MADE Hotel

Here’s a hotel that plays against type in NoMad, a neighborhood that’s heavy with historical associations. While many Manhattan hotels are still aiming for a sort of upper-crust prewar atmosphere, MADE Hotel looks like something straight out of present-day Brooklyn. And with its minimalist décor, modernist design, modular fixtures, and unapologetically unfinished surfaces, its rooms look right up to date - like the Williamsburg loft apartment of your design-magazine dreams.

It’s aimed at New York’s creative class, who have, almost by definition, more taste than money. As a result there’s no needless opulence, just some well-chosen materials — reclaimed walnut floors, Japanese ceramic tiles, textured concrete ceilings - and some well-curated furnishings and decorative elements by a who’s who of in-demand designers.

The lobby lounge is a welcoming multi-purpose space, with both a coffee shop and a cocktail bar, and there’s a rooftop bar as well as a stylish tapas restaurant. But as appealing as the social life is, it’s a touch more low-key than some rowdier boutique hotels — rather than nightly DJs, think book signings, cooking classes, and other cultural offerings. This is a hotel that doesn’t just look creative — it walks the walk.