There’s a feeling of second-best about some hotels in Brooklyn and Queens. But not the Boro Hotel. Just across the East River from midtown Manhattan, on the border between Astoria and Long Island City, this one, to put it simply, is a stunner — architects Grzywinski+Pons, on fairly short notice, transformed an existing (but never used) structure into a boutique hotel that’s equal parts organic warmth and industrial cool, with some astonishing views and a generous helping of sunlight thrown in for good measure.

It’s all about texture: concrete, oak, leather, tile, and cork provide the variety, while the clean, minimalist lines provide the visual unity. The rooms are crisp and yet cozy, sparse and simple but still warm and inviting — and while some outer-borough hotels feel a bit remote, this one (thanks in large part to the view) feels connected to the life of the city.

At the moment, the rooms are more or less the whole story — the hotel’s in soft-opening mode, so the multi-purpose lobby is the extent of the public spaces. There’s a rooftop bar and restaurant on the way, and no shortage of dining and drinking options in the surrounding neighborhood in the meantime — and it’s worth bearing in mind that from here you’re only a subway stop from Manhattan.

How to get there: Boro Hotel is easily accessible (by car) from either John F. Kennedy International Airport or LaGuardia Airport. The hotel is a 4-minute walk to the 39 Av MTA Stop (N and Q trains), a 9-minute walk to the 36 St MTA Stop (E, M, and R trains), and a 10-minute walk to the 21 St - Queenbridge MTA Stop (F train). This hotel is implementing enhanced safety and cleaning measures as required by the Tablet Recovery Pledge. Our Customer Service team is happy to provide full details of each step being taken.