Best Hotels in New York City
June 02, 2012; 8:29 AM
TravelandLeisure.com
There are a dizzying number of hotel options in Manhattan, ranging from midtown's grande dame hotels to chic boutique properties in Tribeca. Let T+L simplify your search with this indispensable guide to the best New York City hotels and their notable amenities.
While some of these properties are already well known, we love them for their hidden charms, such as under-the-radar movie screenings or courtyard tea service. Get the scoop on the top hotels in New York City, based on readers' votes in our annual World's Best Awards survey.
No. 1 Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park
Courtesy of The Ritz, New York
The sight (and, it must be said, smell) of carriage horses greets you as you enter this 33-story, limestone-fronted building on the southern edge of Central Park. Transformed from the St. Moritz Hotel in 2002, it has a laid-back, town house feel (tasseled damask curtains, fringed armchairs) and is known for its beyond-the-call-of-duty service. The multilingual staff-which includes bath butlers, a tech butler (for troubleshooting laptop issues), a gemologist, and an award-winning concierge team-will loan you (or your dog) a Burberry trench coat if it's raining, and come evening, the chauffeured house Bentley is at your disposal. The 259 rooms and suites, done up in taupe and pale rose tones, come with damask curtains and four pillow choices; bathrooms are outfitted with deep soaking tubs and Frederic Fekkai amenities. Cap off your stay with drinks at the African-wood Star Lounge, adorned by potted palms and original Samuel Halpert paintings of New York.
No. 2 Crosby Street Hotel
Courtesy of Firmdale Hotels
London's Firmdale Group brings the spirit of Soho to a cobblestoned lane in the other SoHo. The new 86-room Crosby Street Hotel feels very much a part of its vibrant, intimately scaled neighborhood: the restaurant-bar has become a local favorite, and the salon-like lobby is filled from morning to midnight. Kit Kemp's bold interiors manage to challenge and soothe the eye all at once: austere charcoal-gray wall coverings set off pastel headboards; soft silk curtains frame steel warehouse windows; gritty brick facades background a lush rooftop garden. Check out the tongue-in-cheek flourishes from an oversize white steel Jaume Plensa sculpture in the lobby to portraits of local dogs in the elevators. But it's the service that will win you over: an umbrella at the ready for impending rain, coffee and a newspaper delivered within minutes of your request, and a proper hot toddy at the bar.
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No. 3 Peninsula, New York
Courtesy of The Peninsula, New York
Of the same vintage as the neighboring St. Regis (both hotels were built between 1904 and 1905), the Peninsula has retained its decorative Beaux-Arts facade-but inside, old-world grandeur meets streamlined modernity. A crystal chandelier dangles in the lobby, illuminating dark-cherry and Carpathian-elm burl woodwork with Art Nouveau carvings; Oriental carpets are spread over white marble floors. The 239 rooms feature sleek chaises, Roman shades, lacquered armoires, mahogany headboards, and goose-feather duvets-as well as high-tech touches like bathroom flat-screen TV's (might as well keep up with the financial news while you're soaking in the tub). Afternoon tea service in the Gotham Lounge is a characteristically civilized affair, while the rooftop bar, formerly known as the Pen-Top, is one of the city's hottest spots for a drink.