Best luxury hotels in New York: Where to find Central Park views, Rockefeller tours and more

New York may be the city that never sleeps but when you’re paying top dollar for a hotel room, you’re going to want some quality shut-eye.

Fortunately when travelling to the US the luxury hotels in Manhattan are among the best in the world, offering the finest interiors from renowned designers, chic in-room amenities, attentive service, and glorious city views (often the number-one selling point for a hotel).

Which means, whatever’s on your NYC itinerary – be it reaching the top of the Rock (aka the tippy top of the Rockefeller Center), soaking up the grandeur of Grand Central Station or mooching around Central Park – where you decide to hit the hay has potential to be just as memorable.

But when it comes to choosing the right place to base yourself, it can be tricky making the final decision. Whether you’re tempted by deluxe hotel locations near Madison Square and Soho, the Tribeca area or rooms conveniently close to Times Square, our round-up is here to help you pick the perfect spot.

So, whether your idea of luxury is star-studded guest lists, sinking into a jacuzzi plung pool or sipping drinks at the sultry lobby bar, we’ve picked out the best luxury hotels to evelate your Big Apple experience.

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The sexy Edition brand, created by Studio 54 legend-turned-boutique-hotelier Ian Schrager in partnership with Marriott Hotels, caters to sophisticated travellers who are after high design and exciting nightlife, rolled up in five-star service. The New York outpost delivers on all of that.

In Madison Square Park’s Clocktower Building, a Beaux-Arts landmark dating back to 1909, the 273 rooms (designed by The Rockwell Group) feature a minimalist layout with neutral-coloured furniture and fabrics, save for the oak-panelled foyers, walnut headboards and faux-fur throws on the bed. Some rooms have original scalloped ceilings, while others have Instagram-perfect views of the Empire State Building. The best rooms to book are the Loft Studio Suites, which are typically corner rooms with views up Madison Avenue and west across the park.

Downstairs, the Lobby Bar, with its sultry backlit shelves of liquor, is a beacon for NYC’s prettiest people. Up a winding helix-shaped staircase is the Clocktower Restaurant, where contemporary British cuisine in served in three separate dining rooms, each with a different theme, and all adorned with giant photos of NYC’s famous denizens.

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The thoroughly British Firmdale Hotels first crossed the pond to open the Crosby Street Hotel in SoHo. Almost a decade later, the hotel, which sits off SoHo’s main shopping thoroughfare, still feels like a fresh face, thanks in part to Firmdale’s design director Kit Kemp and her never-boring mix of patterns and prints. Each of the 86 rooms has floor-to-ceiling windows letting in natural light; charming fabric-covered headboards, and original artwork.

Splurging for a deluxe one-bedroom suite on the upper floors will get you not just more space and more design elements to copy for your own home, but also jaw-dropping views of downtown. The Crosby Bar is a cosy place to take in a meal or afternoon tea (especially during the winter months), while the back patio during spring and summer is an idyllic respite from the city hustle.

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One of the original boutique hotels in SoHo, The Mercer has retained its exclusive je ne sais quoi even after 20 years. Part of that has to do with the air of mystery the hotel cultivates; the other part of it, no doubt, comes from the repeat celebrity guests (this is the sister hotel to Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont; Kanye has stayed here while recording his albums). The rooms are unabashedly tiny, starting at a minuscule 250sq ft, but most have high ceilings, and you’re paying for the excellent location on a cobble-stoned street on the corner of Mercer and Prince, with luxury shops and art galleries stacked all around.

Studio rooms and suites give a bit more wiggle room, as well as better views and oversized bathtubs. From spring 2023, guests will also be able to dine at the hotel’s new restaurant: Sartiano’s.

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The Park Hyatt New York, located in Midtown across from Carnegie Hall and a block from Central Park, wowed even the most jaded of hotel observers when it opened, largely because of its gorgeous rooms (designed by Yabu Pushelberg) and its distinctive ribbon facade architecture (envisioned by Christian doe Portzamparc.) Yet, this being Park Hyatt, Hyatt’s top-tier luxury brand, the high-end touches don’t stop there. A personal attendant will greet guests at the entrance and whisk them up to the second floor lounge to do the check-in process.

The 210 guest rooms and suites start at a spacious 500sq ft, and have both rainfall showers and deep-soaking tubs as well Rivolta Carmignani linens, the use of iPads and Nespresso machines. A treatment room at the hotel’s Spa Nalai will most likely overlook Central Park, while views of the Hudson River can be glimpsed from the spa’s reception area. Guests who opt to do laps in the large indoor swimming pool will be treated to music from Carnegie Hall via underwater speakers.

