AC Hotel New York Downtown; Yotelair Singapore Changi Airport; Pentahotel Moscow, Arbat

BACKGROUND One of two AC hotels in New York (the other is in Times Square), this opened in October last year. AC is a select-service brand, which means properties don’t have a concierge or 24-hour room service. Many, though, offer additional services, and this hotel has a bar, a lounge for relaxing and working in, a breakfast area, a good fitness centre and even a meeting room.

WHAT’S IT LIKE? Designed by Peter Poon Architects, this 33-storey new-build has an entrance on Maiden Lane. For the first few floors the exterior is fairly nondescript but look up and you’ll see how the windows and façade have been alternated to allow the maximum number of rooms to offer East River views. It also gives a pleasant rippled look to the tower’s profile. Under construction next door, by the same builders, is a thin 57-storey skyscraper called the Seaport Residences.

There is some lovely art in the hotel. Ann Weber’s Personages sculpture in the lobby is in mixed media using the likes of found cardboard and polyurethane, and is intended to mimic the tall buildings surrounding the property. In reception is a store selling snacks including local chocolate (Raaka from Brooklyn). Check-in was quick and my room was ready at 1300, which I appreciated since I’d just flown in from Frankfurt. There are three swift lifts. Staff are very helpful, offering advice on everything from restaurants and bars to the quickest and most affordable ways to get to Newark for a morning flight.

WHERE IS IT? Next to the Seaport Historic District and the Financial District. Fulton Street station is about a ten-minute walk and the World Trade Centre about 15 minutes. New York JFK is about a 40-minute drive, although I took the Air Train and then the A train and got there in about 75 minutes, and for only US$7.50.

ROOMS There are 274 rooms (76 Double Doubles with two double beds, and 198 Kings), roughly ten per floor right the way up to the 30th storey (some floors are for back-office functions). A few rooms on the sixth level have balconies, but at the time of writing they hadn’t yet opened. All rooms are a good size – from 22 sqm – and have laminate floors, material wall coverings in an arty brown, and a good-sized workdesk with two power points and two USB points. There were also power points on both sides of the bed in my King room. Free wifi is super-fast and you can stream content from your own device through the 50-inch TV. The shower had a choice of rain and power showerhead; the latter certainly was powerful – when I turned it on it hit me in the face and drove me out of the bathroom. Korres toiletries from Greece are supplied.

Rooms also have a coffee machine (you can make tea with it, too) and an empty fridge (two small bottles of water are provided). There’s a “hydration station” on floor two and in the basement, where you can fill your own bottle. FOOD AND DRINK The second-floor AC Lounge acts as a co-working space in the day and a bar in the evening, and serves a buffet breakfast in the morning. It also offers tapas, a choice of tarts and some cheeses, breads and meats. The artwork of colourful threads here is by Rachel Mica Weiss and is called Tilted

Plane, evoking how the tall buildings change colour during the day. There is also a library area and a computer with a printer.

BUSINESS A small boardroom-style room in the basement seats 10-12 people.

LEISURE The fitness centre in the basement has a good selection of equipment.

VERDICT This is a great property in a good location for the Financial District and Downtown. Select service it may be, but I found the staff helpful and I didn’t miss the concierge or 24-hour room service.

This is a great hotel in a good location for the Financial District