The world's best new hotels

A classic is reborn as New York's hotel of the moment, thanks to an A-list design duo.

Location: Manhattan's genteel and historic Gramercy Park. (Think Edith Wharton -- she used to live in this neighborhood.)

Pedigree: The old Gramercy had a literary reputation and a gilded past; the new one has Ian Schrager and the artist Julian Schnabel, whose eclectic interior here is a radical departure from the cool minimalism of the boutique hotels Schrager is known for.

Style Design: Haute bohemian. Velvet draperies and leather armchairs share space with surrealist objects (sawfish-snout lampstands!) and sprawling canvases by Andy Warhol and Cy Twombly. Rooms and corridors are underlit, but the woodsmoke-scented lobby, with its 10-foot fireplace and thick Douglas fir columns, is a winner.

Service Amenities: Keys to Gramercy Park, the only private park in Manhattan, are available for guests at the front desk. Mahogany liquor cabinets stocked with full-size bottles trounce your typical mini-bar.

Rooms to Book: The spacious Park Rooms (550-square-feet) feature French doors and wonderful views of Gramercy Park. For a truly lavish getaway, inquire about the Penthouse, which has soaring rooftop and park vistas, an original Sanford White fireplace and mantle, and antique furnishings.

2 Lexington Ave.; 212/920-3300; www.gramercyparkhotel.com; doubles from $545.