There’s more to New York than Manhattan, but if you’re visiting the city for the first time then this is where it's at! It’s home of many of New York’s most famous sites and sights (the list of highlights is endless) — it’s also home to THREE of the world’s ten most-visited tourist attractions: Times Square, Central Park and Grand Central Station. Our pick of the best hotels in Manhattan covers the whole range for every taste and budget. We've discovered some romantic, boutique gems, some Grandes Dames that even if you don't stay in, you should pop into for a drink and some centrally located properties that will suit those on the tightest of budgets! Consult our pick of the hotels and start planning your visit to the Big Apple.
Classic Manhattan Hotels
- The Hotel Elysee once hosted Manhattan’s literary elite — most famously Tennessee Williams, who spent his final years living here. It’s classy, elegant and intimate. The suites feature French style furnishings with rich fabrics and the Monkey Bar has become one of Midtown's most iconic and hip bars.
- The Algonquin Hotel opened its doors in 1902 and has been doing a roaring trade ever since, probably helped along by the fact that Dorothy Parker and the Algonquin Round Table (otherwise known as the ‘vicious circle’) would meet everyday for lunch throughout the 1920s. The decor embodies old world charm, but doesn't skimp on the contemporary comforts we all require.
For a room with a view
- The Carlyle Hotel is a timeless, classic, luxurious, Upper East Side landmark hotel with 190 rooms and opulent suites — the best with stunning views of Central Park.
- The SoHo Grand Hotel is in lively, fashionable SoHo, and is a sumptuous, elegantly designed 353 room hotel. Perfect for your average ultra-chic New Yorker, with the original artworks, the stylish bar, sophisticated club and acclaimed restaurant. For a really good view make sure you book a room on a higher floor, or spoil yourself with a Terrace Suite or Loft Penthouse.
For a city break
- The Archer New York is about a mile from Times Square, however it is close to the Garment District, Grand Central Station and the Empire State Building. The feel is quite quirky, blending downtown-style brick walls and industrial spaces with uptown decorative influences. Plus, the rooftop bar, Spyglass offers irresistible skyline views.
- The Bryant Park Hotel is a black and gold, Gothic landmark overlooking Bryant Park in the heart of Midtown. The 128 rooms are light and minimal feeling, but with bathtubs and city views. The KOI sushi restaurant is popular with locals and the bar makes a lively start to the night.
- The Hotel Giraffe is an elegant boutique hotel known for its excellent service, and spacious rooms. It's located in the NoMad neighbourhood, so a short walk from many of the city's highlights and close to lots of excellent bars and restaurants.
For romance
- The Library Hotel is a book-lover's paradise between Grand Central and Bryant Park. As well as the literary themed rooms and writer's den, there’s also a rooftop bar and a poetry garden - which has excellent cocktails and city views. Romantics should book the "Love Room" with its private terrace and art and books themed on the Philosophy of Love.
- The Whitby is part of the Firmdale collection and it doesn't disappoint. Its beautifully designed rooms ooze with style and class. There’s also a chic bar, an excellent restaurant and a cinema!
- The Marlton in Greenwich Village has plenty of style and atmosphere, plus marble bathrooms, parquet floors, oak panelled walls and brass fixtures. It also has a cocktail bar, a very nice French restaurant, and an espresso bar!
For luxury
- The Crosby Street Hotel is an achingly cool, 86 room SoHo hotel loved by celebrities and design addicts for it’s chic Kit Kemp interiors. You can expect original art on the walls and an impressive list of celebrity guests. Yet the hotel is on quite a quiet street, and the main event of most rooms are the floor-to-ceiling views of Manhattan’s skyline.
- Called The Greenwich, yet in the TriBecCa neighbourhood, this luxury 5 star hotel boasts a fantastic bar and restaurant plus a Shibui Spa and indoor pool. Perfect for Manhattan’s nightlife, and daylife too.
Manhattan’s Hippest Hotels
- The Mercer is an iconic New York hotel offering the ultimate in SoHo chic. Book this place if you want a flavour of New York loft-style living, surrounded by artistic cool and modernist designs.
- The Freehand hotel is hip, affordable and central — it’s close to Gramercy Park. The interiors are bold and interesting, with walls covered in murals painted by local artists. It also has three restaurants, two bars and a 24hour gym.
For a Design Hotel
- The Refinery Hotel is not a luxury hotel converted from an oil refinery, but a hat factory. The 197 plush rooms have high ceilings, hardwood floors, contemporary artworks and some offer views of the Empire State Building. The industrial conversion vibe is mixed with suave contemporary flare to great effect.
- Right on Canal Street, on the edge SoHo and Chinatown, 11 Howard is another super chic Scandi-style design hotel. The floors are oak, the ceilings high, and the art is original and contemporary.
- The Hotel 50 Bowery is new and chic, with the latest in design taste — think exposed brick and brushed concrete walls, fantastic hanging lights and trendy colours. There are also Chinatown inspired splashes of red and lantern-esque lights. The views are excellent, from both the 229 rooms and suites and from the incredible rooftop bar.
For Central Park
- The Lowell is a charming Upper East Side Hotel, just a block to the east of Central Park. The decor is very classic; think marble bathrooms, neutral tones, elegant furnishings and art and even proper wood-burning fireplaces. The location is residential, a quiet, tree-lined street off Madison Avenue, and the overall feel is of staying in a gorgeous, 70 room townhouse.
For Uptown Manhattan
- The Mark is right in the heart of the Upper East Side, and offers old fashioned elegance, despite a recent refurbishment by French designer Jacques Grange, who put in a fantastic, Esher-esque restaurant which has become extremely popular with celebrities and New York royalty.
For Midtown Manhattan
- Hotel Hugo is a retro delight, with 122 rooms designed by architect Marcello Pozzi and decorated with custom-made Italian furnishings. You’re on the edge of SoHo with views of the Hudson River and the skyline of Downtown Manhattan, which you can really enjoy from the double storey rooftop bar.
- The Roger is a stylish, 194 room hotel on Madison Avenue. Many rooms have views of the Empire State Building (some from their private terraces), and all are cool, colourful and bright.
For Downtown Manhattan
- The Ludlow is a stylish hotel with a touch of the avant garde, located in the trendy Lower East Side. There are 184 rooms and suites, many with large casement windows, Moroccan lamps, vintage details and handmade silk rugs. There’s a French bistro and a cool garden bar.
- The Beekman has a jazz-age style to it, with simple, elegant design and an atmospheric cocktail bar. The downtown location is excellent too.
- Wall Street adjacent, Gild Hall, A Thompson Hotel is both totally charming and great value. The 126 rooms are decorated with strong, dark colours, leaving the communal areas to really style it up in the split-level library and the rustic-glam bar and restaurant.
Manhattan’s Best Value Hotels
- CitizenM New York is another in that set of innovative, modern, no-frills-hotels-with-funky-design. It’s about one minute from Times Square, has wall-to-wall windows and a panoramic rooftop bar.
- Vibrant and friendly, the Casablanca Hotel is one of the best places to stay if you want to be right in the heart of things. The decor is Moroccan, with beautiful mosaics, tapestries and paintings, impressive rugs and even ornate ceiling fans. These unique, careful touches, and the fact that it's incredibly well priced for the location, means that the 48 rooms are often booked solid with repeat guests.
Still not sure which to book?