Price: Doubles from $845 (£690)

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In the heart of Tribeca, the Greenwich has a bona fide film star pedigree – one of its owners is none other than Robert De Niro. Yet the hotel’s luxury digs and service would hold up regardless of that Hollywood connection. Each of the 88 rooms and suites are styled differently yet all retain an old-world charm with a hodgepodge of cultural influences, from Tibetan silk rugs to Moroccan tiles and “English leather settees.” The beds are Duxiana, the bathtubs are deep-soaking and the minibar snacks, bottled water and soft drinks are complimentary. Beneath the lobby is the exclusive Japanese-Inspired Shibui Spa and sultry indoor pool, while, back upstairs, Locanda Verde from popular chef Andrew Carmelllini, serves hearty Italian food at its finest.

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If your only wish is not to lift a finger during your visit to New York, look no further than the St Regis on Fifth Avenue at 55th Street. Every room here comes with the service of a dedicated maitre d’étages – ‘butler’, to you and me. Guests can also be ferried about town in a Bentley within a 10-block radius of the hotel. Inside the rooms are silk wall coverings, crystal chandeliers, fancy writing desks and some state-of-the-art technology such as Bose sound systems and fast internet. Downstairs, a bloody mary will be expertly mixed at the King Cole bar, the birthplace of the spicy hangover cure, while a proper meal can be had in the Astor Court, named after NYC’s own John Jacob Astor IV who founded the luxury St. Regis brand more than 100 years ago.

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Nearly every turn at this luxury hotel, inspired by the 253-year-old French crystal brand, is worthy of an Instagram post. At the street-level entrance, across from the Museum of Modern Art, there’s a wall adorned with 1,800 Baccarat “Harcourt” stemware, all lit up by LED lights in the shape of the Baccarat “B.” Upstairs, in the Grand Salon, just beyond check-in, is a delicate 64-armed chandelier that hangs over an assortment of high-backed banquettes and mirrored tables, all topped off with some form of Baccarat crystal.

Indeed, there are nearly 15,000 pieces of Baccarat stemware found throughout the hotel, along with other crystal fixtures that usually retail for more than $1,000 a piece.

In the rooms, the glamour continues in champagne-tinged colours with luxurious finishes, such as white marble surfaces and red-lacquer mini bars. But the piece de resistance is the “Champagne” button on the in-room telephone, which allows a guest to have their favourite bubbly delivered to their room.

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A revered hotel among the fashion elite (most bold-type names attending the Met Gala stay here), The Mark is an Upper East Side haven, well known for its subtle luxury. Rooms are tastefully done in a subdued residential style, while its lobby goes for drama, thanks to its signature black-and-white maze floor pattern.

Now, The Mark is putting a luxury twist on wellness. Guests booking the Wellness package will receive a custom Mark Hotel yoga mat, a facial treatment, a personal training session with Dan Flores or a private yoga class, as well as fresh juice and vegan treats at check-in from the hotel’s Jean-Georges Vongericten restaurant. After all that working out and heavy wellness concentration, guests can then hire one of The Mark’s chic black-and-white pedi-cabs to take them sightseeing.

Price: Doubles from $1,025 (£837)

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The Langham has occupied a sweet spot on Fifth Avenue near Herald Square and Bryant Park for nearly a decade – with views of the Empire State Building at every turn – but it was just recently that the luxury hotel received a brand-new look, putting it on par with the brand’s flagship property in London. The 234 guest rooms are sophisticated yet unfussy, with Italian walnut finishes, marble bathrooms, and floor-to-ceiling windows. The Langham also has a varied selection of room types, some with kitchenettes, making it an ideal choice for families and guests on longer trips. For art-lovers, the only room to book is the presidential suite designed by French interior design retailer Roche Bobois, and adorned with colourful paintings from Alex Katz.

People have made money moves on Wall Street for decades, but the financial district was suffering from a dearth of luxury hotels – until the arrival of the Four Seasons in 2016. The unapologetically modern hotel designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern has 161 guest rooms, a whopping 28 suites, and an additional 157 residences attached with eye-catching interiors by top-notch interior design firm Yabu Pushelberg. Wolfgang Puck has opened an outpost of his famous CUT Steakhouse and lounge on the ground floor of the hotel with a seductive vibe cultivated by designer Jacques Garcia. The guestrooms are more grounded in style, with neutral colours and all the luxury comforts well-heeled guests expect, such as plush bedding, 55in televisions, Nespresso machines and gourmet minibars. Should the rat race get to be too much, head to The Spa and consult with one of the three resident healers who can curate mindful experiences for you, from acupuncture work to meditation.

