Every time I visit New York City, here's the question I face when I return home: "Where did you stay?" It's as if New Yorkers' real estate obsession is rubbing off on the city's visitors.
After a two-night trip in March, my current Manhattan favorite is the Indigo Hotel (127 W. 28th St.; 1-877-270-1389; www.ichotelsgroup.com), a stylish Holiday Inn sibling that clicked on most counts.
The price was right, a $180 introductory rate (it's now about $280). My room was larger and more thoughtfully equipped -- a reading chair, a desk, a large armoire -- than would be the case at most medium-priced hotels. My favorite amenity was its big windows, which opened for fresh air but, when closed, effectively blocked out external noise. Sprawled out on my sleep-inducing bed, inside that pitch-black and blissfully silent room, I snoozed better than I do at home.
The mostly commercial neighborhood -- a few blocks south of Herald Square, in the heart of the flower district -- was somewhat unfamiliar, but it quickly grew on me, with its myriad subway lines and short walks to desirable destinations, not the least of which is the Shake Shack (www.shakeshack.com), a glorious burgers-and-malts joint in leafy Madison Square Park.
Let's see: free Wi-Fi, a decent buffet breakfast in the otherwise forgettable lobby restaurant, a shower seemingly designed to relax my aching back after a long day of walking and staffers so friendly I thought I was in the Midwest. Yeah, I'll be back.
The Ace Hotel (20 W. 29th St.; 1-212-679-2222; www.acehotel.com), just around the corner from the Indigo, also exceeded my expectations. Although I felt a decade -- OK, two -- beyond the porkpie hat-wearing clientele, I got a kick out of the retro roadhouse decor and the ever-lively lobby, a laptop haven by day and a booming bar scene after dark.
Given my bargain-basement rate of $161 (purchased far in advance on Quikbook.com; prices fluctuate depending upon season and availability), I was sure I was going to walk into a small closet with a minuscule window, but instead encountered the rough equivalent of a reasonably sized college dorm room, right down to the bunk beds. The mattresses and bedding were first-rate, and the bathroom was an NYC rarity for both its prodigious square footage and its handsome decor and fixtures.
Service was gracious. When I complained about our air conditioning -- specifically, the stifling lack thereof -- I was upgraded into far fancier accommodations at the same No-Tell Motel price. Still, the A/C was never particularly powerful.
