Gild Hall Hotel

15 Gold Street New York

With Brooklyn Bridge on one side and the new World trade Center rising on the other, this is an iconic corner of an iconic city. despite being shoehorned into one of Lower Manhattan’s busy, tangled streets, Gild Hall stands its ground against the bullish Wall Street skyscrapers that crowd around. Guest accommodation is comfortable and urbane, if a little masculine. the luxurious rooms boast leather headboards, marble bathrooms and black-lacquer and mahogany finishes that conjour up the metropolis of the 1950s and 1960s. the interiors here are so evocative that Steven Soderbergh used the hotel as a key location for his 2009 movie The Girlfriend Experience. the lobby desk is made of wood salvaged from an amish farm, apparently, but don’t let any hint of anabaptist restraint prevent you from joining the Mad Men types for an early evening Manhattan or sidecar cocktail in the adjoining bar. or maybe enjoy a plate of tuscan meatballs or cheeses in the wood-panelled felice ristorante? With the east river ferry and a spectrum of subway lines passing nearby, heading out for a night on the town in Williamsburg or times Square couldn’t be easier. Meanwhile, local options for breakfast and brunch include the classic Pearl Street diner or super-sized Potbelly Sandwich Shop on Maiden lane. MPT. doubles from £190