Tiny But Trendy: The Best Nano Neighborhoods

Our collective fascination with making our favorite things micro has moved well beyond bags, bangs and bevvies.  

But forget Polly Pocket’s Airbnb, interest in “nano neighborhoods” is spiking, according to Tripadvisor’s brand-new Trendcast report.  

Destinations are getting super specific, with a few standout mini locales popping off on the travel site over the last year. So, instead of New York City, people are narrowing in on a neighborhood within a borough of the gigantic metropolis. Think Russian nesting dolls, but the itinerary starts and ends with the smallest, most low-key one in the set.

When you’re ready to honey-I-shrunk-our-next-vacation, here’s where to go.

^{Every hotel on Late Checkout is independently selected by us. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.} 

Gracie Art Hotel 798, Beijing, China

One micro-spot making big waves? 798 Art Zone in Beijing — a former military factory district turned creative playground packed with cutting-edge Chinese art. Book a stay at Gracie Art Hotel, and you’ll be surrounded by galleries, indie design shops and cafés serving up the perfect post-exhibit espresso.

Rates from $120, book here.

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, New York City

With its postcard-perfect views of the Manhattan Bridge and NYC skyline, Dumbo has been creeping up in Google searches over the past five years. Just steps away, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge is the pinnacle of NYC luxury — so much so that Gwyneth Paltrow once hosted her goop Wellness Summit here. It’s equal parts bougie and effortlessly cool.

Rates from $499, book here.

EME Catedral Mercer Hotel, Seville, Spain

Sleep like royalty in a converted 19th-century mansion right next to Seville Cathedral in the heart of the historical district. With a front-row seat to one of Seville’s top landmarks, the views are next-level. Bonus: the hotel’s rooftop bar is one of the best in town. Sunset cocktails here? Pure magic.

Rates from $242, book here.

Hotel Zachary Chicago, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, IL

Wrigleyville, Chicago, is turning heads with its electric bar scene and take-me-out energy. Sitting right across from Wrigley Field, America’s second oldest baseball stadium, Hotel Zachary really knocks it out of the park with a killer dining lineup, thanks to partnerships with some of Chicago’s top restaurateurs.

Rates from $247, book here.

Gorgeous George by Design Hotels, Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town’s East City is in the midst of a reinvention, packed with bold murals, vintage shops, steampunk cafés and the world’s first hemp skyscraper. Just a few blocks away, Gorgeous George puts you right in the middle of it all. Chic, intimate and effortlessly cool, it’s exactly the kind of design-forward stay a creative city like Cape Town deserves.

Rates from $102, book here.

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