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The perennial battle of downtown cool versus uptown chic rages on, but with a twist: The hotter-than-hot Meatpacking District may have to yield some coolness to —of all places— midtown. For years, developers lured in-the-know travelers below 14th Street, leaving midtown's many cookie-cutter business-traveler rooms vacant. But midtown wasn't going down without a fight, so this year, the area exults in a new crop of luxury hotels rife with sweet amenities like an in-room iPod, a flat-screen TV (complete with a yoga channel) and even a recording studio. The three latest superstylish hostelries are the Dream Hotel, 70 Park Avenue and the Blakely New York. And the appeal of these hotels doesn't end with jazzed-up room service: 70 Park houses the Silverleaf Tavern, a new-American restaurant, while the chill vibe at Dream Hotel's lounges, including the below-ground Subconcious (accessible via a blue-glass elevator), gives similar downtown trend-havens a run for their money. At the same time, head-to-toe renovations have spruced up the Metropolitan Hotel, the Hotel Roger Williams and the Habitat Hotel (130 E 57th St at Lexington Ave, 212-753-8841, 800-497-6028, www.habitat-nyc.com).
Other areas of the city continue to carve out niches. Chelsea offers stylish accommodations at budget prices; Soho is the king of designer chambers; and savvy uptown entrepreneurs are turning Harlem's beautiful brownstones into one-of-a-kind bed-and-breakfasts. New York has more small-chain and independent hotels than any other city in the country, and nearly half of its properties are unaffiliated with national or international chains. Tourism has picked up since the post-September 11 slump, so city hotels have responded by hiking rates (this year, prices went up $10 to $50 per room).
The best way to begin your hotel search is to choose the price range and neighborhood that interest you. The prices quoted in our listings are not guaranteed, but they should give you a good idea of the hotel's average rack rates. And if you follow the tips below, you're likely to find slashed room prices, package deals and special promotions.
Weekend travelers, be warned: Many smaller hotels adhere to a strict three-night minimum booking policy. Make sure to include New York's 13.625 percent room tax and a $2 to $6 per night occupancy tax when planning your travel budget. Ask in advance about unadvertised costs—phone charges, minibars, faxes—so you're not surprised at checkout.
Pre-booking blocks of rooms allows reservation companies to offer reduced rates. Discounts cover most price ranges, including economy; some agencies claim savings of up to 65 percent, though 20 percent is more likely. If you simply want the best deal, mention the part of town you prefer and the rate you're willing to pay, and see what's available. The following agencies work with select New York hotels and are free of charge, though a few require payment for rooms at the time the reservation is made.
Hotel Reservations Network
10440 North Central Expwy, suite 400, Dallas, TX 75231 (214-369-1264, 800-246-8357; www.hotels.com).
Quikbook
381 Park Ave South, third floor, New York, NY 10016 (212-779-7666, 800-789-9887; www.quikbook.com).
www.timeout.com/newyork/
This website offers online reservations at more than 200 hotels. You can search by date of arrival or by name of hotel. Full disclosure: TONY receives a commission from sales made through our partner hotel-reservation sites.
Thousands of B&&B rooms are available in New York, but in the absence of a central B&&B organization, some are hard to find. Many B&&Bs are unhosted, and breakfast is usually Continental (if it's served at all), but the ambience is likely to be more personal than that of a hotel. A sales tax of 8.625 percent is added on hosted rooms—though not on unhosted apartments—if you stay for more than seven days. For a longer stay, it can be cheaper and more convenient to rent a place of your own; several of the agencies listed below specialize in short-term rentals of furnished apartments. One caveat: Last-minute changes can be costly; some agencies charge a fee for cancellations less than ten days in advance.
CitySonnet
Village Station, P.O. Box 347, New York, NY 10014 (212-614-3034; www.citysonnet.com). Rates $80–$165 bed-and-breakfast room; $80–$125 hosted artist's loft; $165–$375 unhosted artist's loft; $135–$375 private apartment. Credit AmEx, Disc, MC, V.
This amiable artist-run agency specializes in downtown locations, but has properties all over Manhattan. The B&B rooms and short-term apartment rentals are priced according to room size, number of guests and whether the bathroom is private or shared.
New York Habitat
307 Seventh Ave between 27th and 28th Sts, suite 306 (212-255-8018; www.nyhabitat.com). Subway 1, 9 to 28th St. Rates $85–$165 unhosted studio; $135–$225 unhosted 1-bedroom apartment; $200–$375 unhosted 2-bedroom apartment. Credit AmEx, Disc, MC, V.
A variety of services are offered, from hosted B&Bs to short-term furnished apartment rentals, which can be charged by the day, week or month.
All hotels have air-conditioning—a relief in summer—unless otherwise noted. In the categories Deluxe, Expensive and Moderate, all hotels have the following amenities and services (unless otherwise stated): alarm clock, business center, cable TV, concierge, conference facility, currency exchange, dry cleaning, fax (in business center or in room), hairdryer, in-room safe, laundry, minibar, modem line, parking, radio, one or more restaurants, one or more bars, room service and voice mail. Additional services are noted at the end of each listing.
Most hotels in all categories have access for the disabled, nonsmoking rooms and an iron and ironing board in the room, or on request. Call to confirm. "Breakfast included" may mean cornflakes and tea bags, or a more generous spread of croissants, orange juice and coffee. While many hotels claim a "multilingual" staff, that term may be used loosely.
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