New York's best lodging options range from the stylish and boutique to venerable classics, with striking new hotels opening all the time. The slow season for high-end hotels is in the summer. To get the best rates, visitors should reserve as far ahead as possible. It's a good idea to browse the Internet, as hotels often post specials that casually go unmentioned over the phone.

The hotels below have been divided into four different price categories
$$$$ (over US$350)
$$$ (US$250 to US$349)
$$ (US$150 to US$249)
$ (under US$149)
These prices (per room per night) exclude the 13.625% city and state taxes, and the US$3.50 per room per night occupancy tax. Service charges or breakfast are not included unless otherwise specified.

New York Palace
Even before Travel + Leisure ranked it as one of the world's best places to stay, there was never any doubt that the New York Palace was one of the city's most lavish hotels. The hotel is located in the heart of Manhattan and New York's premier cultural, business and shopping districts. Luxuriously furnished rooms are designed with the business traveller in mind - even the in-room safes are big enough to store a laptop computer. Other amenities include a state-of-the-art spa, high-speed Internet and complimentary weekday shuttle service to Wall Street and to the theatre district Thursday through Saturday.

455 Madison Avenue (between 50th and 51st Streets)
Tel: (212) 888 7000 or 1 800 804 7035.
Website: www.newyorkpalace.com  
Price: $$$

Waldorf-Astoria
Occupying an entire block on Park Avenue, the Waldorf-Astoria is the meeting place for the world's movers and shakers, with a line of limousines often idling out front. The art deco showpiece, which opened its doors in 1931, retains the glamour of a long-gone era. The murals that once graced the lobby have been painstakingly restored and the rooms exude elegance, especially those in the soaring Waldorf Towers. Business travellers are right at home, as rooms have ample workspace, two-line speaker phones and high-speed Internet access. The amenities are endless with high-tech meeting spaces, restaurants and bars and a full-service spa.

301 Park Avenue (between 49th and 50th Streets)
Tel: (212) 355 3000 or 1 800 925 3673.
Website: www.waldorfastoria.com  
Price: $$$$

Library Hotel
A short stroll from the magnificent New York Public Library, this aptly named hotel has 10 floors, each dedicated to a different branch of the Dewey Decimal System. Despite the 1912 facade, guest rooms feature a modern design with handsome dark-wood furnishings, framed prints and those all-important books (6,000 volumes in all) that are precisely distributed. Room number 1100.006, for instance, is on the 11th floor (Philosophy) and contains a bookshelf of critical works on love. It's all very (ahem) novel and cleverly done, and there are lovely places to secret away, like the rooftop ‘poetry garden' or the mahogany-panelled ‘writers den'.

299 Madison Avenue (at 41st Street)
Tel: (212) 983 4500.
Website: www.libraryhotel.com  
Price: $$$

St Regis
This Beaux Arts jewel, built in 1904, has been restored to its original grandeur. The marble-floored lobby hints at the luxury found in the guest rooms - silk-covered walls, richly detailed crown moulding and crystal chandeliers. The Manhattan hotel is centrally located for taking in the wondrous shopping scene along Fifth Avenue, or strolling into nearby Central Park. The elegant dining room of Astor Court is a requisite stop for afternoon tea. For something with a little more bite, guests can slip into a leather armchair at the King Cole Bar, where the Red Snapper Cocktail (now known as the Bloody Mary) was first concocted.

2 East 55th Street (at Fifth Avenue)
Tel: (212) 753 4500.
Website: www.starwood.com/stregis/index.html  
Price: $$$$

Tribeca Grand
In a marvellous downtown location, the Tribeca Grand is just steps from Soho, among the lovely cast-iron facades of the neighbourhood. The hotel's Church Street bar attracts a well-heeled clientele. The rooms upstairs are minimalist, modern and yet comfortable; on the stainless steel bathroom counters are Bliss bath products. All rooms have telephones with voicemail, Wi-Fi, bedding with Egypt cotton linens, as well as Bose CD players. The hotel has a 24-hour gym, concierge and business centre. Its sister hotel, the Soho Grand, has a similar aesthetic in a less historic setting, a few blocks north.

