Madison blogs - Stay in style at Fashion 26

With a name like Fashion 26, this new hotel in Chelsea has a lot to live up to. And while it has a bunch of cute sartorial details (desks shaped like sewing tables, button logos), the biggest plus is the price. This isn’t the Plaza—but at $225 a night, it delivers a great location, nice new amenities, and some savings for you to spend elsewhere in the city. (Yes, really. Anything under $250 is a bargain here. If you want under $200 prepared to bunk it. And share a bathroom.)

For a little more, you can spring for the Fashion Insider Package. It includes your room, breakfast for two at the hotel’s restaurant Rare, a fashion-themed turndown amenity, a Fashion 26 tote bag, wine and a fruit and cheese platter, your favourite American fashion mag, a DVD from the hotel’s library to watch (free of charge), and discount cards to use at Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Century 21. Prices start at $299 a night.

Fancy an upgrade? Pack your newest purchases: the hotel is running a Best Dressed Guest promotion where each day the hotel selects the most stylish guests and grants them an upgrade to a better room, as well as the opportunity to be snapped for the hotel’s fashion blog.

Location-wise, the hotel is well placed to get you uptown or down in a jiffy—and the Fashion Institute of Technology is right at the end of the block. (Wander in and peek at their latest exhibitions and keep your eyes peeled for next Project Runway star.)

I see a lot of hotels, but Fashion 26 gets bonus points for the in-room Keurig coffee makers (not so common in New York hotels), free WiFi, and an out-of-this-world view of the Empire State Building from the Rare Rooftop Bar—when it opens later in May.

Still need convincing? This is what greets you when you arrive at the front desk: Crumbs cupcakes!

Bonus Tip: Check discount sites like Quikbook for sales before you book.