Z NYC Hotel

The Z shares a gritty industrial side street with tool suppliers and flooring wholesalers, but the Queensboro Bridge–side setting and largely low-rise neighbors facilitate its most stunning feature. Architect Andres Escobar built the 11-story property so that each of the 100 rooms faces the river, offering knock-your-socks-off midtown views through floor-to-ceiling windows. Offbeat details, such as lightbulbs encased in mason jars dangling over the bed, wall stencils of iconic New York images and black flip-flops instead of the standard white slippers, enliven the stock boutique luxury of the accommodations. The public spaces are more dramatic: In the lobby, the check-in desk is built from vintage travel trunks, and an old-school train-station-style “departure board” above the elevators spells out welcome in 18 languages. In addition to a vintage-styled “cellar” lounge, the roof terrace offers 360-degree panoramas. The hotel bus ferries guests to and from midtown every hour. Rooms: 100.