New York’s Best Boutique Hotels

Are you looking for a hotel in New York City that provides you with a plush terry bathrobe and a basket of spa goodies without asking whether you want one? Where it’s easy to book limousine service to anywhere you want to go? Where the staff is friendly and knows you by name? Where the hotel itself, an oasis of relaxation and calm, is almost as much of a destination as the Big Apple itself? Then you’re looking for a boutique hotel. There are many hotels in New York City that describe themselves as boutique hotels, but how do you know which ones are the best? Read on for a few recommendations.

Wherever you stay, New York City may be the world’s premiere tourist destination. There’s something to do and see for everyone, no matter what his or her budget and tastes. There may be much taller buildings around, but a trip to the top of the Empire State Building is still a thrill: On a clear day you can see 80 miles. For well over a century the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France, has been our nation’s pledge of freedom to its citizens; you can make a special trip to the statue or see it perfectly from the Staten Island Ferry. New York City is home to hundreds of museums and historical sites, not to mention Broadway with its dazzling live theater performances. But your enjoyment of New York City will be enhanced all the more if you stay at a boutique hotel that puts your comfort first. Here are a few to consider:

The Chatwai in midtown is definitely pricey but guests believe its worth it. The hotel was designed by the legendary architect Stanford White, and was once the site of the famous professional theater actors’ club called the Lambs; its 1930s décor is recreated in meticulous detail – with some modernizations, like the televisions in every bathroom.

The Standard is a more modern boutique hotel in Greenwich Village, the creation of hotelier and developer André Balazs. It sits along side the elevated rail way called the High Line that’s now in the process of being turned into a park. Guests love the views, the ambiance, the room service and the fabulous rooftop bar.

The Bowery Hotel borders on the East Village, a tall building looking down on a neighborhood that for now is still low-rise. Rooms are spacious, outfitted with iPods, luxurious linens and high-end bath toiletries in addition to the de rigueur mini-bar and television. One particularly nice touch is the cookie tray that makes the guest rounds every afternoon.

While the Ace Hotel in midtown New York may be a little less luxurious than some other boutique hotels, its service is top rate and its amenities, including a sound system showcasing vintage turntables with vinyl albums to match, definitely make it a destination among New York City visitors in the know. Its lobby bar is packed every night of the week and many native New Yorkers believe its coffee shop, Stumptown, serves the best java in town.

 

This post was written by Charlotte, a freelance travel blogger and writer who writes for free New York travel guide, New York 101.