Hotels in New York City

This New York hotel 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.

Set in the charming, tree-lined neighbourhood of the West Village, the Abingdon is a cosy alternative to Midtown high-rises. Spread between two 19th-century townhouses are nine rooms, each offering a different vision of old-fashioned New England. Exposed brick walls, antique furnishings, four-poster beds and even decorative fireplaces are some of the features found throughout the guest rooms, while the Garden Room even has its own plant-filled patio.

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.

A charming brownstone building in the middle of Chelsea that has been restored to within an inch of its life, and is one of the best value hotels in New York. The rooms aren’t the biggest in town, but they’re clean and well-designed, if a little intimate. The stylish woodwork décor makes it feel classier than most hotels in its price category, and guests have individual bathrooms, but shared toilet facilities.