HGU New York

HGU New York

At 34 East 32nd Street, a Beaux-Arts building that has welcomed guests since 1905 sits where Murray Hill meets NoMad, close enough to the Empire State Building to catch it from the rooftop, yet a world away from Midtown, with a parish church and 33rd Street for neighbors instead of a tourist strip. HGU New York, a Small Luxury Hotels of the World member, keeps things small on purpose: ten floors, ninety rooms, interiors by Asfour Guzy that read more like an apartment building than a hotel lobby. The seasonal open-air rooftop, with its straight shot at the Empire State Building, is the one thing few hotels in this pocket of the city can claim; when it closes for winter, the year-round lounge takes over, its curated artwork and bar worth lingering at longer. Rooms range from a cozy 121-square-foot Queen Standard built for one traveler to a King Suite with its own living room and pull-out sofa, but every one gets a full-sized bathtub stocked with Beekman 1802 products, an unglamorous detail solo travelers and couples will use more than a family needing several beds in one room. Staff at the desk field requests in English, Spanish, French, Polish and Arabic, valet cars, store luggage, and arrange dinner reservations and theater tickets without being asked twice. Guests get complimentary access to Solace New York's gym next door rather than a cramped in-house one. Pets are welcome, breakfast comes buffet-style with vegetarian and gluten-free options, and check-in from 4pm gives the room time to reset before arrival. It suits someone who wants a real address in a real neighborhood, not a lobby built for photographs. A 1905 Beaux-Arts building in NoMad with a seasonal rooftop that looks straight at the Empire State Building. Ninety rooms, each with a full-sized bathtub and Beekman 1802 amenities, keep things boutique-sized. Better suited to a solo traveler or couple than a family sharing one room.