Long Island City’s best lobby for working and using the free Wi-Fi is at the Boro Hotel. But it’s also the type of lodging ideal for couples and adult friends who might want to come to a space that feels big and airy after a long day of trudging through Manhattan. If you book a stay here, try to book a room with views of Manhattan—the sweeping views of the Queensboro Bridge and the Upper East Side are pretty difficult to match.
The elegant industrial lobby was designed by the firm Grzywinski + Pons (also behind the Hotel on Rivington in the Lower East Side), and has lots of natural light, tables and chairs, modern sofas, a fireplace and bookshelves curated by Strand Books in Union Square. Rooms and suites have a similar minimalist feel, thanks to mid-century modern furniture, stark white linens and hanging edison bulbs. Non-guests can order coffees at the cafe and drinks at the lobby bar, or also check out their new-ish restaurant Beebe's, which serves some pretty solid brick oven pizzas, pastas and a killer ricotta.
Neighborhood: Long Island City is in the middle of a profound shift from a one-time manufacturing district to cultural hub. Cheap rent brought savvy Manhattan- and Brooklynites to the nabe and excellent restaurants, bars and clubs followed shortly thereafter. These days, local institutions like MoMA PS1 (and their accompanying party Warm Up) as well as the Oracle Club have made Long Island City a destination in its own right.
Nearby:
1. The Greats Of Craft: For top-notch local beers with a spacious and impressive rooftop.
2. MoMA PS1: For boundary-pushing contemporary art and funky live events
3. Nai Brother: For a dizzying array of food options centered around sizziling Sichuan soup.
Time Out Tip: Don’t cross the East River into Manhattan without first checking out Socrates Sculpture Park, a city park that hosts large-scale sculpture exhibits year round. Views of the Manhattan skyline are just an added bonus.