Hotel Americano: We review New York's hippest new hotel

Remix editor Steven Fernandez reviews Chelsea's Hotel Americano on a recent trip to the Big Apple.

One of the best bits about being editor of the international edition of Remix is getting to travel overseas and stay in some seriously cool places.

Last month I had a week in the United States, for the release of our latest global edition, featuring cover star Emma Roberts, Rita Ora, Cedric Gervais, Sky Ferrera, Flume and more. Kiwi readers – it’ll be on our shores very soon as a limited edition issue!

New York is my favourite city and I always try to stay in Chelsea when I’m there. Since our launch party was at 1OAK, I decided to find a hotel nearby and also spend some time in one of Manhattan’s most culturally rich neighbourhoods.

After searching online for a while, I decided to stay at Hotel Americano, located in the heart of the Chelsea Riviera between The High Line and the Hudson River. I have a great appreciation for considered design and am a major minimalist, so the simple spaces designed by New York-based Mexican architect Enrique Norten appealed to me right away.

Three room types are offered at Hotel Americano, all with the feel of an urban ryokan with wooden platform beds, warm lighting, and luxurious natural materials, some with soaking tubs and fireplaces. There’s the Uptown Studio, the Uptown Queen and the Downtown King, all with a real emphasis on minimalist design, which have a feel of instant tranquility. I stayed in an Uptown Queen.

Americano is one of the only hotel chains in the world with complimentary Aesop skincare supplied in the rooms. Room service comes in one of five bento boxes… ordered via the in-room iPad. As you can imagine, I fell in love with this place very quickly.

As much as I could have, I didn’t spend very much time in my room. There is always so much happening in New York that it’s hard to get to sleep, in fear you might be missing out on something amazing. Most neighbourhoods in Manhattan have more happening than most cities in Australasia!

Chelsea alone is a hive of activity, buzzing with artists and designers. It’s a mecca for some of the most impressive galleries and exhibitions in New York. The staff and website are up-to-date with the latest local exhibitions. The concierge asked me my interests, looked at my timetable and advised the quickest way to get to the things that they felt I would enjoy. It’s no wonder Hotel Americano is an official partner of the Frieze Art Fair and again hosting the VIP tent at the Armory Show, both in New York next year.

Not to mention, the area is alive with incredible bars and restaurants, connected by The High Line. If you haven’t heard of The High Line, then click here for more information. Running right past Hotel Americano, The High Line is a strip of elevated greenery, a garden on an abandoned rail track, which meanders its way through the Chelsea offices and apartments. It is a profound development and was the perfect length for my morning run.

Perhaps two of the best restaurants in the region are at Hotel Americano itself. The Americano restaurant, stretching from the back of the lobby into a secluded rear courtyard, hass a delicious menu of French cuisine with Latin flare, designed by chef Tony Venegas.

Then The Grill at La Piscine, a restaurant within the wider rooftop pool and bar, serves exquisite Mediterranean food with breathtaking views of the world’s most famous skyline, including the Empire State Building and the famous New Yorker sign. Whether you’re in the pool, one of the cabanas, drinking at the bar or eating in the restaurant, the Hotel Americano is a spectacular place to gather and spend an evening. It’s no wonder it’s one of the most popular new spots on the west side of the city.

I ended every day in New York with an Old Fashioned on the Americano rooftop, for no other reason than I could.

For more information on Hotel Americano Chelsea, visit the website here. Then get their latest updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Words by Steven Fernandez. Images courtesy of Hotel Americano.