Articles

Indagare’s Most-Booked Hotels in New York City

New York City is getting ready for fall—and now is the perfect time to start planning a visit to the Big Apple. To help you find your perfect home base, we’ve rounded up the New York City luxury hotels that have lately been most popular with Indagare members. From design-forward boutique gems to iconic establishments steeped in history and the ultimate addresses for polish and glamour, these hotels offer an urban escape for every type of traveler in Manhattan.

Contact your Indagare Trip Designer or Indagare, if you are not yet a member, to start planning a trip to New York City. Our team can match you with the accommodations, reservations and activities that are right for you.

2022-2023

1.  The Mark, Upper East Side

Reopened as a Landmark building in 2009 after extensive renovations, the Mark, like its guests, is refined and flawlessly put together. The 152 rooms and 47 suites of the Upper East Side classic are spacious, ranging from 400 to 700 square feet, and are located throughout 12 floors. French interior designer Jacques Grange melded old-world Parisian elegance with modern accents in the design. The rooms are airy and light-filled with soft color schemes, plush bedding and bathrooms with deep soaking tubs and TVs built into the vanity mirror. Guests can enjoy the 1,400-square-foot fitness center by John Sitaras, the exclusive Frédéric Fekkai salon and the John Lobb shoeshine kiosk. The efficient and personable staff can assist with bike rides and picnics in Central Park, with food courtesy of Jean-Georges, or welcome your dog with a customized bed and water bowl for their stay. The hotel has a relationship with Bergdorf Goodman for personal shoppers and offers a branded pedicab service to chauffeur its guests around to shops and restaurants around the Upper East Side. Families will enjoy special amenities, such as customized strollers, kid-friendly goodies like slumber party packages and curated visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a five-minute walk from the hotel. Book now.

Related: What’s New in New York City: Hotels, Restaurants & Culture in Manhattan – Fall 2023

2.  The Whitby, Midtown West

Coming in second place is the Crosby’s sister property, The Whitby. In many ways, this boutique property bears resemblance to its downtown counterpart; however, The Whitby, on 56th street, just off Fifth Avenue, is unique in that it feels like a small, eclectic hotel—but is set in the center of bustling Midtown and is surrounded by some of the city’s leading galleries, museums and luxury department stores (making it an ideal place to stay for those looking to sight-see and shop). Each of the 86 spacious, Kit Kemp-designed rooms and suites features floor-to-ceiling windows (and many have private terraces) along with the signature design whimsy, details and rich textures. The hotel’s bar and restaurant are open to guests and visitors for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus brunch on the weekends. Additional on-site amenities include a Drawing Room with rows of books and original artwork, a state-of-the-art cinema that can seat up to 130 guests and a fully equipped gym. Book now.

Related: Indagare’s Most-Booked Hotels of Fall 2023

3.  Crosby Street Hotel, SoHo

The Crosby Street Hotel is the New York addition to London-based Firmdale hotel company, which includes the Haymarket and The Knightsbridge. The very British company’s first foray into the U.S., the Crosby sits on a relatively quiet side street in SoHo, occupying a modern 11-story building, which Firmdale built from the ground up. Interiors are classic Kit Kemp: a contemporary mélange of fabrics, textures and eye-catching hues that are combined with an expert eye. The best part about Kemp’s vision is that it’s decidedly about the fantasy of staying in a beautifully conceptualized hotel that has absolutely nothing to do with your own home: lime green fauteuils, wildly patterned, bespoke wallpaper and multi-hued silk drapes. Each of the 86 rooms is different in décor and color scheme, giving the accommodations a personal, handcrafted feel. Hand-chosen antiques and custom-designed light fixtures abound, as well as original art. Outdoor spaces include a garden on a lower rooftop, allowing guests to look onto something green, and the lofty bar area that spills into a courtyard facing Lafayette Street is one of the city’s hot spots for al fresco cocktails and meals throughout the day. Don’t let the name fool you, this is a fully-fledged—and delicious—restaurant. For guests who want to be based downtown in midst of Soho bustle—Balthazar is around the corner—the Crosby Street Hotel is a stylish option. Book now.

