New York City (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [265]
W Hotel New York.
$ | This was the first of the W hotels to open in New York, and after a decade rooms got a much-needed overhaul in 2008. Window boxes filled with grass, bowls heaped with green apples, flowing curtains, and vast floor-to-ceiling windows that pour sunlight into the airy lobby all conjure up a calming outdoor feeling here—quite a trick, considering a hopping bar and a sunken lounge flank the reception area. The rooms hew to the classic W formula: they’re small and they look good—especially thanks to the overhaul, which added LED lights around the windows and beds, wooden desks topped with swiveling panes of glass, and amethyst wall coverings in the bathroom. Of course a party-hearty clientele also means you’re likely to hear your neighbors partying heartily through the night. Downstairs, Heartbeat Restaurant serves heart-healthy foods; the attached Whiskey Blue draws a young, hip, and moneyed crowd; and the Bliss Spa flagship draws legions of beauty devotees. Pros: central location; great-looking rooms. Cons: thin walls; inconsistent service. TripAdvisor: “lovely and stylish,” “small bathroom,” “superb bar.” | 541 Lexington Ave., between E. 49th and E. 50th Sts., Midtown East | 10022 | 212/755–1200 or 877/946–8357 | www.whotels.com | 629 rooms, 62 suites | In-room: a/c, safe, DVD, Internet. In-hotel: restaurant, room service, bar, gym, spa, laundry service, Internet terminal, Wi-Fi hotspot, some pets allowed | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Subway: 6 to 51st St./Lexington Ave.; E, M to Lexington–3rd Aves./53rd St.
UPPER EAST SIDE
The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel.
$$$$ | On the well-heeled corner of Madison Avenue and 75th Street, this hotel’s fusion of venerable elegance and Manhattan swank is like entering a Chanel boutique: walk in chin high, wallet out, and ready to be impressed. As you might expect, everything about this Upper East Side landmark suggests cultivated refinement: rooms decorated with fine antique furniture, vast Central Park views, white-gloved operators working the elevators 24 hours a day. It’s all overwhelmingly grand—almost to the point of diminishing comfort. The range of the hotel’s dining and entertainment options impresses: cabaret luminaries take turns holding court at the Café Carlyle (Woody Allen still performs every Monday). And Bemelmans Bar, with its fanciful murals and fancy drinks, is one of the greatest old-school cocktail spots in New York. The polished black slots behind the reception desk, once used to hold room keys, serve as a fashionable reminder of the hotel’s storied history as host to presidents and celebrities. For pampering, the in-hotel Sense Spa and Yves Durif salon can buff, polish, and frost your every extremity. Pros: perhaps N.Y.C.’s best Central Park views; refined service; delightful array of dining and bar options. Cons: removed from tourist Manhattan; stuffy vibe may not work for families. TripAdvisor: “classic style,” “rooms are spacious,” “expensive but worth it.” | 35 E. 76th St., between Madison and Park Aves., Upper East Side | 10021 | 212/744–1600 | www.thecarlyle.com | 122 rooms, 57 suites | In-room: a/c, safe, refrigerator, DVD, Internet. In-hotel: restaurant, room service, bar, gym, spa, laundry service, parking (paid), some pets allowed | AE, DC, MC, V | Subway: 6 to 77th St.
The Franklin.
$ | The Franklin