When the boutique hotel 50 Bowery opened in lower Manhattan, it had a lot of legacy riding on its shoulders. After all, it site between bustling Canal Street and the Manhattan Bridge has served as a gambling den, a vaudeville theatre, and taverns over three centuries.
The 229-room property translated such colourful history into a sexy/cheeky décor of dim, zigzagging hallways, burnished brass accents, and bold art by Beijing-based graffitist Dake Wong. Even the most minute detail is a tactile experience, from the satisfyingly matte room key bearing a map of the hotel’s Chinatown environs to the distressed oak surfaces. Vintage black and white photographs of Chinatown adds a sense of heritage, while by the second floor gallery curated by the nearby Museum of Chinese in America displays centuries-old medicinal vials and flasks excavated on site.
The boutique hotel’s main drawing card, however, may be the floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the guest rooms with natural light. Reserve a suite or room above the ninth floor, which will treat you to unbeatable panoramas of Manhattan's iconic skyline. And leave some time for a bite at Rice & Gold, a downtown-cool joint by Dale Talde serving gussied-up dim sum.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
50 Bowery
-
Davos 2025: Genesis goes all-out on outdoor machismo with this extreme sport support vehicle conceptPresented to the World Economic Forum at Davos, the Mountain Intervention Vehicle Concept is a wild transformation of the Genesis GV60 into a tracked rescue vehicle
-
E-ink comes of age: the best new tablets for distraction-free reading and writingWe explore the world of E-ink tablets to find the best device for handwriting input, editing, sketching and light computing duties
-
We are the world: Pininfarina’s ‘Orbis’ taps Papal support for an eco-friendly agendaThe Orbis is a ‘symbolic object’, a gift to Pope Francis from the Italian design agency at a time of political upheaval and social fracture around all aspects of sustainability
-
Dreaming of a good night’s sleep? Equinox Hotels has got you coveredEquinox Hotels teams up with sleep expert Dr Matthew Walker to revolutionise wellness tourism
-
New York restaurant Locanda Verde’s second outpost will transport you to a different time and placeLocanda Verde’s expansive new Hudson Yards osteria exudes a sophisticated yet intimate atmosphere overflowing with art treasures
-
2025 getaways: where Wallpaper* editors will be travelling to this yearFrom the Japanese art islands of Naoshima and Teshima to the Malaysian tropical paradise of Langkawi, here’s where Wallpaper* editors plan to travel to in 2025
-
The design-led restaurants to know in 2025This year’s most read-about restaurant openings to inspire your 2025 cravings, from a playful diner in New York to an art-and-dining hub in Marrakech
-
The most whimsical hotel Christmas trees around the worldWe round up the best hotel Christmas tree collaborations of the year, from an abstract take in Madrid to a heritage-rooted installation in Amsterdam
-
Six brilliant bars for your 2025 celebrations, hot off the Wallpaper* travel deskWallpaper’s most-read bar reviews of the year can't be wrong: here’s inspiration for your festive and new year plans, from a swanky Las Vegas lounge to a minimalist London drinking den
-
Wallpaper* checks in at the refreshed W Hollywood: ‘more polish and less party’The W Hollywood introduces a top-to-bottom reimagining by the Rockwell Group, capturing the genuine warmth and spirit of Southern California
-
Arlo NoMad hotel makes the American diner officially cool againThe NoMad Diner NYC’s interiors and menu offer an elevated take on an American classic
