Ten Best Places to Sleep in New York City

By Sandra Mardenfeld

New York City is full of iconic and legendary hotels (think: the Waldorf Astoria and The Plaza) but it’s also a hotbed of chic lodgings. This year alone brings a slew of new ones, from super cool to posh. Just because we’re known “as the city that never sleeps” doesn’t mean you won’t want to set down those shopping bags and recharge before heading back out into Gotham’s nightlife. Check out our current favorites of New York City hotels.

Photo by Nikolas Koenig

The New York Edition
First built in 1909 as the HQ for MetLife, this luxury hotel in the Flatiron District retains its historic 41-story clock tower—a site that allows guests amazing 360-degree views of the New York skyline. The 273 guest rooms marry simplicity with sophistication and contain oak floors and dark oak wood-paneled foyers that create intimate spaces much like a private home with a modern feel. The oversized windows offer close-up perspectives of Madison Square Park and the Empire State Building. The Ian Schrager/Marriott collaboration opened in 2015 and, even, offers special amenities for your dog. Other services include around-the-clock room service, a 24-hour fitness facility, and a spa that offers everything from massage to personal training. The Clocktower restaurant dishes up re-imagined classics (smoked salmon benedict?) and British cuisine (black pudding with your breakfast?). Two bars keep you from getting thirsty: the modern Lobby Bar offers casual elegance with floor-to-ceiling windows that face the park. Try their signature cocktail, Edition Owl (vodka, spiced rum, cardamom, coconut, lime, almond and peach)—$1 from each drink goes to protect New York wild birds. The Gold Bar, with its herringbone floors and three-foot fiberglass globe chandelier suspended over a 24K gold leaf horseshoe-shaped bar, provides a sophisticated ambience to before- or after-dinner cocktails. editionhotels.com/new-york

Baccarat Hotel & Residences
Ah, a Parisian boudoir or pied-a-terre on 53rd Street no less. These light, airy guest rooms, or should I say, les chambres, favor subtlety with crisp hues of ivory, platinum, steel, and chocolate brown. Each space is full of lovely artisanal details: original prints, Baccarat crystal fixtures, white marble bathrooms with waiting plush Italian robes. Plus, guests can indulge in a vacation-like atmosphere without ever leaving the hotel: get a cabana by the pool for a day of relaxation or go for a beauty retreat at the Spa De La Mer. Then enjoy dinner or drinks at one of the three dining establishments. There’s the French cuisine of executive chef Shea Gallante (who earned a Michelin star while at Cru) at the intimate Chevalier. Or visit The Grand Salon and its splendor—from a 64-arm Baccarat chandelier to Jouffre silk-covered walls and parquet floors to comfortable banquettes. You’ll have access to a full bar menu/dining service from the kitchen of Chevalier. Oh, and food requests are always honored. Les Boissons or The Bar nods to its French heritage with barrel vaulting and natural-wood walls. The 60-foot saloon carries an extensive collection of imbibes—served in Baccarat crystal (what else?). If you want to go out, make sure you leave in style with Baccarat’s on-call chauffeur-driven vintage Citroen DS. baccarathotels.com

The Knickerbocker
Luxury comes to Times Square at the corner of Broadway and 42nd. The original Beaux-Arts façade with its red terra cotta watched the space go through many changes. Initially, a 556-room hotel built by society scion John Jacob Astor IV in 1906. Rumor has it that the martini was created here by bartender Martini di Arma di Taggia and first tasted by John D. Rockefeller, who named the tasty drink after its maker. The space closed 15 years later as Prohibition curtailed nightlife culture and the market declined. In 1920, the building became offices and housed Newsweek magazine through the ’40s and ’50s. The facility transformed again in the 80s into lofts and then studios. The Knickerbocker opened in February 2015 and now has 330-rooms with bespoke furnishings and beautiful skyline views. The hotel’s rooftop bar, St. Cloud, even offers first-rate glimpses of the New Year’s Eve ball. Guest accommodations all contain luxury linens and spacious bathrooms with marble sinks and walk-in rain showers. Other amenities include cuisine by master chef Charlie Palmer (choose from the signature restaurant Charlie Palmer at The Knick; the artisanal café, Jakes @ The Knick; or their rooftop bar, St. Cloud). theknickerbocker.com

