Whether you know it as the Oscars of fashion or the biggest party of the year, the Met Gala is, as my colleague Laird Borrelli-Persson has previously written, the “hottest ticket in town.” This year, the starry event is back on the first Monday in May, and celebrities are beginning to turn towards New York City for the evening of mesmerizing fashion.

If you’re anything like us, you’re probably champing at the bit for the exhibition, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” to open on May 10, which will examine dandy style and the exchange between clothing and the formation of Black identities in the Atlantic diaspora. Perhaps you’ll happen to be in town the weekend leading up to the fête, hoping to catch a glimpse of the star-studded red carpet—where there’s always inevitably some sort of surprise—before the fundraising event begins that evening. Or maybe you’ve secured a much-coveted invite to an after-party at a glittering locale (cheers to that!). For such an endeavor, it only seems apropos to stay where luminaries have made their way in and out for the occasion. Below, some of our favorite hotels with an impressive client list.

Jonathan Maloney / Inga Beckmann for What The Fox Studio

After a multi-year closure, The Surrey is back in action under the Corinthia Hotels umbrella, with interiors by Martin Brudnizki. This historic grand dame property originally opened in 1926 and during its early days boasted illustrious clientele such as John F. Kennedy and Bette Davis. After a splashy reopening in fall 2024, which includes the newly-instituted restaurant and private club, Casa Tua, the hotel is poised to become a celebrity hotspot throughout the Met Gala weekend. (Previous Met Gala celebrity guests have included Hailey Bieber, Ashley Graham, and Serena Williams.) For those in search of a red-carpet-ready experience, head for The Surrey’s Sisley Paris spa to indulge in their “Prestige Glow: Met Gala Rejuvenation Facial.”