Related: East Coast Vacations: Easy Summer Escapes from Memorial Day to Labor Day Weekend

4. Aman New York, Midtown

The arrival of the first Aman retreat in New York—and the first property from the brand ever on the East Coast—in August 2022 represents the most-discussed addition to the city’s hotel offerings (read our First Look here). The design-forward wellness haven is located within the Crown Building, a Gilded Age jewel on Fifth Avenue overlooking Central Park that was the original home of MoMA. The property has been transformed by Jean-Michel Gathy to restore the original architecture while fusing the sleek and serene minimalism of the Aman brand with the glitz of the location. The three-story, over 7,500-square-foot indoor-outdoor spa is the reason to come here (the pièce de résistance: a dramatic indoor swimming pool circled by fire pits and daybeds), but guests are sure to linger at the underground jazz bar, wraparound garden terrace, Japanese and Italian restaurants and wine library (nor will the 83 rooms and suites disappoint—with the entry-level category starting at over $3,000 per night). Book now.

Related: Best New Hotels of 2023: Our Top Picks from Around the World

5.  The Lowell, Upper East Side

Guests of this discreet, under-the-radar Upper East Side hotel on 63rd Street, between Park Avenue and Madison Avenue, feel as though they are in one of the city’s rarefied co-ops, some of which, in fact, are just around the corner. The pied-à-terre concept continues with the interior design of the 47 suites and 27 deluxe rooms, most of which have comfortable color schemes and tasteful mahogany furniture and prints, courtesy of the designer Michael S. Smith. The best suites have terraces and/or wood-burning fireplaces and some come with kitchens. The Garden Suite, with two terraces (one large enough for a small dinner party) and a fireplace in the living room, is popular with couples who want to entertain when in town. Another favorite is the Penthouse Suite on the 17th floor (envision a three-bedroom apartment with four terraces, views in all directions and interiors that manage to bring just the right sunny Southern California ease and glamour to Manhattan apartment living). While there is no spa, the hotel can arrange for in-room treatments, and there is a small but fabulous gym. The elegant second floor dining room serves food throughout the day and the ground-floor Majorelle Restaurant, Club Room and Jacques Bar are neighborhood mainstays. Book now.

Related: 16 Best New Boutique Hotels in the U.S.

6.  The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, Upper East Side

Enter this Upper East Side fixture on 76th Street and Madison Avenue, and you will be transported to the New York City of old, with its storied mystique, dimly lit piano bar—the iconic Bemelmans—and elevator operators who have been there (and witnessed it all) seemingly from time immemorial. Since the hotel opened in 1930, it has been a bastion of discerning luxury and the address of choice for movie stars and statesmen (President Kennedy and Marilyn are said to have trysted at the Carlyle). Over the years, different decorators, including Dorothy Draper and Mark Hampton, have brought their visions of gracious New York living to bear on the 190 guest rooms; most recently, after the hotel came under the management of the Rosewood Hotel Group, the rooms were renovated in 2019 by the New York-based, award-winning design practice Tonychi Studio. The lobby and glamorous Bemelmans Bar, named in honor of the legendary illustrator of the Madeline children’s books who painted the space’s Central Park-themed murals in return for his room and board, have been given fresh polish by interior designer Thierry Despont—while the Gallery tea parlor was envisioned by Renzo Mongiardino (and leads into the historic Carlyle Restaurant and Café Carlyle). There is also a Sisley-Paris spa, Yves Durif salon and fitness studio. Book now.

Related: Insiders’ Hamptons: Where to Go and What to Do This Summer

7.  The Bowery Hotel, Lower East Side

When the Bowery Hotel opened in 2007 in a prime spot between the East Village and NoHo, Ian Schrager fans were quick to point out that its brooding lobby—complete with Gilded Age antiques, a fireplace and velvet, tasseled furniture—was similar to the Gramercy Park Hotel’s own salon-like entranceway. But while both properties have been cited as examples of the High Bohemia design craze, the Bowery’s vibe is a little less dramatic. There are no Warhols and Damien Hirsts here, and the vibe is a bit cozier and brainier, as evidenced in the shelves of leather-bound classics and the old-fashioned newspaper rack. The rooms are simultaneously elegant and industrial-sleek: long, flowing curtains cover floor-to-ceiling windows and dark mahogany furniture offsets exposed piping and white brick walls. All have fantastic Manhattan views (there are, after all, very few tall office buildings down here to obstruct them), but only the seven private terrace suites contain the hotel’s famous outdoor showers, which allow guests to literally soak up the view. The lobby bar and Italian restaurant Gemma are neighborhood hot spots, while other amenities include complimentary access to bicycles, a film library and board games, in-room spa treatments and a small gym. Book now.