Paper Factory Hotel
This retro hotel has a historic feel—and it’s no wonder, the building’s beginnings goes back to 1922 when radios and audio parts, then communication devices and televisions and, finally, paper were manufactured here. In 2012, real estate developer Gal Sela bought the 86,000-square-foot industrial Long Island City facility and began its makeover into a boutique hotel. The 122 guest rooms feature original materials from the warehouse, such as its smooth concrete floors, exposed pipes and vintage metal doors and contain unique custom-designed furniture from around the world. The 12-foot ceilings, coupled with giant windows, give the space a lovely, airy look. Even the lobby takes its past seriously, displaying a 100-year-old paper machine next to its grand circular staircase and embedding vintage maps and papers into the floor. The amenities are quite modern though and include a 24-hour fitness center, Mundo—a restaurant offering food inspired by Mediterranean and Latin cultures, and its own Instagram hashtag #paperfactoryhotel where guests share their experiences. So, come by and play a few games of Ping Pong in the lounge or grab a lawn chair and bask in the sunshine at Romo Park—the hotel’s outdoor garden space—and don’t forget to post your selfie. paperfactoryhotel.com

The Bowery Hotel
Part hipster, part Old World sophistication, this downtown hotel offers access to the Lower East Side and theatrical outposts, such as the Public Theater, New York Theatre Workshop and La MaMa. Designed so well by its owners Sean MacPherson and Eric Goode, you’ll marvel over the decor and want to take the look home with you. Mammoth floor-to-ceiling windows make the 135 guest rooms and suites bright and airy, and the marble bathrooms with antiqued brass fixtures and rain showerheads are pure luxury. So are the hardwood floors covered with signature Oushak rugs, the 400 thread count Egyptian linens and the velvety drapes. Some terrace suites also offer outdoor hot tubs. Amenities include a fitness room, spa, 24-hour room and concierge service and complimentary bikes and a film library.

Built in 2007, the hotel’s centerpiece remains its sumptuous lobby that contains an inviting large fireplace, bookshelves, dark wood and tapestries as well as threadbare carpets, antique velvet armchairs and period paintings of New York that scream nostalgia. Enjoy a drink at the popular, wood-paneled Lobby Bar or indulge in some antipasti, a charcuterie plate, pasta or pizza (Try the basil, artichokes, prosciutto, mushroom topped Four Seasons) at the Bowery’s Gemma Trattoria. theboweryhotel.com

Photo by Benoit Linero

The NoMad Hotel
This stylish hotel on the corner of 28th and Broadway adds dashes of whimsy—like swagged drapes, mismatched interiors, and tattered Oriental rugs—to its emphasis on historical detailing. The Beaux-Arts building was reinvented in 2012 with the help of French designer Jacques Garcia, who based the interiors on a former Paris apartment he lived in during his youth. All 168 rooms feel homelike and special with custom furniture, handmade vintage Heriz rugs, embossed leather headboards and original artwork. Even the bathrooms are inspired by Europe and generally contain walk-in showers with separate water closets. Plus, the waiting Sferra and Frette bathrobes are delightful. Dining at NoMad uses the same traditions chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara adhere to in their Michelin three-star rated, New York-based Eleven Madison Park. Garcia designed the restaurant as a series of rooms, emulating the atmosphere of a belle époque house with a glass atrium-type erection and delightfully-rich fabrics. There are also two bars for those needing their happy-hour fix. Try the Start Me Up, a delicious blend of honey, ginger, lemon with bourbon and rum. It’ll fix what ails you. For an evening full of illusion, buy tickets to see Dan White in The Magician. Shop early because the event sells out quickly. thenomadhotel.com

