11 Howard, New York, a Member of Design Hotels

The five-star property on Howard Street anchors the north edge of SoHo, its cast-iron facade blending into the cobblestone block between Broadway and Lafayette. Rooms use white oak and cork walls with a minimalist Scandinavian influence uncommon among the neighborhood's brick-and-timber lofts.

The ground-floor restaurant Le Coucou draws a dinner crowd separate from hotel guests, so evening lobby traffic runs heavier than typical boutique properties. Bicycles are available for guests riding down to Tribeca or across to the East Village.

Canal Street's subway lines sit a five-minute walk south, useful for guests splitting time between downtown meetings and midtown appointments.