Related: Where to Go in Fall 2023

8. The Peninsula New York, Midtown

In the heart of midtown, this twenty-three-story hotel is housed in a glorious Beaux Arts structure on Fifth Avenue at 55th Street. The landmark building was constructed in 1905 and the hotel’s 185 guestrooms and 54 suites retain old-world charm with fresh refurbishments and finishings. Each room boasts a palette of cream, ivory, light brown and white with luxurious fabrics and Art Nouveau touches. Bathrooms are spacious and come with deep soaking tubs. On the mezzanine level, intimate groups gather for afternoon tea in the Gotham Lounge while contemporary American cuisine can be found in Clement. Its three adjoined rooms, each distinctly designed by Yabu Pushelberg, cater to any dining occasion, including private parties. Those looking for a complete well-being experience will enjoy the top three floors of the hotel, home to a serious health club, glass-enclosed swimming pool, full service salon by Vu, and an 11-treatment room ESPA spa. During the summer, the furnished wrap-around deck and groovy rooftop Salon de Ning are often packed with a post-work crowd. Cocktails are expensive, but the glittering views below are priceless. Book now.

Related: Our Favorite U.S. Hotels with Private Cottages or Villas

9.  The Greenwich, Tribeca

Constructed and decorated with materials recovered from all over Manhattan and from as far as Japan, The Greenwich Hotel, Robert DeNiro’s passion project, could bring any aesthetically savvy guest to tears. Well situated near downtown’s hot spots, the 88-room property provides a home base for visitors who want big hotel amenities such as a gym and spa on a smaller scale. Thoughtful details—mirrors made with silvered glass from the Flatiron building and antique wood floors—give the interiors an established look, and the pretty interior courtyard, inspired by the Place de Vosges, feels classically Parisian. The fact that it has a pool certainly sets The Greenwich apart—as does the Shibui Spa, an underground Japanese-influenced sanctuary where guests can book personal training sessions as well as treatments in the traditional bathing shiatsu space. Locanda Verde, the Greenwich Hotel’s restaurant has a reputation in its own right as Andrew Carmellini’s canvas for creating variations of traditional Italian dishes with quality ingredients and a casual vibe. While Locanda Verde is open to the public, guests have exclusive access to a cozy fire-lit drawing room and outdoor courtyard dining space that also serves Locanda Verde food, in a private setting filled with one-of-a-kind pieces from all over the world (including back-lit cartoons and unique paintings by DeNiro’s father, a respected contemporary artist). Book now.

Related: Indagare’s Most-Booked Hotels of 2022

10. 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge Park

Few hotels in New York City have such an enviable location as 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge: along the waterfront at Brooklyn Bridge Park near its namesake bridge—whose proximity makes Manhattan easily accessible. (It’s also steps away from the Dumbo ferry stop, connecting passengers to Wall Street and Midtown, as well as Brooklyn’s other waterfront neighborhoods.) Inside, the hotel is a study in industrial-chic, with ubiquitous use of reclaimed wood and stone, polished concrete and steel. All accommodations have live plants (from small, table top greenery up to large potted trees), filtered water taps (plus refillable glass bottles) and custom sustainable mattresses from New York-based company Keetsa; the best rooms overlook the park and the water, with floor-to-ceiling windows. For dining, the ground floor Neighbors coffee shop serves excellent (though pricey) espresso drinks and pastries, and draws guests as well as locals and out-of-towners passing through Brooklyn Bridge Park. The Osprey, also on the ground floor, serves new American cuisine in a plant-filled indoor space or on a patio within the park. The real treat, though, is Harriet’s, a bi-level lounge and rooftop with light bites and panoramic views. It’s around the corner from the hotel’s beautiful, if small, rooftop pool, which is available exclusively to guests only. Book now.

2021-2022

  1. Crosby Street Hotel, SoHo
  2. The Whitby, Midtown West
  3. The Mark, Upper East Side
  4. The Greenwich, Tribeca
  5. The Lowell, Upper East Side
  6. The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, Upper East Side
  7. The Bowery Hotel, Lower East Side

Contact your Indagare Trip Designer or Indagare, if you are not yet a member, to start planning a trip to New York City. Our team can match you with the accommodations, reservations and activities that are right for you.

– Indagare on August 26, 2023

Column

Related Hotels

Become an Indagare Member Today!

Join

Welcome back,
log in to Indagare

Not a member?

Forgot Password

Enter your email and we’ll send you a link to reset your password.

Type the first 3 letters to begin