There are seemingly infinite ways to spend a weekend in New York City, and it can feel impossible to choose. We tried two very different options during our most recent NYC getaway and break it down for you.

Sister City 

 

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The Hotel: Sister City

The Location: Lower East Side

The Vibe: Refined Minimalism

The Must-See: Floret Restaurant

“Less, but better” is the philosophy behind Sister City on Bowery, a.k.a one of the oldest areas in Manhattan. Inspired by the function-first ethos of Finnish saunas and Japanese bento boxes, the hotel’s 200 rooms are curated to be cozy and inviting, without any frills. Escape the city’s chaos with warm cherry wood furniture, striped linens and the soft glow from geometric lamps by the late renowned Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi. Head upstairs for a nightcap at Last Light and enjoy a glass of organic wine alongside views of the city’s skyline from one of the two rooftop decks. If you’re hungry, Floret on the ground floor boasts an all-day menu that spotlights seasonal ingredients and pulls inspiration from California, the Mediterranean, and flavours from East Asian and North African cuisines. Try inventive fare from award-winning chef Joe Ogrodnek like squid ink spaghetti with peekytoe crab and grilled maitake mushroom with crispy quinoa.

Moxy Times Square 

 

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The Hotel: Moxy Times Square

The Location: Midtown Manhattan

The Vibe: Playful Exuberance

The Must-See: Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge

The Moxy is where you go when you plan on doing very little sleeping. Located just south of Times Square in the heart of Manhattan, it’s more playground than boutique hotel – in a good way. The design-forward space boasts 612 rooms, including ones with bunk heads perfect for friend groups, folding furniture designed by Canadian interior design studio Yabu Pushelberg and five places to grab a bite (one of which is an all-day egg sandwich shop). The crown jewel, however, is the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge, with incredible skyline views of the Empire State Building. Billed as an “urban amusement park,” it’s NYC’s largest indoor/outdoor hotel rooftop bar. With an extensive cocktail list (you won’t believe how big the Pick Your Poison spritz is until you see it) and rotating carousel seating, it’s the stuff child-like dreams are made of.

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