The Marlton

West 8th Street, which was formerly home to piercing parlors, poster shops, and shoe stores, has been going through an identity crisis ever since cult establishments like Stumptown Coffee Roasters and a Parker Meridien's Burger Joint opened. The Marlton, the first standalone property from avant-garde hotelier Sean MacPherson, who also owns the Bowery, the Maritime, and the Jane, joins the recently sought-after neighborhood. The 1900 structure has a lot of local history—Beat icon Jack Kerouac wrote a couple of novellas there, and Valerie Solanas, a would-be assassin of Andy Warhol, stayed there—but the deceptively lived-in interior, including the cunningly retro oak paneling in the lobby, was largely designed from scratch.

Here, you can read books on New York City history or local artists while relaxing in a worn-in leather armchair and sipping a cup of locally roasted Ferndell coffee. The bedrooms, which are each only 150 square feet, are miniature versions of a grand hotel in Paris, complete with gilt-edged velvet headboards, crown moldings, and shaded sconces held by brass hands. Small marble sinks, vintage brass rain showerheads, and Côté Bastide products are all featured in the bathrooms. Midcentury accents, such as artwork by Berlin-based artist Stefano Castronovo that is influenced by Abstract Expressionists like Franz Kline and Robert Motherwell, and Serge Mouille chandeliers that resemble oversized Anglepoise lamps, balance out the traditional decor. There are plans for a bar and restaurant.

Price: $328 per night
Google rating: 4.4/5.0
Address: 5 W 8th StNew York10011
Phone: 212-321-0100
Website: marltonhotel.com