The hip list: The coolest stays in 7 major cities

Uncover another side of Paris in bohemian Belleville

Paris, France

This multicultural and eclectic neighborhood offers the perfect counterpoint to the wide boulevards of the city’s more touristy areas. Shaped by successive waves of immigration from Vietnam, North Africa, China, Greece and Turkey, this is where you’ll find Paris’ lively Chinatown, artsy collectives like the Ateliers d’Artistes de Belleville (founded in 1989), and the 62-acre Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, which on a sunny day is dotted with sunbathers (be sure to pop into the park bar, Rosa Bonheur, for a glass of rosé as the sun goes down). Book into Babel Belleville, a gloriously atmospheric eco-certified hotel brimming with vintage furniture and a stylish bar beloved by the local after-work crowd. The singer Édith Piaf lived and loved here in the 19th arrondissement, and gentrification hasn’t dampened its gusto and verve.

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Longstanding Latino and Eastern European populations mingle with a youthful creative set in Chicago’s Logan Square, where the dining scene now rivals that of the West Loop. Start your unofficial food tour with brunch at Lula Cafe for innovative, market-driven fare. For dinner, top bets include Daisies for housemade pastas; Mi Tocaya Antojería for regional Mexican cuisine; and exciting New American at Giant. For locally made and Chicago-themed gifts, drop into Wolfbait & B-Girls, then check out independent jewelry store Adornment + Theory. City Lit Books and Bric-a-Brac Records are also well worth a visit. Milwaukee Avenue is where you’ll find edgy music venues and an endless lineup of inviting bars like The Whistler, Best Intentions, and Estereo. Just down Milwaukee in neighboring Wicker Park, bed down in the art deco diamond The Robey, Chicago, with its rooftop pool and perfect view of Chicago’s famous skyline.

Wander vinyl bars and indie stores in Williamsburg

New York City, NY

Williamsburg has been one of the most creatively thrilling districts of post-industrial Brooklyn since the late ‘80s, when the Brooklyn Immersionism movement successfully kickstarted the redevelopment of old industrial buildings. Williamsburg has since become renowned for its independent businesses, with a music/performance scene shaped by the electroclash and indie-rock of the 2000s, and retaining robust Italian, Jewish, Hispanic, Polish, Puerto Rican and Dominican communities. Drink in this history at the Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn Winery or Brookyln Roasting Company, before popping into Please Tell Me for superb cocktails and a vinyl soundtrack. Perhaps you’ll catch a pop-up by biodegradable jewelry company Mo.Na. while you’re in the area. There’s no shortage of cool accommodations, but we adore The Hoxton Williamsburg for bringing a more refined sexiness to the local hotel scene.

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Not far from busy Shibuya and Shinjuku, you’ll feel the intensity of the city dropping a notch in this bohemian district. Back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, Japanese avant-garde cultural figures like writer Kōbō Abe and pianist Ingrid Fujiko Hemming lived here, and this artistic spirit prevails; seek it out over a drink in Upstairs Records & Bar or find it slurping the district’s famous curry soup with local hipsters at Ponipirika or Magic Spice. Shimokitazawa is also known for vintage and streetwear stores like Stick Out and a new indie cultural and retail hub called Reload. Sleep at the Mustard Hotel, a sleek, stylish and streamlined hotel that embodies the area’s youthful yet laid-back vibe.

Today Bermondsey is one of London’s most name-droppable culinary and cultural neighborhoods, a short stroll from Borough Market, the Tate Modern, and other Southbank cultural institutions. It wasn’t always this way: For centuries, London’s Docklands was dominated by factories and warehouses, and Bermondsey’s streets were immortalized in Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. Today, the White Cube gallery and Fashion and Textile Museum are minutes from the foodie utopia that is Maltby Street Market. Want to pretend you live here? Book into Bermonds Locke, an exemplary aparthotel with a cool coworking space and café.

Miami has always been cherished as a sun-kissed, Latin-infused cultural crossroads with pretty, art deco architecture, but over the past two decades she’s also wooed the international art crowd, primarily via the Art Basel fair. Still, the true creative heart of the city resides in the former garment-manufacturing district of Wynwood, where established Puerto Rican and Cuban communities continue to thrive. The Wynwood Walls represent some of the world’s best graffiti; Rubell Museum displays everything from pop to conceptual art; and Pan American Art Projects strives to unite north and south. Meanwhile independent breweries like Veza Sur Brewing Co., food halls like 1-800-Lucky (seek out Jeepney for modern Filipino fare), and sweet spots like Morelia Gourmet Paletas will keep you fueled. The Arlo Wynwood Miami hotel offers contemporary decor and murals, plus a killer rooftop pool, complete with bar-serviced cabanas.

Alongside neighboring Condesa, Roma is Mexico City’s epicenter for trendy restaurants, bars, shops and culture. Designated as a “Barrio Mágico” in 2011, the enclave’s ravishing art nouveau and neoclassical architecture dates back to the early 1900s. After an eventful 20th century, Roma is now well and truly re-gentrified and returned to its former glory. You’ll sense this immediately dining on fabulous seafood at an old classic like Contramar, a regular in “world’s best restaurants” lists—but eating is a democratic pleasure in Mexico, and the tacos and sopa del día at Taquería Álvaro Obregón are just as much of a joy. Sip mezcal at La Botica, wander the stalls of upscale Mercado Roma food court, and make yourself at home at the Utopic Roma Norte by ULIV serviced apartments.