The James New York Nomad

The stunning 1904 Beaux-Arts building at 29th and Madison has been a hotel, under one name or another, for well over a century. But it’s hard to imagine it ever looked fresher than it does in its 21st-century incarnation as the James New York NoMad. This lower Midtown neighborhood is a versatile one, convenient for business and leisure travelers alike — and you could say the same thing of the James, whose interiors are stylish, thanks to the fine work of designer Thomas Juul-Hanson, but not so theatrical as to put off more traditionally minded business travelers.

Vestiges of the building’s original architectural ornamentation remain, and are contrasted in the rooms with Scandinavian modernist furniture, in a way that’s reminiscent of more than a few Copenhagen luxury boutique hotels. Standard rooms are typically New York–sized, but some genuinely expansive suites are available as well. Ultra-modern details include a gym equipped with Peloton bikes and a generous pet policy; the hotel’s public spaces include a speakeasy-style cocktail bar named after the original hotel on this site, the Seville, as well as the flagship location of Scarpetta, the highly regarded Italian restaurant brand.