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Situated in Columbus Circle in the soaring Time Warner Center, the Mandarin Oriental New York is one of the rare hotels in Manhattan that can offer guests either rooms overlooking Central Park or rooms overlooking the Hudson River (park views are slightly more expensive). But no matter where you step in the midtown hotel, jaw-dropping vistas are plentiful. From the moment you check-in at the 35th floor’s Skylobby, to drinks at one of the two lounges, views are guaranteed. Even while doing laps in the 75ft-high lap pool or from a treatment table in The Spa.

The Carlyle is not just an Art Deco gem that’s perched on the Upper East side, it’s a New York institution. Originally built in 1930, the 35-storey grande dame retains much of the decor and style of its first decorator, Dorothy Draper – most notably the striking black-and-white marbled lobby. The elevators still have their own operators (you’ll never have to push a button here) while the guest rooms (69 of them are suites) sport a classic Louis XVI style that’s at once comfortable and elegant. But it’s what happens downstairs that makes The Carlyle so legendary and worthy of its own documentary: “Always at The Carlyle”. The landmark Carlyle Café opened in 1955 and has been host to music greats and celebrities such as Judy Collins, Paul McCartney, Bobby Short, Elaine Stritch, Bill Murray and Alan Cumming. At the Bemelmans Bar, named for artist and author Ludwig Bemelman (best known for the Madeline book series) who patronised the bar frequently. Children can indulge in a special Madeline Tea during November and December, which includes a sing-a-long and children’s buffet.

Price: Doubles from £934

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For the Chatwal, a Luxury Collection Hotel from Starwood Hotels, its claim to fame is its 29 speciality suites (dubbed The Chatwal Crowns), which have the largest outdoor terraces in the city. But the starting rooms at this Times Square hotel aren’t too shabby either. All rooms have a sleek Art Deco style that befits the hotel’s prime Theater District location, as well as a butler service. Guests also have access to the wellness centre and a 24-hour gym with the option of private sessions with a personal trainer. Dining out is made easy, too, with well-regarded The Lambs Club. And you’ll get a bit of a history lesson with your meal – The Lambs Club was America’s first theatrical society housed in the very building that is now home to The Chatwal.

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It doesn’t get more New York than The Plaza, where Alfred Hitchcock had Cary Grant kidnapped (in North By Northwest, that is); Kevin lived it up in Home Alone 2, and bridezillas Hathaway and Hudson went to war. It was once owned by Donald Trump, who bought the hotel for more than $400m in 1988, then quickly became the only owner in The Plaza’s history to bankrupt it (he sold it off in 1995). Today, it’s owned by Fairmont, which has retained all that grande dame goodness: gilded mouldings, acres of marble, crystal chandeliers. Though this is one of the city’s only hotels where you’re guaranteed a big, plush room, luxury isn’t limited to bedtime: see the massive food hall, ritzy Champagne Bar, and glass-domed, palm-dotted Palm Court. And just when you thought it couldn’t get more “movie New York”, you step outside, where horses and carriages wait to whisk you around Central Park.

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An exclusive address in an exclusive neighbourhood, Soho House is where you go to feel like one of Manhattan’s on-trend elite. With all the hallmarks of the hipper-than-thou hospitality brand — rooftop pool and bar; Cowshed spa; cinema room — and its signature, New York design aesthetic (wood beams, exposed brick), this is the self-consciously coolest of the cool. Fear not, though – you won’t feel out of place. Staff make hotel guests feel like one of the in-crowd, and it’s access-all-areas for the duration of your stay. If you can bear to leave the inner sanctum, outside there are art galleries, high-end fashion boutiques, and the High Line (if you feel like slumming it with the hoi polloi).

Price: Rooms from $925 (£750)

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For proper Mad Men vibes, without the attendant gaggle of Instagramming tourists, the chic and discreet Sherry-Netherland is a real find. Celebs such as Diana Ross and David Bowie have lived in its suites; the lobby, complete with vaulted, frescoed ceiling, is one of New York’s finest; and that Mad Men aesthetic is strong enough to have actually made it onto the show: this is where Roger Sterling proposed to Jane. The throwback feel extends to rooms with fresh flowers and original fireplaces; actual, human elevator operators; and a barbershop on-site. The restaurant, Harry Cipriani, has waiters in white jackets and bow-ties. And it’s on Fifth Avenue, smack-dab on Central Park’s south-east corner. What a dream.

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