The Marlton

Formerly a procession of piercing parlors, poster stores and shoe shops, West 8th Street has been undergoing an identity shift since the arrival of cult spots like Stumptown Coffee Roasters and an offshoot of the Parker Meridien’s Burger Joint. Joining the newly desirable enclave is the Marlton, the first solo property from trendsetting hotelier Sean MacPherson, who co-owns the Bowery, the Maritime and the Jane. The 1900 building has plenty of local history—Beat icon Jack Kerouac wrote a couple of novellas while lodging there, and the place put up would-be Andy Warhol assassin Valerie Solanas—but the deceptively lived-in–looking interior, including the lobby’s cunningly retro oak paneling, has largely been created from scratch. Here, you can lounge on a broken-in leather armchair while sipping a house-roasted Ferndell coffee, and flip through tomes on NYC history or local artists. Measuring a mere 150 square feet each, the bedrooms are miniaturized versions of a Paris grand hotel, with gilt-edged velvet headboards, crown moldings and shaded sconces held by brass hands. The bathrooms feature petite marble sinks, antiquey brass rain showerheads and products by Provençal perfumer Côté Bastide. The classic decor is offset by midcentury touches: art by Berlin-based artist Stefano Castronovo, inspired by Abstract Expressionists like Franz Kline and Robert Motherwell, and Serge Mouille chandeliers that look like Anglepoise lamps on steroids. A restaurant and bar are in the works. Rooms: 107.