For years, Harlem was "up and coming", without ever really coming up. The neighbourhood near the top of Manhattan — the opposite to Wall Sreet in every sense — is the most African-American part of New York City, and for years was synonymous with poverty.
When New York crashes — in the 1930s and the 1970s — it seemed inevitable Harlem would burn, in endless riots. But this time, in this crash, it's different. Harlem is still rising — since Bill Clinton built his offices here, it's been gentrifying too, alienating some locals. But hotels like the Aloft are a symbol of the new Harlem.
It's a beautiful, simple hotel. You enter into a bright bar staffed by clever, funny Harlem girls and an incredibly friendly team running the hotel. The rooms are straightforward and efficient, but when you're in Harlem, you won't want to stay in them for long — you are surrounded by jazz bars and amazing restaurants, and it's only twenty minutes on the subway to the center of Manhattan.
In the daytime, there's an amazing literary heritage here — take a tour of where James Baldwin, Malcom X and the greatest black writers of the last American century lived and found their inspiration. Wander into the black churches for a head-spinning dose of enthusiasm.
If you've been coming to New York for a long time and want to see a different side of it, come to Harlem — and choose this as the place where you'll rest your excited head.
