From hotels with typewriters (Boston), to ones with guitars on the wall (London) and artisan soaps in the bathroom (anywhere even moderately interesting) — these are the coolest hotels of 2015.
They’re all picked from actual hotels I’ve visited in the past 12 months.
SEE ALSO: 9 iconic hotels where some weird things have gone down
ACME Hotel — Chicago, Illinois
Chicago’s coolest hotel, the ACME seems relatively unassuming when you walk in. The lobby is off to the side and there’s a small bagel shop by the ground floor entrance. A craft cocktail lounge, The Berkshire Room, is hidden at the back of the main entrance. But what really sets this hotel apart from other places to sleep, is the careful attention to detail and comfort in the rooms. The hotel’s impressive downtown location with amazing views from the front-facing rooms doesn’t hurt either. Staff is always helpful and friendly—so much so that the in-room information includes tips on how to properly eat a deep dish pizza.
The hotel is a very casual and comfortable place, which makes it all the more easy to ask for advice and tips from the staff. In the basement, a gym designed to look like a schoolyard playground is small but suitable—and even has a punching bag (how many hotel gyms have that?!). The small Jacuzzi in the basement is also a great place to meet other travelers, whether in town for business or pleasure. And for those looking for more of a budget experience, there’s even laundry machines available for hotel guests.
Ace Hotel Shoreditch — London, England
Arguably the coolest hotel in Europe, Ace Hotel has long been the style setter for what makes a hotel special. Their one-and-only London hotel opened up back in 2013 and is still the American company’s only venture in Europe. The Ace Hotel is conveniently located on Shoreditch High Street, steps away from the London Underground. In theShoreditch neighborhood, the hotel is positioned perfectly on the edge of what’s easily London’s most accessible hipster neighborhood and close enough to the other touristic sights in London.
Besides the hotel’s endlessly cool rooms (seriously: guitars on the wall, trendy radios to hook up to your phone and cozy beds), the Ace Hotel plays host to a number of alternative and edgy London events. The local Naked Boys Reading group regularly uses the site, and the open-spaced lobby regularly attracts MacBook wielding hipsters in search of good coffee and a friendly atmosphere to work from. The restaurant on the premises, Hoi Polloi, also serves great food (I’ve had the burger late at night), so you could easily treat the hotel like a resort and never leave. Luckily you can take home pieces with you—just about everything in the room from the custom quilts to the vintage records can be taken and they’ll simply charge you later.
Hotel Gotham — Manchester, England
Yes, it’s named after Gotham City from the Batman comic. Built in a former bank, the Hotel Gotham only opened in 2015 and is already making waves. A rooftop restaurant serves top-quality food and the bar, Club Brass, offers amazing views over Manchester’s skyline with fantastic cocktails and the same champagne served at the Oscars! The upscale art deco-style is luxurious without being stuffy. Rooms come with classic books and extra touches of style making you really feel spoiled. And the beds! Well, let’s just say it’s the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in.
For those looking for a truly exclusive experience, the Hotel Gotham even offers windowless rooms. Sounds weird—but I can see the attraction.
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