Originally Posted by
vandalby
With your points limit, you're only excluded from the St. Regis. The W New York - Times Square, W New York - Union Square and The Chatwal will be your best options. Keep your expectations low at Gold status in regard to an upgrade.
Not the W midtown on Lex or whatever it's called?
Maybe it's changed recently, but I don't think of the W Union Square as being particularly hip and trendy except for its bar/nightclub. IME the hotel attracts a somewhat more mature clientele than many other Ws, perhaps because the decor wasn't so dark like you usually find in Ws.
If the OP wants to spend fewer points, the two hotels across the river in Williamsburg could be worth considering, but they've received some terrible reviews. There's also the Sheraton on the edge of SoHo, which again gets mixed reviews.