The Mercer

Twelve-foot ceilings and cast-iron columns mark The Mercer's SoHo home, a converted 1890 Romanesque Revival warehouse on the corner of Mercer and Prince streets. The five-star property sits two blocks from the Prince Street R/W stop and a five-minute walk from Broadway's flagship stores, suiting design-minded travelers who want SoHo's cobblestone quiet over Midtown's crowds.

Rooms keep exposed brick and oversized soaking tubs, with several loft-style suites spanning two window walls. The ground-floor kitchen, run under chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's group, serves until midnight for late arrivals off international flights.

Washington Square Park is a fifteen-minute walk south.