The Best New York City Hotels

Best Overall: The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel

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Why We Chose It

This uptown institution offers a taste of New York elegance at its best, plus can’t-beat proximity to the park.

Guests will be in good company staying at the Carlyle Hotel, an iconic property that has been favored by presidents, royalty, and celebrities since its opening in 1931. With its prime location on Madison Avenue, the hotel is a landmark of New York City glamour, counting white glove-clad bellhops, Art Deco interiors, and a dimly-lit piano bar on its list of allures.

The hotel does not sacrifice contemporary comforts, however, with luxurious bed linens and Kiehl's bathroom amenities complementing the rooms’ romantic decor. Through the famed black and white marble lobby, guests have access to a few of the neighborhoods best restaurants and bars right within the hotel, including Bemelmans Bar, featuring live music beneath a 24-carat gold-leaf ceiling.

Notable Amenities

• Sisley-Paris spa and salon
• Afternoon tea available at The Gallery

Best Luxury: Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown

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Why We Chose It

From its contemporary design to its streamlined check-in process, every element of the Four Seasons Downtown is a nod to understated, effortless luxury.

Opened in 2016, the Four Seasons downtown is all about white-glove service blending with modern ease. The hotel is smack-dab in the middle of New York’s bustling downtown and enjoys up-close views of attractions like the Oculus. But the serene rooftop pool and discreet atmosphere make it a real oasis in the city.

Guests are treated to plush rooms with all the expected luxuries, including soaking tubs, espresso machines, and fine linens. While not indulging in treatments at the top-notch spa, guests will be enticed by the aromas of CUT by Wolfgang Puck, the swanky steakhouse right off the hotel lobby.

Notable Amenities

• 75-foot rooftop indoor pool
• State-of-the-art fitness center

Best Budget: Harlem Flophouse

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Why We Chose It

Located in a historic Victorian townhouse, this property proves that European charm does not have to be expensive.

The Harlem Flophouse is a true relic of the Harlem Renaissance, when the term “flophouse” was invented to describe an inexpensive hotel where jazz musicians and artists could rest their heads. Today, the historic townhouse-turned-hotel welcomes travelers who don’t mind sacrificing a few modern comforts for homeyness and character.

Just several blocks north of Central Park, the hotel is filled with nods to its past, including jazz-age tchotchkes, antique maps, and vintage wallpaper. And while the four rooms (named after Harlem icons such as Thelonius Monk) lack amenities like air conditioning, the nightly rates are unbeatable.

Notable Amenities

• Claw-foot tubs
• Desk in every room

Best for Families: The Peninsula New York

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Why We Chose It

Children and parents both receive the five-star New York experience at this historic Midtown hotel.

With its gilded, flag-flanked entrance on Fifth Avenue, the Peninsula is considered by many to be New York’s ultimate Grande Dame. Glamorous elements abound at the hotel, including an intimate rooftop lounge, an indulgent spa, BMW airport transfers, and marble bathrooms. 

The hotel sets itself apart from other luxury mainstays thanks to its noted family offerings—and we’re not talking just babysitting services and pint-sized bathrobes (though guests can certainly enjoy those amenities). The Camp Peninsula package, for instance, includes a hotel scavenger hunt, in-room tent set-up, and personalized gifts like s’mores. Peninsula Academy offers highly curated experiences for both children and adults, such as a Broadway show with cast member meet-and-greet, and off-hours tours of the nearby MoMA.

Notable Amenities

• Glass-enclosed rooftop pool
• Terrace restaurant with bird’s-eye city views
• Fitness classes

Best Historical Property: The Beekman, A Thompson Hotel

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Why We Chose It

Located in a masterfully restored 19th-century building, the Beekman Hotel epitomizes New York history.

If these walls could talk, they would most certainly brag. Throughout the Beekman building’s 150-year history, it has been recognized many times over, including as one of Manhattan’s original skyscrapers (at nine floors) and as the location of New York City’s debut of "Hamlet."

Located in the financial district, the Beekman Hotel is a true feast for the eyes. Surrounding a striking nine-story atrium with a skylight, the hotel is adorned with mosaic marble floors, Persian rugs, and vintage chandeliers. Guest rooms are equally stylish, but with creature comforts like Carrara marble-tiled bathrooms and D.S. & Durga toiletries.

Notable Amenities

• On-site Temple Court restaurant helmed by chef Tom Colicchio
• Fitness center occupying two floors
• Impressive art collection

Best Brooklyn Property: The William Vale

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Why We Chose It

The William Vale defined “Brooklyn cool” when it opened in 2016, and it’s still the best choice in the borough for a cosmopolitan experience with unbeatable amenities, an award-winning restaurant, and 360-degree views.

The unmistakable zig-zag facade of the William Vale jumps out of the Brooklyn skyline and is a favorite for its trend-setting rooftop and laid-back luxury. A stone’s throw from Williamsburg’s top attractions like Smorgasburg and McCarren Park, the hotel has 183 light-filled rooms, each with a Lavazza coffee machine and bath products by Le Labo.

Award-winning chef Andrew Carmellini ensures the hotel’s culinary offerings are some of the best across the bridge, including Westlight, with its elevated street food and 360-degree city views. Thanks to the hotel’s creative identity, there is always something new happening, whether it’s a pop-up skating rink, rooftop yoga series, or lawn games on the summer turf.

Notable Amenities

• Vale Park: 15,000 square feet of landscaped green space on the hotel's second garden level
• Modern art-filled lobby

Best Scene: Bowery Hotel

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Why We Chose It

With its storied lobby bar and chic atmosphere, the Bowery Hotel is the ultimate spot for a dose of downtown cool.

“Meet me at the Bowery” is a key phrase for every stylish New Yorker, and for good reason. Travelers may come for the dimly-lit lobby bar filled with velvet curtains, leather armchairs, and crackling fireplaces (at which hotel guests are offered priority seating). But they will stay for the expertly appointed rooms, complete with marble soaking tubs, plush draperies, and plenty of natural light. Higher room categories offer spacious terraces and unobstructed bird's-eye views of the city. And while there is no pool or spa, scene-seekers can’t go wrong with the Bowery.

Notable Amenities

• Complimentary bicycles
• Local-approved Italian trattoria, Gemma

Best Views: The Standard, High Line

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Why We Chose It

Guests can eat, drink, and sleep in the clouds at the Standard High Line, where spectacular views are the raison d’être.

Located above the elevated train-line-turned-public-park known as the High Line, the Standard Hotel offers a swanky and vista-filled downtown experience. Floor-to-ceiling windows are found nearly everywhere at the hotel, including in all guest rooms (which are outfitted with Italian sheets and Bluetooth audio) and in the gym, with its unique lookout over the Hudson River. Waterfront location and ample nearby greenspace are a rarity in NYC, making the Standard a knock-out in its category.

Thanks to the Standard’s buzzy eateries, guests need not leave the hotel for a taste of the New York food scene. Coveted on-site restaurants include the beer garden and the Standard Grill, which offers excellent streetside people-watching.

Notable Amenities

• Fitness center with Peloton bikes
• Full calendar of events (movie screenings, art installations, seasonal pop-ups)