Sister City

Streamlined, functional minimalism is the name of the game throughout the Sister City hotel, with design inspired by Japanese bento boxes and Finnish saunas. Expect warm wood tones and clean, low-slung lines that make the most of the spaces, and give Millennial vacationers a chic background for their Instagram shots. Common areas like the restaurant are open and airy, with retro white columns, high ceilings, and honey-stained wood anchoring the space. There’s not a ton in terms of decor, expect for a delightful amount of live plants in common areas. A comfortable efficiency is embodied by both the staff and tired-traveler-pleasers like a smooth self-check in. Most guests spend their days and nights outside of the property, but free morning coffee and wine happy hours at the restaurant Floret, and light snacks at the rooftop bar with great city views are notable perks for those who choose to stay on-site.

Located in downtown Manhattan, in the trendy Bowery neighborhood of the Lower East Side, Sister City hotel is ideally placed for vacationers wanting to get away from the tourist masses of Times Square and be in easy reach of some of the city’s best dining, nightlife, shopping, and drinking. The New Museum is right next door to the hotel, and guests receive a discount off admission thanks to the mandatory hotel “Destination Fee.” The closest subway stop is right on the hotel’s block, allowing vacationers to reach other cool destinations like Brooklyn’s Williamsburg (15 minutes by subway) or more general NYC destinations like Rockefeller Center (20 minutes by subway). It’s an hour and 15 minutes by subway from the hotel to JFK International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport, or just over an hour by subway to LaGuardia Airport. Travel time is generally shorter to airports via taxi or ride-share services such as Uber and Lyft.

Expect to find Scandinavian and Japanese design influences in the hotel’s 200 guest rooms, each of which is simple and streamlined, with a buttery color palette, warm woods, and simply striped bed linens. Pillows, mattresses, and linens are all comfortable for a good night’s sleep. Rooms are tiny even by NYC standards, starting at 130 square feet with a double bed in the Single units. Layouts are a bit of a squeeze, even for one guest plus a suitcase. However, the furnishings make the most out of every square foot and prevent rooms from feeling cluttered – think minimalist platform beds have built-in storage and foldaway laptop desks reveal flat-screen TVs (accompanied by stools, not chairs). Other rooms cater to siblings or friends with double bunk beds and living room areas; larger options with terraces are also available. Views from rooms can be hit-or-miss: Some have small windows with very little in the way of a view, others have iconic skyscrapers visible, like the Empire State Building or 1 World Trade Center.

There’s no mini-fridge in the room, but each unit is supplied with a glass water bottle that can be refilled via a filling station in the hallway. Other little touches, like Bang & Olufsen Bluetooth speakers, strike the right balance between pared-down and contemporary. Outlets are near each side of the bed but only feature outlets, not USB ports. Extra towels, ironing boards, toilet paper, and other essentials are also kept in a closet near the filling station, so guests can help themselves. Walls are on the thin side, and some guests complain about noise from nearby rooms and the street outside (earplugs are available for purchase).

Bathrooms have rainfall showers and toilet rooms, plus upscale Malin + Goetz products, including conditioner. Small sinks resembling composition notebooks are located outside the bathroom, and they’re accompanied by lighted mirrors and hairdryers.

Sister City’s excellent on-site restaurant, Floret, serves seasonal food with a myriad of influences, from California to North Africa, East Asia, and the Mediterranean. It’s open from breakfast until late; at the time of our visit, entrees included pork and beef ragu tagliatelle and Long Island hake with braised lentils. Last Light, the rooftop on-site bar, is a stylish hangout for both guests and locals, with great views over the city from its industrial, panoramic space. Indoor and outdoor seating are available here. Note that both the property’s restaurant and bar are cashless.

Sister City’s hefty-but-mandatory “Destination Fee” acts as a resort fee, covering Wi-Fi, coffee and a glass of wine during breakfast and happy hour at Floret, and light beverages and snacks at the rooftop bar during the day. It also gives guests access to the property’s 24-hour Fitness Room, which is a tiny space featuring a treadmill, bike, and weights.