With its 2014 renovation, the Donovan, a Kimpton hotel, injected a sense of fun and whimsy into the neighborhood’s boxy buildings with its sleek chrome-and-leather lobby and rooftop pool bar. Named for “Wild” Bill Donovan, the founder of CIA predecessor the OSS, the hotel subtly takes its cues from glamorous secret agents, and an Asian-inspired decor derives from some of Donovan’s favorite destinations. Rooms are slick and clean-lined, with just a hint of mid-century modernism in the egg-chair seating and canopy-style leather headboards. The trendy Zentan—its name taken from the Mandarin word for “spy”—is a popular spot for staffers to gather after work over fresh sushi and hard-to-find sake, while its rooftop sibling, DNV, becomes one of the area’s hottest nightlife spots in the warmer months.
The Donovan isn’t just looks, though; like at all Kimpton hotels, hospitality is key, and the staff here bends over backward for kids, pets, and discerning adults alike, with a wide range of perks that run the gamut from in-room yoga mats to daily happy hours.
