of my favorite museums, housed in a mansion that had been closed since 2020.

Seeking a plush hotel to review while in town, I narrowed the choices down to three enticing properties, each with a completely different personality and location. Unable to decide among them, I did what any self-respecting travel editor would do: I tried them all.

Faena New York

Faena hotels in Miami and Buenos Aires fit perfectly into their respective cities: flamboyant, audacious, a little wild. Faena’s newest opening, in West Chelsea, belongs to that same world, where design choices are unapologetically bold. As we arrived at the 120-room property, friendly attendants in white top hats and tails swung open the doors, revealing a cosmic dreamscape painted across the soaring lobby. In reception, we completed formalities surrounded by leopard-print upholstery and red-lacquered walls.

Our compact, 400-square-foot Deluxe Courtyard King also leaned hard into the brand’s high-impact aesthetic, sometimes at the expense of practicality. We couldn’t fully open its art deco wardrobe without bumping into the matching headboard, for example. The oddly shaped angular bath was generous in size and clad in Carrara marble, with ample counter space and dual sinks, but the showerhead forced the bather uncomfortably close to the wall.

Faena’s public areas are the main draw, and we spent much of our time experiencing them. La Boca, chef Francis Mallmann’s glamorous ground-floor restaurant, has a High Line-facing terrace, nightly entertainment and a dining room sprinkled with “Faena red” accents. I’d go back more for the people-watching than the uneven food. A juicy roasted chicken with crispy skin, chanterelles and baby vegetables was sensational, but the $95 “Tower” wasn’t the revelation the server promised. Awkward to eat, the eight layers of sliced tenderloin, wilted greens and potatoes looked like a glorified club sandwich. And for an establishment that prides itself on its South American roots, it offered surprisingly few South American wines.

EDITOR PHOTOS (slideshow below)

The sultry second-floor bar, the Living Room, proved the perfect place to close out our evening. The manager, recognizing us as hotel guests, guided us to a prime table. As we sipped rye Manhattans, a singer in a slinky gown worked the room, serenading patrons and posing for photos.

Though Faena comes alive after dark, our hushed room kept us cocooned. Until the fire alarm went off, multiple times, during the night. At checkout, staff offered no compensation for our trouble, only an apology and an assurance that unsolicited 3 a.m. wake-up calls are not regular occurrences.

Despite that misfire, the hotel charmed us. Everyone, from doormen to servers to our accommodating Bentley driver, was warm and personable, and its Chelsea location is convenient to the High Line park, the Whitney Museum of American Art and the luxury shops of Hudson Yards. When its new spa opens this spring, the property will become its own self-contained fantasy world. The theatrical Faena won’t appeal to everyone, but it’s unlike any other hotel in Manhattan.

Four Seasons Hotel New York

Indeed, it was an exercise in contrasts to venture across town to the reserved Four Seasons in Midtown. In an area chockablock with luxury flagship stores, this landmark hotel on East 57th Street stands near blue-chip brands like Tiffany & Co. and Louis Vuitton. It’s also a short walk from Central Park, the Museum of Modern Art and Rockefeller Plaza. No longer the city’s tallest hotel, as it was when the I.M. Pei-designed building opened in 1993, it remains impressive in many other ways.

Take the grand lobby, a 33-foot-high space crowned by a glass ceiling and flanked, one level up, by two public spaces: the Garden, “for power breakfasts and cozy luncheons,” and the glowing-red Ty Bar, both lined with giant potted acacia trees. Ascending the marble stairs felt like climbing to a king’s throne. But it was just the desk of the concierge, who pointed me to reception, around the corner and past the Beanie Babies kiosk (a not-so-subtle nod to Ty Warner, the plush-toy magnate who owns this Four Seasons).

Closed at the start of the pandemic, the hotel reopened in 2024 with a new food-and-beverage program and a reduced room count, down from 368 to 219. But I could detect no sign of a renovation in our 500-square-foot Jr. Suite City View. It looked just as it had years prior: the same Japanese tamo ash furniture, silk window treatments, boxy beige sofa, beige carpet and incongruous Andy Warhol print. Still, the furnishings were pristine. Our walk-in closet, complete with a dressing table, led into a more-dated bath — the earth-colored marble came straight from the 1990s. It’s fortunate that New York has some of the world’s best tap water, because the room’s complimentary bottled waters weren’t ever restocked.

EDITOR PHOTOS (slideshow below)

Guests can order 24-hour in-room dining, but it’s strange that one of Manhattan’s priciest hotels has no on-site restaurant for dinner. Nor could we relax in the spa, which was closed for renovations. However, the services we did experience never disappointed. Our ride across town in the house Bentley was punctual and smooth; our freshly shined shoes were returned swiftly in a basket by the door; breakfast service was flawless; and the concierge Mustapha went above and beyond. Not only did he secure hard-to-get restaurant reservations a day before they became available to the public, but he also adjusted the time at the last minute.

The Four Seasons was an ideal place to recharge in between shopping, museum and theater forays; our 23rd-floor room felt remarkably insulated from the clamor of Midtown.

Nine Orchard

But having stayed in Midtown and on the West Side more times than I can count, I also wanted to try somewhere totally new. A boutique hotel in a hip neighborhood where the Lower East Side meets Chinatown looked like just the thing. The 113-room Nine Orchard opened in 2022 in the landmark Jarmulowsky bank building, a neo-Renaissance beauty at Orchard and Canal streets. Just inside, a bellman stood at the ready, and he hustled our bags upstairs to our room while we checked in. As we did so, a stream of visitors stopped in to photograph the stylish lobby, with its maximalist Gucci wallpaper, antique furnishings and statement-making globe chandelier, ignoring the hotel’s no-photos policy.

The gawkers are understandable. Nine Orchard took years to painstakingly restore. The hotel’s biggest draw is its gorgeous Swan Room, a luxe cocktail bar at night and breakfast spot by day. Set in the bank’s original teller room, it boasts ornate vaulted ceilings, marble walls and floral-patterned banquettes. It’s a dreamy place for a drink — or an Instagram photo shoot. Guests of the hotel also have access to the quieter East Room, a second-floor space where I could have spent all day sipping coffee and reading a novel, cozied up beside the showstopping turquoise-tiled fireplace.

EDITOR PHOTOS (slideshow below)

As is so often the case, the accommodations are more modest than the public spaces. Our 410-square-foot Classic King had a sort of Old World minimalism, with Craftsman-style furniture and a chrome armchair. Warmed by local artwork and a burgundy rug on the wood floors, the room had a homey and eclectic (read: secondhand-chic) feel. Disappointingly, our small, windowless bath looked more appropriate to a gymnasium, with black-and-white floors, white subway tiles and no shower door. Baths in higher room categories benefit from more light.

Though it’s relatively small, Nine Orchard has a full roster of amenities, including an all-day restaurant and a rooftop terrace with singular views of Lower Manhattan. But with cool service, compact accommodations and the various small inconveniences that often come with a retrofitted building, it isn’t a luxury choice. Instead of staying overnight, stop in (like so many others) for pictures and a drink in its opulent Swan Room.

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