Budget-conscious style hunters will feel right at home at Freehand, hailed a New York hotel game-changer thanks to its combination of sensible pricing, group-friendly (bunk) and solo room options, and design-led common areas. The aesthetic is mid-century modern, while rooms also feature unobtrusive art murals and frills such as slippers, robes, Argan toiletries and free fruit. Note: prices can double in summer.
Rooms – all with bath – are comfortable, though nothing special: it's all the other trappings that put the icing on the cake. The 1st-floor Studio is a gorgeous retro-inspired space for morning coffee, breakfast or drinks. The semi-enclosed rooftop bar, Broken Shaker (accessed by a separate elevator), has live DJs, and there's also an upmarket restaurant and artisan coffee shop on the ground floor.
