Exterior, Wythe Hotel, BrooklynThis once downbeat borough at the western end of Long Island has become one of the coolest corners of the city. Hip British hotel brand The Hoxton due to open this year. Meanwhile, here are five of the best places to stay.

Wythe Hotel

The industrial-chic, 70-room Wythe Hotel (above) opened in 2012 in a converted factory on the Williamsburg waterfront, close to Brooklyn’s trendiest boutiques, galleries and bars. It was built and designed by Andrew Tarlow, one of the entrepreneurs behind the area’s renaissance, and its rustic restaurant, Reynard, has been a huge hit with Manhattanites who flock here for, among other things, the grass-fed steak ‘butchered in house’. For the best views over the city, head up to the sixth-floor bar, Ides. From around £175 per night.Room with hammock, Nu Hotel BrooklynNU Hotel Brooklyn

NU Hotel is set in Brooklyn’s buzzy Carroll Gardens neighbourhood, within walking distance of some of the borough’s most famous landmarks. 15 of the largest loft-style rooms have been painted with floor-to-ceiling murals by local artists, but all have a blackboard in the bathroom so guests can channel their own artistic talents. There is a bar-lounge for breakfast and light snacks and burgers but most guests head out to one of the excellent neighbourhood restaurants for dinner. From £189 per night.Lobby, The Box House Hotel, BrooklynThe Box House Hotel

The Box House Hotel is located in industrial chic North Greenpoint. It offers apartment-style accommodation in a selection of contemporary lofts and suites, each with a kitchenette, and large windows (some have fantastic views of Midtown Manhattan). There’s a restaurant, The Brooklyn Lantern, which serves New American cuisine and is ideal for families, though hipsters will want to head out to Williamsburg in the evenings. From around £278.Dining area, Aloft New York BrooklynAloft New York Brooklyn

Aloft is Starwood Hotels’ slightly edgy, loft-inspired brand, with the Brooklyn property throwing Sixties/Seventies design into the mix. While children will doubtless love the bubble seats in the lobby, Aloft New York Brooklyn is probably best suited to singles and couples who can hang with fellow hipsters in the bar, or chill out in the rooftop ‘beer garden’. From around £91 per night.Bedroom, Hotel Indigo, BrooklynHotel Indigo

Despite its décor being a ‘mixture of baroque, traditional and contemporary motifs, reflecting its own interpretation of performance art’, Hotel Indigo is probably the most traditional of Brooklyn’s contemporary hotels. It’s big, too, with 128 (very small) rooms spread over 19 floors, though its height does mean you’re more likely to get a room with a Manhattan view. There’s no dedicated restaurant, but a Brooklyn Brewhouse right next door with a direct entrance from the hotel; the Brewhouse also provides room service. From around £85 per night.

BY MAGGIE O’SULLIVAN