2 Avenue of the Americas (at White and Church Streets)
Tel: (212) 519 6600 or 0800 028 9874 (from the UK).
Website: www.tribecagrand.com  
Price: $$$$

The Gershwin
Not far from the much-photographed Flatiron Building is The Gershwin. With its red facade and odd-shaped Hershey kiss-like designs, one of the city's last remaining bargain hotels is tough to miss. Buttercup yellow walls or cherry-red moulding decorate the simple but comfortable rooms. The hotel is particularly popular with young people, as the funky Pop Art décor and nightly entertainment (film screenings, art openings, live jazz) aim to please 20-something travellers. All rooms are en suite. Dorm-style rooms, suites and family rooms are also available.

7 East 27th Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues)
Tel: (212) 545 8000.
Website: www.gershwinhotel.com  
Price: $

The Marcel at Gramercy
Located within walking distance of the trendy bars and boutiques of Chelsea and SoHo, the pretty residential area of Gramercy Park and excellent transport links, the hotel is in a perfect position for sightseeing, nightlife and relaxation. Following a complete renovation in 2008, The Marcel offers sophistication and style at an affordable price, with muted tones mixed with splashes of vibrant colour, zebra-print cushions and minimalist furnishings. In-room amenities include flat-screen televisions and iPod docking stations as well as complimentary use of the guest lounge, which boasts stunning views over the New York skyline.

201 East 24th Street (on Sixth Avenue)
Website: www.hotelmarcelnewyork.com
Price: $ - $$

Hotel Elysée
Before it was a French country-styled, 101-room boutique hotel, it was home to literary giants like Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote and Harold Robbins. Antiques and earthy fabrics tastefully decorate guest rooms and marble accents the baths. The Club Room is a plush, comfortable room where everything is complimentary - continental breakfast, snacks all day, plus hors d'oeuvres and wine on weekday evenings. The friendly staff help to underscore the property's warm, European feel. And not to be missed are the simian murals at its famous Monkey Bar, once a favourite hangout of celebs like Marlon Brando, Ava Gardner and Joe DiMaggio.

60 East 54th Street (between Park and Madison)
Tel: (212) 753 1066 or 1 800 535 9733.
Website: www.elyseehotel.com  
Price: $$$

The Mansfield
A European air permeates the lobby of this 1903 classic. Many original details (ceiling mouldings, terrazzo floors, wrought iron and the skylight in the bar area) remain. Just off the small lobby is a comfortable, clubby room complete with fireplace, game boards, books and espresso/cappuccino machine. Many of the guest rooms, though not ultra roomy, have a bay window sitting area, but all have a workspace and ultra comfy beds. Continental breakfast is complimentary and the friendly staff is always there to help. Well located, the hotel is walking distance from Fifth Avenue and Broadway.

12 West 44th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
Tel: (212) 277 8700 or 1 800 255 5167.
Website: www.mansfieldhotel.com  
Price: $$$ (including breakfast)

The Paramount
There is nothing traditional about The Paramount, a post-modern showplace. For example, in the entrance, red roses are displayed vertically in vases set into the wall. The lobby bar, designed by Philippe Starck, has platinum walls and a glamorous staircase sweeping up to the mezzanine. Guests can gaze down from their tables to the music and theatre industry leaders reclining on the slightly off-kilter furniture below. Half a block to Times Square, the location of this Theater District landmark could not be better. The rooms are rather small but few guests spend much time there anyway.

235 West 46th Street (between Broadway and Eighth Avenue)
Tel: (212) 764 5500 or 1 866 760 3174.
Website: www.nycparamount.com  
Price: $$

Warwick New York Hotel
The Warwick exudes sophistication and comfort with classical elegance combined with modern luxury. Originally commissioned by William Randolph Hearst in 1926 to host a theatrical crowd, the hotel is located near to the top-shows on Broadway, as well as many other famous attractions, such as Central Park, Fifth Avenue and Carnegie Hall. For some innovative Italian cuisine head to Murals on 54 or relax with a drink in homely Randolph's Bar and Lounge, both of which often play host to New York's elite and the occasional famous face. both of which often play host to New York's elite and the occasional famous face. Fitness fans can head up to the Fitness Centre on the 3rd Floor whilst business visitors will appreciate the fax, internet and copying facilities.

65 West 54th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
Tel: (212) 247 2700.
Website: www.Utell.com or www.warwickhotelny.com
Price: $$$