Amy Adejokun
Section editor
Although the Premier welcomes all guests, it was originally built with the woman traveller in mind. At once formal and relaxed, the hotel is ideally situated for both business and pleasure. It is a fresh, modern and well-considered hotel with good size rooms and some great views. Recommended for lone female travellers or businesswomen as well as for couples looking for a comfortable, discreet yet functional base in New York.
The Premier boasts a prime location in the heart of Midtown Manhattan on West 44th Street. It is right next to Broadway and just a few minutes' walk from Times Square. The Rockefeller Center is only a few blocks away and the shopping districts on Fifth and Madison Avenues can be reached on foot easily. For getting further afield, hop on the metro at one of three stations in the vicinity. JFK airport is 18 miles away, La Guardia 9 miles and Newark 17.
Each floor at the Premier has only seven rooms meaning that peace and quiet and discretion are the order of the day. Keeping things simple, the Premier offers only one kind of room, but contains everything one needs for either a business trip (desk with light coming in from behind) or leisure stay (yoga mat). The subtle tones of colour as well as the floor-to-ceiling windows (some great views to be had) ensure that the room has a fresh feel whatever the weather and the light coloured wood paneling seen in the lobby makes an appearance here too. In the room's alcove are a couch and armchair with reading lamp and coffee table as well as a flatscreen television. Other amenities include a minibar, coffeemaker and umbrella. The bathroom is a very good size for a standard room and boasts a bathtub, personalised toiletries and an illuminated vanity one of whose ends is supported by metal pole resting on the edge of the tub. The isolated toilet bowl is quite quirky and the scales are a nice touch. There is one floor of the hotel that is reserved for females only and these rooms boast extras such as bathrobes and slippers, straightening and curling irons and LATHER Spa toiletries in the bathroom.
The Premier is a towering, all glass building with a stone archway at its entrance. The lobby is very much a relaxed affair with two glass desks acting as the reception and looks brand new with its light wood paneling, shiny marble floor and flawless white painted ceiling. Opposite the reception is a painting which looks like the result of combing a Picasso with a Beryl Cook. The Mezzanine is a lounge reserved for guests only and is a relaxing place to enjoy breakfast, have a meeting or simply relax with a cocktail after having checked your emails on the free for use PCs. The rest of the hotel is absolutely spotless and has a real crisp, natural feel to it to a large extent thanks to the simple plants and clean lines present in the corridors.
The hotel was initially intended to serve the needs of female travellers, which it still does (well), although men are absolutely welcome in the hotel too! For those females wanting privacy and reassurance, there is a female only floor. Looking rather out of sorts at only four storeys between the Millennium Broadway and the Premier Hotel (also owned by Millennium) is the Hudson Theatre. Opened in 1903 by Henry B. Harris, it has seen some of the most famous names in show business tread its boards such as Bob Hope, Elvis and a then unknown Barbara Streisand. The theatre was the first in New York to enjoy the luxury of electricity and was also the first to be owned by a woman, Harris' wife Renee, after he died in the sinking of the Titanic. Today it is used for conferences and events, although ask a member of staff and you can take a look inside.
beauty salon
fitness
As with any Sofitel in the world, we expect a high standard of accommodation, professionalism in the staff and an honourable place to dine. The chain's property in New York is no exception. Marrying the attributes of good old American service with Gallic flair, the Sofitel is a very smart, yet laid back hotel with an excellent location in the heart of Manhattan. No matter what your motivation for travel in the Big Apple, you'll find that all your needs are met, indeed exceeded. Definitely one hotel that cannot, must not be disregarded.
An excellent, trendy hotel, with a truly original decoration and a good geographical situation. It will please those who love a fashionable atmosphere. But not those who love quiet and quality of service.
This New York outpost of the Spanish chain Room Mate is so funky it hurts. It marries great Iberian design with a clever use of space and an impressive range of services given the hotel's size. What's more it has a location (for tourists) to die for and laid back but efficient service. The rooms could be bigger, but then you wouldn't get the value for money that Grace offers. The property is perfect for young couples or groups of friends on a certain budget looking to get the absolute most from their dollars. This one's a definite winner!
You couldn't ask for a better location. Although this is a hotel which markets itself strongly as venue for conferences and events, it finds itself in the middle of the New York tourist area and has facilities that would suit any type of traveller, on business or pleasure. Add to that the little bit of magic that the Hudson Theatre brings to the table, together with the Art Deco surroundings, and you've got yourself the perfect base from which to discover the city that never sleeps. Decent sized rooms, some great views and the best of the city on your doorstep-definitely to be considered.
Not to take anything at all away from the Morgans or Hudson, from top to bottom the Royalton is our favourite of the three Morgans properties in New York. It has arguably the best location of all three, the most audacious design and for us the smartest rooms. Over two years since it reopened following a renovation, it is still as legendary as it was in its Starck days. Indeed, parting company from the French superstar designer could well turn out to be a smart move (although the spirit in which he had conceived the first version has been kept, not least because she started her career in his group). The most grown up of the Morgans, the Royalton has something to offer every kind of traveller no matter their motive for travel and whatever the length of their stay. A big thumbs up from easyvoyage.co.uk.
After a recently terminated $15 million renovation, it would be quite wrong to say anything other than "Money well spent!" The hotel, which has a location difficult to better, is certainly one of a kind and has some excellent facilities and original décor. Pet-friendly (to what some would say is an absurd point), it has that edge of eccentricity that one can only find here in New York. Popular amongst bohos and trendy thirty somethings it could equally serve as a familial base for a week or so's stay. However much we liked The Muse, and really, we are fans, it must be said that it has one huge flaw and that is its front of house staff. Shame, because everything else is spot on.
