W New York - Times Square

It’s by now habitual to expect the worst of Times Square, as years of concerted effort have shaped it into a style-free zone, hammering out everything that could once have passed for local color. Step through the doors of the W Times Square, though, and you’ll likely forget you’re anywhere near that urban theme park — you’ll pass through a glass-encased walkway, with falling water streaming over and around you, and then up the elevator to the seventh-floor reception, a vast all-white lobby lounge as calm and urbane as the street scene outside is chaotic and garish.

From here dark-suited staffers will discreetly ferry you up to the guest rooms, each one a sort of modernist fantasy, all translucent panels and abstract shapes, alongside the familiar comforts of the W signature bed, wrapped in a pillow top, down feather bed and fine linens. 27-inch televisions are standard, with web TV access as well as DVD players, VCRs, and a CD stereo system. Behind that frosted glass sliding door is the futuristic bathroom, with an oversized basin and an open shower or soaking tub stocked with Bliss amenities. Every room boasts a surprising view of the New York skyline, as well as heavy shades and double-glazed windows to repel the lights and noises of late-night Times Square.

The Blue Fin is the W’s scene-making restaurant, and the Whiskey is the rollicking nightspot, likely to draw a crowd every night of the week. This is quite possibly exactly the sort of stimulation that's brought you to Times Square in the first place — but when it’s a bit much, you can always retire to the lobby lounge, have a quiet drink on the white leather sofas, and simply watch the world go by.