Berlin

More than ever, travelers desire immersive experiences. To satisfy that craving, hotels are curating cultural environments, with art as a significant ingredient. Many local artists, galleries and museums now partner with hotels as a way to create a dialogue between destination and traveler. Whether it’s waking up to a celebrity portrait by the legendary Andy Gotts or a conversation with an artist-in-residence, guests depart with a resounding connection to place that goes beyond the traditional hotel experience.

As crime and austerity swept through the Big Apple in the early 1970s, New York City’s Mayor John Lindsay took to a podium to declare a “War on Graffiti.” During this time, the city’s subway system was creaking at the seams, barely functioning and covered in graffiti tags from the city’s burgeoning street art scene. Over the coming years, New York City Hall spent an estimated $300 million in an attempt to keep subway trains and stations free of graffiti, forcing artists to work under the cover of darkness while creating ever more elaborate works.

Some say, in the city it doesn’t matter where you stay, you’ll be out all day anyway. But that’s simply not true, especially with these 10 hotels herein that offer serene rooms, unique experiences, unrivaled locations or all of the above to make that next city break that much better.