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 New York Midtown and Uptown Hotels
The world's most vibrant and exciting city, 'the city that never sleeps' according to the famous song, New York has become popular as a short-break destination from the UK and other European cities, made possible by the range of cheap flights now available. Apart from interesting sights and excellent museums, the shops are powerful magnets. Shopping expeditions are particularly attractive when the dollar is depressed and the sales are on, although that's almost year-round now. There are lively restaurants specializing in every type of cuisine you can think of, and a raft of stylish hotels to choose from.
Decide which part of the city you'd prefer to be based in, and if you think Midtown or Uptown might be the patch for you, these are our recommendations. Midtown stretches north from about 24th Street to 59th Street and contains some of New York's most iconic sights, including the Empire State Building, the Public Library, Grand Central Station, MOMA and bustling Times Square. Uptown is the area that flanks Central Park, tranquil and aristocratic to the east and fashionably residential to the west, continuing north towards Inwood, passing up-and-coming Harlem on the way. The hotels are listed by price category, and their order bears no reflection on our preference.
 Reviews by Darren Taffinder |
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| Luxury: Luxurious Upper East Side landmark |
| Location: The Upper East Side, near Central Park |
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| Before booking at this Upper East Side landmark, check out the newly revamped café’s performance schedule. You might get a chance to see Eartha Kitt or Woody Allen’s New Orleans Jazz Band. Close to some of the great galleries and museums of New York City, many of the rooms have breathtaking views of downtown or Central Park. The service is fantastic, just what you’d expect from a place where the doormen wear bowler hats and white gloves. |
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| Luxury: Whimsically modern hotel, perfectly located for a Manhattan getaway |
| Location: Mid-town Manhattan |
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| Opened in 2005 by Vikram Chatwal, The Dream New York is best known for its quirky touches, there’s a statue of Catherine the Great in the lobby (not to mention the two storey aquarium). It’s perfectly located for a long Manhattan getaway, near both Central Park and Times Square. All its rooms are kitted out with plasma TVs, pre-loaded iPods, and, best of all for an American hotel, feather duvets. |
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| Luxury: A finely crafted and charmingly intimate Upper East Side hotel. |
| Location: Upper East Side |
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| The Lowell, from its quiet residential location to its luxurious rooms and its well-dressed lobby, is all about understated elegance. This intimate hotel is the sort of place where the staff all know you by name after your first night’s stay. Its Post House steak restaurant is considered one of the best in the city, and it’s the only hotel in Manhattan to have real, working wood-burning fireplaces in many of its rooms. |
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| Luxury: Charming and intimate Upper West Side townhouse hotel |
| Location: Upper West Side |
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| Tucked away in a leafy residential street, this is one of the best small hotels in New York city. It has the service of a big hotel with the whimsy of a smaller one. Each of the four themed rooms take up a floor of this renovated townhouse. The Opera room even comes with a baby grand piano. Coming here is like staying with a friend, complete with food and wine. |
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| Mid Price: Historic New York institution |
| Location: Times Square |
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| Opened in 1902, this is one of New York’s most historic and beautiful hotels. It was here where Dorothy Parker and the Algonquin Round Table (otherwise known as the ‘vicious circle’) would meet everyday for lunch throughout the 1920s. Recently renovated and reopened in 2004, the Algonquin retains the rich aura of its past within an understated modern feel. Look out for the hotel cat, Matilda. |
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| Mid Price: Unique hotel decorated in Moroccan style |
| Location: Times Square |
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| Vibrant, comfortable, friendly and intimate are all words people have used to describe the Casablanca. Situated in Times Square, you need to book well in advance if you want get a room, the chief problem being the high number of repeat visitors. The whole place is decked out in a Moroccan theme including a dazzling mural of its North African namesake in the lobby. |
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| Mid Price: Old world charm updated in the heart of Manhattan |
| Location: Mid-town Manhattan, near the MOMA |
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| Located in the bustling heart of mid-town Manhattan, this historic hotel has recently been renovated but has managed to maintain its old world charm and low-key graciousness. First opened in 1926, The Hotel Elysee was home for many well-known literary guests including Tennessee Williams who lived here during his final years. Even if you’re not staying here, check out the Monkey Bar. |
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| Mid Price: Luxurious boutique hotel with outstanding service |
| Location: Mid-town Manhattan / Madison Park |
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| There are many reasons why people keep coming back to this sleekly elegant boutique hotel, but it’s the small touches that make staying here such a memorable experience. The service is impeccable, and the rooms are so quiet you almost forget you’re in New York. Don’t miss the complimentary champagne, wine and cheese served in the lobby from 5 to 8 every evening (except Sundays). |
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| Mid Price: An aristocratic and elegant Upper East Side hotel |
| Location: Upper East Side |
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| This is a great hotel for anyone looking for a little bit of old-world charm close to Central Park and near to Manhattan’s famed museum mile. Housed in a beautiful, turn-of-the-century building in one of New York’s plushest areas, it does not disappoint. Each of its rooms comes with a welcoming bouquet of fresh flowers and some of the best bed linens this side of home. |
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| Mid Price: A book-lovers' paradise between Grand Central and Bryant Park |
| Location: Midtown near Grand Central |
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| Paradise for bibliophiles; each floor is themed after the ten main categories of the Dewey Decimal System, and the rooms are adorned with books based on a specific topic. There’s also a second-floor reading room, a writers' den, and a roof-top poetry garden. It’s not just a concept hotel, though. The service is warm and friendly, the rooms are wonderful, and it’s location in Midtown is excellent. |
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| Inexpensive: Lovingly restored B&B in Harlem |
| Location: Harlem |
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| Don’t be afraid of Harlem – this historic area of New York City has had its fair share of down periods. Now though, it’s on an up. Lovingly restored, the Harlem Flophouse isn’t for everyone. The rooms have no TVs and the bathrooms are shared. What you do get though is a beautiful, renovated brownstone building in one of the city’s most culturally vibrant areas. |
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