Hotel on Rivington
This is one of Manhattan's last wild neighborhoods. It's an incongruous sight, this sleek glass tower sprouting above its low-slung brick neighbors, but you can't argue with the results - the views from the rooms, even on the middling floors, are extraordinary, taking in the financial district, the downtown bridges, even the midtown towers, depending on your room's orientation.
And the rooms themselves are surprisingly luxurious, with flat-screen televisions, CD stereo systems and access to a carefully curated DVD library, along with low-tech charms like Frette linens and robes and, for many rooms, private terraces from which to take in the jaw-dropping views. There are stunning Bisazza-tiled bathrooms, complete with deep Japanese-style soaking tubs and Paul Labrecque bath products.
The shops and restaurants of SoHo are within easy reach, and the Lower East Side has its share of attractions, including truly gritty dive bars, hipster hangouts and music venues, as well as a new crop of more upmarket nightspots.
