Star Lounge, Chelsea

Star Lounge - It’s not just the name and operators that make Star Lounge (sister to the East End’s Star Room) a place to warm up for the Hamptons. The bustling space under the Chelsea Hotel has the entire dark room, flashing lights, carefree dancing, intimate mash-up party vibe down. The pop/80s/hip-hop mix and older guys with cute younger gals echoes the feel of last summer’s Hamptons hotspots and offers a preview of what’s to come in the next few months. Couples, groups and hipsters in designer hoodies and crisp baseball caps join swanky singles to dance without abandon amongst lit up Lucite tables and banquettes scattered over the would-be dance floor. In the back room a glowing tangerine wall attracts non-bottle buyers to the bar like ants to a drip of Ben & Jerry’s. The 100 room (yes, yes the one of Sex Pistols legend) has also been revamped since the days of the lounge’s former 30-year inhabitant Serena, though photos of the old place preserve the history. Now the room serves as a small, VIP and private party space adorned with grandiose chandeliers and true lounging accoutrement, accessible by getting on the guestlist and allegedly a secret password.