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NIGHT+DAY Ins and Outs (IOs)

Whether you are keeping a dogeared Night+Day guide as your bible to exploring a city, or just relying on nightanddayguides.com, you’re in the right place for the latest and greatest happenings. Herewith are hotels, restaurants, nightlife and attractions that have been open long enough to be tested and earn our recommendation.

October’s Top 5 New Openings

DC • BIBIANA OSTERIA ENOTECA • Italian Restaurant
“The whole idea is to be hip and happening but serving authentic cuisine,” restaurateur Ashok Bajaj told Washingtonian Magazine when Bibiana opened in September 2009. And that tells you everything you need to know—nearly. A décor consisting of pointy metallic chandeliers, blown-up photos of the Colosseum and of Audrey Hepburn upon a Vespa, and black-leather and stainless-steel accents establishes a sleekly sophisticated tone. But like all Bajaj eateries (he owns six others in DC, including ultracool Rasika), this one keeps it real: Servers are welcoming and know their stuff; the menu is a mix of woodfired pizzas, traditional pastas, and intriguing new dishes, like poached fluke with squid ink  vinaigrette; and a bar and lounge scene adds a lively touch. Romancers should ask for tables 40 or 41; spotlight lovers should request window tables.
Mon–Wed 11am–10:30pm, Thu–Fri 11am–11pm, Sat 5–11pm.
$$ 1100 New York Ave. NW (12th St.), 202-216-9550
bibianadc.com

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LOS ANGELES • THE ASSOCIATION • Lounge
With its subterranean “no sign” locale and pub-like sensibilities, this self-described “proper boozer” is straight out of a Guy Ritchie crime caper. In fact, its basement entrance with brass-lion door knocker is an exact replica of the British Prime Minister’s door at 10 Downing. London-born owner Ashley Joyce brings East End spirit to Downtown’s booming classic cocktail culture, with snazzy barkeeps specializing in “throwback” libations (try the Brown Derby or Sidecar). The no-drama, no-list policy fits the understated yet regal interior (brown leather banquettes, mirrored light fixtures, brass accents), and the crowd is as diverse as an Obama rally, with arty glass locals, USC coeds, and office workers rocking out to The Clash’s “Rock the Casbah.” Daily 5pm–2am.
110 E. Sixth St. (Spring St.), 213-627-7385

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MEXICO CITY • ST. REGIS MEXICO CITY • Modern Hotel
Located in front of the Diana monument on Paseo de la Reforma, the St. Regis Mexico City combines an ideal location with timeless luxury. Designed by architect César Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, renowned for the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur and London’s Canary Wharf Tower, this tastefully designed 189-room hotel is found within the city’s eighth-highest building, the brand-new Torre Libertad, or Liberty Tower. But more than just big, the St. Regis Mexico City embodies quality worthy of the St. Regis brand. Expect floor-to-ceiling windows, spectacular views throughout, and nothing but the best service with, yes, butlers included. Three restaurants, including the elegant Diana and the J&G Steakhouse, fill in the hotel’s culinary side, while its world-class Remède spa sprawls over two floors and comes with an ample fitness room and an indoor pool. The hotel also houses exclusive boutiques and the city’s most opulent conference rooms.
$$$$ St. Regis Mexico City, Paseo de la Reforma 439 (Monte Altai), 55.5228.1818
stregis.com/mexicocity

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MIAMI • W SOUTH BEACH • Trendy Hotel
This long-awaited addition to the less-hectic but exceedingly happening north end of South Beach is simply dazzling. The clever design gives all the super-spacious rooms ocean views, and the lavish features include signature comfy beds, private balconies, two flat-screen TVs, and bathrooms with spa showers. Reserve the Mega Suite, a gloriously roomy studio loft with a private glass balcony offering gorgeous, unobstructed views of the ocean and beach. The heated pool targets the party crowd, with private cabanas and cool cocktails, while the Grove oceanfront bar amid lush gardens is ideal for relaxing with a papaya daiquiri. Bliss amenities are part of the package (and the Bliss spa opens in December). But make no mistake about it, the W is all about a vibrant see-and-be-seen scene: the Living Room lobby lounge, an eclectic hangout with live DJ mixes; trendy A-lister–packed Mr. Chow; and Soleá, serving up Mediterranean cuisine. One caveat: From the W, as well as from the nearby Setai and Gansevoort, it’s a bit of a hike to busy Lincoln Road and Ocean Drive, which can be good or bad, depending on your perspective.
$$$$ 2201 Collins Ave. (22nd St.), 305-938-3000
starwoodhotels.com

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NEW YORK • THE STANDARD • Modern Hotel
Few boutique hotels have sparked as much buzz as André Balazs’ The Standard in the Meatpacking District. The opening was celebrity-jammed (of course), and the hotel continues to appear regularly in the local press. Recent titillating headlines—“High Line Peep Show!” trumpeted one newspaper—described how blushing visitors to the nearby High Line elevated park could apparently see hotel guests undressing and cavorting naked in their rooms. In many ways, The Standard has, well, set the standard for Manhattan’s new breed of boutique hotel. It’s architecturally stunning—a towering glass structure on stilts—and the rooms, while smallish, are dressed up in a mod, chic style, with many offering wide-reaching views of the Hudson River. (When booking, ask for a river view.) The lovely onsite restaurant, The Standard Grill, features outdoor seating and a simple but excellent American menu. But the biggest draw for the hotel’s young, party-oriented clientele is that it’s within stiletto-stumbling’s distance of the city’s top tier of clubs and bars.
$$$$ 848 Washington St. (Little W. 12th St.)
212-645-4646 / 877-550-4646
standardhotels.com