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I’m not sure what it is that makes a great hotel. I’m often put off by the insincerity of the archetypal design hotel, all stamped out of the same late 20th century design mold, and have instead been looking for something that is more escapist, more withdrawn. I seek individuality, effort and discretion. Hoteliers Eric Goode and Sean MacPherson provide all three in their most recent project, the Lafayette House. The antithesis of the modern boutique hotel, it is maximal design, classical fixtures, and a certain familiarity that harkens back to your grandmother’s house with the living room that you weren’t allowed to sit in. But there is something different here, and it is that same intangible quality that exists in all the projects Eric and Sean complete (the Bowery Hotel, the Maritime Hotel, the Jane, part of the Waverly), a sense of aloof comfort and inclusivity, without a hint of pretension. The fact that downtown art hero Dash Snow could, very sadly, overdose there, while two doors over, Margiela-clad heirs could set up a satellite home base during society season is perfectly thinkable. In fact, storied Saville Row tailor Norton and Sons decamps three times a year from London to take the measurements of New York’s more particular gentlemen in the top floor suite. It is this mix of clientele, this authenticity of experience, and most importantly, this assuring comfort, that makes the Lafayette House the most intriguing hotel in Manhattan, a discreet place to escape to and regain one’s bearings.  

Lafayettenyc.com