Inside Manhattan’s New Wave Of Micro-Hotels
Spacious suites were once synonymous with luxury, but thanks to the rise of the “micro-hotel”, developers are proving the old adage that the best things often come in small packages.
05 September, 2018
Inspired
by Japanese capsule hotels, the global trend of
compact yet impeccably designed abodes shows no sign of waning. In
fact, a handful of new micro-hotels in Manhattan have upped the ante by partnering with
leading design firms to elevate spaces under 300 square feet.
Today, the less-is-more aesthetic is punctuated with built-in
storage, foldaway furniture and inspiring communal lounges that
appeal to business travellers and design-savvy millennials. In a
society of 140 characters or less, these micro-hotels are making a
big statement.
Arlo Hotels
Heralded as America’s “first micro hotel with four-star design”,
Arlo Hotels brings a fashion-forward approach
to their two properties located in the stylish neighbourhoods of
SoHo and NoMad. Thanks to their wild popularity, a third outpost,
the Arlo Midtown, is slated to open in 2019. The brand’s
thoughtfully designed rooms measure an average of 150 square feet,
but even its smallest spaces come with smart amenities like
hand-held clothing steamers and sleek walnut furnishings. The hotel
prides itself on its lively public spaces, which put an emphasis on
community programming – think sustainable pop-up shops, wellness
workshops, Cozy AF Knitting Classes and Really Sexy Variety
Parties…
Freehand New York
Since opening in January 2018 in the Flatiron district, Freehand New York has attracted a cool-kid
following for its imaginative design evocative of European-style
hostels. This is the second Manhattan property
by Sydell Group, which is best known for The Line Hotel in Los Angeles and the NoMad
Hotel just a few blocks away. The Freehand lives up to its hype
with 395 highly functional Roman and Williams-designed guest rooms
(including the 250-square-foot “Three’s Company” room featuring a
twin-sized bed lofted over a queen bed). Spaces are accented with
artwork by MFA students from Bard College, which the hotel
partnered with for its artist-in-residence program – a perfect
homage to the building’s history as a hotel for famous writers,
artists and musicians.
The Pod Hotels
With four properties in New York City, Pod Hotels has challenged the status quo of
tiny living in the Big Apple. Their newest Manhattan location, Pod
Times Square, opened its doors in January 2018 to unveil 665 guest
rooms (each measuring 115 square feet) as well as its
tropical-inspired rooftop tiki bar, The Polynesian. Its other New
York locations (Pod 51, Pod 39 and Pod BK) follow the same design
philosophy, offering budget-friendly, socially connected and
tech-savvy amenities. This past summer, the brand launched its Pod
Pads, a collection of 45 extended stay suites that give travellers
and digital nomads a chance to enjoy an ethos of “timeliness,
cleanliness and simplicity” for a little bit longer.
citizenM Hotels
Since opening its first hotel in Amsterdam, citizenM has been on a mission to bring its
version of the futuristic micro-hotel to cities around the world.
Naturally, its first New York location in Times Square has become a
buzzy spot for tech lovers. Each of its pod-style rooms come
equipped with Samsung tablets that control everything from the
lighting to the music, while public spaces are equipped for
business travellers. The brand’s newest location, the citizenM New
York Bowery Hotel, is set to open in September 2018 and has already
nabbed the title of the world’s tallest modular hotel. The
20-storey building features 300 rooms that were all pre-assembled
in Poland, a rooftop bar with sweeping views and several
collaborations with local artists that give the property a
distinctly Lower East Side vibe.