Take a step back in time (through a passage lined with suede and leather, of course) to the golden age of travel and the magnificent new Art Deco hotel The Chatwal. Opened recently in August of 2011, it has quickly become one of the places to stay in New York and to be honest, it isn't difficult to see why: a dream location in the heart of Manhattan, superbly appointed, world ?class accommodations, a luxury spa and a fine restaurant. Marrying both old world glamour and modern day luxury, this 'baby grand' hotel will appeal to those looking for good old fashioned service in a romantic setting with everything that makes this a great city within reach.
Squeaky clean and clinical all in white, Cassa is a contemporary hotel and residence tower in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. It boasts 165 well-appointed and light and airy rooms with sleek furnishings and details as well as state-of-the-art fitness room and a brand new breakfast room. The hotel would certainly meet the needs of couples and families visiting the city for pleasure, although business travellers and those seeking a full-service establishment (wellness facility, business centre etc) might have to look elsewhere. A major advantage of the hotel is that, despite being in the centre of town, you can't hear a thing from the roads below at night.
We're going to stick our necks out here and say that of all the hotels we have stayed at in this city, the Setai probably takes top spot. Of course there are many different types of hotel in the city and not everyone is looking for what the Setai has to offer, but as on overall experience, it can't, in our opinion, be bettered. The rooms are not only some of the biggest in the city, but they are likely to be the best appointed in terms of amenities too. The stunning, contemporary spa is as luxurious as it is spacious and in its restaurant the hotel has one of most memorable dining experiences to be had. But what impressed us most, and where the hotel rises above it competitors, is the consistent attention to detail and impeccable service the likes of which we've never seen. Although new (November 2010 opening), this is right up there with the old masters and the best thing is that it can only get better!
Let's not mince our words; The Peninsula is quite simply one of the finest hotels in New York, even more so now it is the other side of a renovation. From the very first moment you enter the hotel you'll have no doubt about the quality of experience that awaits you. There is very little to pick holes at here where excellence comes as standard: the large rooms are finely furnished, the restaurants of the highest caliber, the spa one of the most beautiful and complete in the city and the service faultless. Like all top class hotels this all comes at a certain price, however if there was ever one hotel which could justify the cost it would be this one.
We were quite simply blown away by this hotel. Rare are the occasions where there is nothing to fault, but staying here was one of those - it just couldn't put a foot wrong. Generously proportioned, impressively appointed rooms are complemented by a relaxed yet top class Italian restaurant, while the spa is a sight to behold. You'll have a tough job finding a property where the service is paralleled and don't even get us started on the views! A magnificent, modern and memorable hotel, we recommend the Trump Soho to all kinds of traveller, newcomers or old hands, couples or families. A huge thumbs up.
Q. What do you get when you take $150 million and put them into the hands of one of the world's greatest architect/designers? A. The Mark. Be under no illusions, what Jacques Grange and co have conceived in the leafy surroundings of the Upper Eastside is now the yardstick against which all other hotels will now have to measure themselves. After over two years under renovation with some of the most sought after names in the creative fields working on the project, The Mark has transformed itself from a decent hotel to a hotel of superlatives. Everything is top draw from the design to the staff, from the food to the wellness centre. This all, of course, comes with the price tag that its quality demands, however rest assured that no other hotel can come close to what The Mark has to offer.
This mythical New York hotel has seen its fair share of changes, both within in its walls and outside, however one thing remains constant: The Carlyle is one of the swankiest, smartest, seductive hotels in the city. The very few flaws of the hotel (for example the size of some bathrooms) can be excused by its age; otherwise there are very few hotels of this genre which can claim to offer a similar experience. Not only does it offer top notch service and facilities, but its location and commanding views are also something spectacular. Throw in a rich history, fine dining and exquisite décor and you get a hotel (literally) fit for kings. If you've got the cash, don't even ask yourself the question?
The Pierre has always been a landmark hotel in New York City?and we are glad to report that after its latest $100 million renovation following its takeover by Taj Hotels, it is still very much one of the hotels by which others must judge themselves. It is true to say that it may not have some of the facilities of some of the other top hotels (no spa, smaller rooms), but when it comes to service, style and sophistication, not to mention history, it is untouchable. With a location that would make most hotels weep with envy, fabulously appointed rooms with an Asian touch and a new, top quality restaurant, The Pierre is back on top of its game and ready to welcome once again all types of traveller, no matter their motive for visiting the city. All this comes, of course, at a price, but if you had to choose a place to spend your hard earned cash, this has got to be near the summit of your shortlist.
Although no longer associated with its Parisian namesake, the Plaza Athénée New York continues to offer one of the most refined hotel experiences in the city. Its style may not be as subtle as some of its competitors and thus some many find it a little overwhelming, but there is no getting away from the fact the hotel is a class act from top to bottom. It boasts capacious, well-appointed and recently renovated rooms (January 2010), a fine wellness centre, a celebrated restaurant and bar and an impeccable service from a smart, professional staff. If you're after that classic European opulence the other side of the Atlantic then the well-located Plaza Athénée is one to consider.
Take a step back in time (through a passage lined with suede and leather, of course) to the golden age of travel and the magnificent new Art Deco hotel The Chatwal. Opened recently in August of 2011, it has quickly become one of the places to stay in New York and to be honest, it isn't difficult to see why: a dream location in the heart of Manhattan, superbly appointed, world ?class accommodations, a luxury spa and a fine restaurant. Marrying both old world glamour and modern day luxury, this 'baby grand' hotel will appeal to those looking for good old fashioned service in a romantic setting with everything that makes this a great city within reach.