Fodor's Expert Review The Standard, High Line

André Balazs’s architectural statement on the West Side has always been one of New York’s hottest hotels. The High Line Park runs directly underneath it, which definitely helps its popularity, but The Standard earns much of the buzz on its own with some of the most exquisite views in town and an authentic beer garden.

room

With low platform beds, rooms are on the small side (even by New York standards), but floor-to-ceiling windows add a necessary extra sense of space.

Rooms on higher floors offer much better views and are significantly more privacy; anybody casually walking the High Line Park can see right into lower floor rooms.

bathroom

The highlights of the bathroom are neat little features like rain showers and hooded robes. Some rooms have bathtubs directly in the living space (as in not in the bathroom) with gorgeous views through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

YOU SHOULD KNOW Showers are separated from the bedroom by little more than a glass partition. They really like bringing the bathroom into the bedroom at this place.

lobby

There isn't much to the lobby, which is just a narrow space with some seating and desks for checking in. Don't be fooled by the lack of imagination here, though. The main scene at this hotel is in the bars, restaurants, and rooftop. You don't come here for the lobby.

dining

The Standard Grill is a staple of the Meatpacking District, serving a wide-ranging menu including raw oysters, a whole roasted chicken for two, and grilled steaks. For a snack with a view, reserve a table at Top of the Standard, where they feature small bites like Korean fried chicken and foie gras toast. Another excellent dining option with a genuinely cool atmosphere is the German-inspired Biergarten, where they serve beer, giant pretzels, and sausages.

YOU SHOULD KNOW The bars, restaurants, and clubs at this hotel draw significant crowds and the hotel can be noisy at night. If you want to avoid people, you have chosen the wrong hotel.

drinking

Open-air in the summer and glass enclosed in the winter, the Standard Biergarten is a casual street-level bar with big steins of beer, picnic tables, and ping pong. Top of the Standard is known for its sunset city-skyline views and for people watching; cocktails are pricey but the atmosphere is worth a splurge. Le Bain is a rooftop bar and club with world-class DJs (arrive early to avoid lines).