The 876 rooms designed by Philippe Starck merit attention even years after the hotel's debut.

Properties like the Hudson New York helped create the now-timeless concept of the boutique hotel. Although notorious for the diminutive dimensions of most of its 876 rooms, the design, courtesy of Philippe Starck, merits attention even years after its debut. The escalator, shrouded in a Jetsons-like glass tunnel, is how one ascends to the lobby, where, as a classic contrast, ivy clings to brick walls. The petite rooms, which take cues from ship cabins, feature makore-wood walls and lamps made by British photographer Nick Veasey. Those who desire a more commodious space can, of course, spring for the penthouse, with its glass-enclosed solarium and wood-burning fireplace. But with so many vibrant spots to hang out in on the premises—after all, this is a see-and-be-seen, Starck-made establishment—you won’t want to stay in your room. Instead, take to the 15th-floor Sky Terrace for incomparable city views or, in colder weather, the cozy Library Bar, with its leather chairs and a vintage pool table—the perfect hideout for a warming whiskey.