The city that never sleeps offers great hotels that allow a respite from the bustling metropolitan of New York, New York, the largest city in the U.S. Popular attractions include the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Times Square, Central Park and Rockefeller Center. The first hotel in New York, known as the City Hotel, opened in 1794. Big Apple hotels range from luxurious and expensive to historic with reasonable rates.
The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and Towers shines as a 47-story representation of architecture from the Art Deco era. The hotel features 1,413 luxurious guest rooms and suites. Amenities include state-of-the-art communication technology, opulent room décor, marble bathrooms and turndown service. Dine at the Peacock Alley for brunch, dinner at the Bull and Bear Steakhouse or breakfast at Oscar's Brasserie. Since 1931, famous Waldorf-Astoria residents have included such celebrities, presidents and luminaries as President Herbert Hoover, General Douglas MacArthur and Marilyn Monroe. Nearby attractions include Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Grand Central Terminal and Rockefeller Center. Forbes Travel Guide states, "...glamour and sophistication seem to pour from every crevice of the hotel."
Located near Central Park, the Plaza Hotel holds the distinction as the first hotel in New York designated as a city landmark. The French chateau-inspired hotel offers 282 rooms and suites with amenities such as 24-hour butler service, Beaux Arts decor, gold-plated faucets and white marble vanities. The hotel celebrates the classic children's book "Eloise at the Plaza" by offering a costume dress-up room, a designer Eloise Suite and etiquette classes. Dine one of four hotel restaurants. Indulge in a treatment at the Cadaulie Spa or peruse the 38 onsite shops and boutiques. In 2010, "Travel and Leisure" magazine reports that for a European-palace-style experience, this is the only game in town.
The Ritz-Carlton is a quintessential New York destination hotel. In 2010, the Ritz Carlton received the AAA Five-Diamond and the Forbes Five-Star Award for hotel excellence. The 33-story hotel has 259 guestrooms and luxury suites featuring amenities such as Bang and Olufsen stereo systems, marble baths with soaking tubs, telescopes and in-room safes large enough to accommodate a laptop. The building architecture displays a sophisticated Art Deco style infused with cosmopolitan elegance. The hotel offers two restaurants -- the BLT Market and Star Lounge -- and the La Prairie, a full-service spa. Nearby attractions include horse-drawn carriage rides, the Wolman Ice Skating Rink and Central Park Zoo. According to Fodors.com, one of the chief perks at the Ritz-Carlton is its above-and-beyond service, popular with celebrities and guests.
The 2011 Conde Nast Traveler Gold List includes the Four Seasons Hotel New York as one of the finest properties in North America. The contemporary hotel has 52 floors with 368 guestrooms and large suites. Standard amenities include Florentine marble bathrooms, deep soaking tubs that fill in 60 seconds and Internet access. The Children's Welcome Program features additional amenities such as cribs, strollers and baby toiletries. Dine at the L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon or The Garden, offering 160 wines by the glass. Area attractions include shopping along Madison Avenue, Radio City Music Hall and Times Square. The architect of the Four Seasons Hotel New York, I.M. Pei, designed the "pyramid" at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