Photo courtesy of Christian Horan

Viceroy New York
Central Park, Carnegie Hall, Fifth Avenue, Radio City and the Museum of Modern Art are a stroll away at this upscale boutique hotel, which opened in 2013. You’ll love the lobby with its marble accents and city map. The spacious 240 rooms and suites contain rich woods and a clean elegance, offering features like a walk-in shower, Sferra linens and a special Beats by Dr. Dre Sound System. Amenities include 24-hour in-room dining and a fitness center that never closes. For magnificent city views, grab a drink at the 29th floor bar, The Roof (try the Spicy Paloma, a blend of Casamigos Blanco tequila, Thai Chile Aperol and grapefruit soda). The lounge appropriates a nautical theme, and you’ll see lots of brass. The terrace stays open all year and warms its patrons with heating lamps and woolen blankets during New York’s chillier months. There’s also Kingside, an all-day restaurant with a bar located at the hotel’s street level. Think New American cooking as interpreted by chef Marc Murphy—so you can expect a raw and crudo bar, appetizers, charcuterie and cheeses, as well as small plates and larger entrees meant to be shared along with the 32 oz. Cowboy Ribeye intended for two. viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/en/newyork

The Quin
For the eco-conscious individual who enjoys both culture and luxury, the Quintessential, or Quin, combines hand-selected sustainable materials with the latest art finds. Constructed during the peak of the Arts and Crafts movement, the hotel once housed artists like Georgia O’Keeffe and Marc Chagall. Check out the lobby’s 15-foot abstract video art wall or attend one of their ongoing intimate art salons, lectures or exhibits. The hotel offers an artist in residence program and you’ll find the work of many of those individuals on display. The hotel’s location on 57th and 6th Avenue makes the Quin within walking distance to 5th Avenue shopping, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln and Rockefeller centers. The 208 rooms (28 suites!) feature the usual comforts along with direct dial private access to Bergdorf Goodman personal shoppers, a ceiling rain shower, city views and a tablet that allows you to control all lighting, climate, music and room service from your bed. Wellness is important at the Quin, and the facility offers a 24-hour fitness center, as well as personal trainers, yoga instructors and freshly-pressed juices available all day long. Dining options include 24-hour room service and the Meyer Davis-designed, two-story bar/restaurant, The Wayfar, which offers a classic American menu. thequinhotel.com

Photo courtesy of The Beekman

The Beekman
This lower Manhattan hotel at 5 Beekman Street has some history: the granite, terra-cotta and redbrick building overlooked the city as one of its initial high-rises in 1883 and earlier served as its first theatre, the Chapel Street Theater, premiering Shakespeare’s Hamlet in 1761. It also was the site of Clinton Hall where writers like Edgar Allan Poe worked. Opening in June 2016, The Beekman features a nine-story atrium, lined with cast-iron dragon arches and filigreed balustrades that lead to a pyramid-shaped skylight. The 287 rooms all have high ceilings, vintage furnishings, aged oak floors, craft cocktail tables with gourmet mini-bars and roomy Carrara marble-tiled baths with rain showers. Each custom-designed oak bed with its leather headboard is topped with satiny Sferra linens. If you really dig the hotel, you can opt for something more permanent with one of its private residences/luxury condos, which start at 172 feet up and offer 360 degrees of the Manhattan skyline (Now that’s a view). For dining, there is Chef/Restaurateur Tom Colicchio’s Fowler & Wells, which will serve up New York classics, and The Bar on the ground floor of the atrium. Restaurateur Keith McNally’s Augustine will offer French fare by Chefs Shane McBride and Daniel Parilla. And, there’s also 24-hour in-room dining through Colicchio. thebeekman.com

The Mark
This beautiful 1927 landmark building was reimagined as a luxury five-star hotel by designer Jacques Grange, and opened in 2009. Located at the corner of 77th Street and Madison Avenue, the property sits less than one block from Central Park and less than four to The Whitney Museum. The 152 guest rooms and suites are art-deco inspired and decorated in custom furnishings with specially created art and lighting fixtures. Take a soak in the large marble bathrooms while you catch up on the news with its mini flat-screen TV. Visit the on-site Frederic Fekkai Salon or get a complimentary shoeshine before hitting the town. Guests will delight at the Mark Restaurant (enjoy a different dessert special every day) and the Mark Bar both by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Later, grab a Mark bike, with its signature black helmet and basket, and have the best picnic ever with a “lunch-to-go” created by Vongerichten. Don’t worry about getting lost since the hotel also includes an illustrated bike map of Central Park for you. If you love those selfies, the hotel wants you to share your stay on Instagram or Twitter by tagging #TheMark, #TheMarkHotel and #LifeattheMark. themarkhotel.com