Alert the public

If there is one man that can shake up the hospitality industry, it's Ian Schrager. The man who pioneered the boutique hotel concept 25 years ago, the legendary hotelier is back, this time with a game-changer aimed at countering the threat of Airbnb by democratising luxury. Housed in the new Herzog & de Meuron-designed 215 Chrystie Street tower in Manhattan's Lower East Side, the 375-room PUBLIC offers affordable luxury that eschews any unnecessary frills, instead focusing on the details that really matter; that means a very reasonable starting rate of US$150 a night and a stellar offering of social spaces that comprise a restaurant and a coffee shop/ grocery store - both helmed by chef Jean Georges Vongerichten - and three bars including a rooftop terrace with cinematic views of Manhattan's skyline. In the basement, Public Art will offer a cultural programme from film screenings to theatre performances and art exhibitions during the day, before - in true Schrager style and his first since Studio 54 - transforming into a late night dance club. www.publichotels.com