By Juan Ramirez
Lower Manhattan Hotels
is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a reasonably priced city. The hotels below have been divided into affordable, expensive and very expensive categories, though what passes for affordable in a city like New York (and
Los Angeles) wouldn't anywhere else. Still, New York is a vibrant city and an embarrassment of cultural riches, frequently making it well worth the price tag.
Affordable: Club Quarters Downtown & Holiday Inn Soho
Located in the heart of the Financial District, this installment of the Club Quarters hotel franchise is a stone's throw from the World Trade Center Site, as well as ferries to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. For the fit and willing to walk, Chinatown and Little Italy are a quick jaunt away. The studio and one-room suite have kitchenettes. The hotel restaurant serves Americana and Italian dishes.
Club Quarters Downtown
52 William St.
New York, NY 10005-2876
212-269-6400
clubquarters.com
If you really want to be in the middle of downtown, the Holiday Inn Soho puts you within easy walking distance of Greenwich Village, Little Italy, Chinatown and the Lower East Side. The hotel has a 24-hour fitness center as well as a restaurant, though anyone who stays here will have a bewildering array of eatery choices in the immediate surrounding area. Each room gets free wireless Internet and a daily morning newspaper.
Holiday Inn Soho Downtown Manhattan
138 Lafayette St.
New York, NY 10013
212-966-8898
hidowntown-nyc.com
Expensive: New York Marriott Downtown & Gild Hall
This Marriott has all of the traditional offerings a Marriott has--concierge service, fitness center, in-house restaurants--but the decor is a bit more upscale, and the sheets have a higher thread count. It's also located close to the Chelsea Piers complexes, where active sorts can use biking trails, jogging trails and rock-climbing walls.
New York Marriott Downtown
85 West St. at Albany St.
New York, NY 10006 USA
212-385-4900
marriott.com
Gild Hall features a library bar, an British-style tavern and some very eye-catching decor. The rooms are beautiful, managing to be classical and modern simultaneously, with clawfoot tubs in the bathrooms.
Gild Hall
Entrance at Platt St - William St
15 Gold St.
New York, NY 10038
212-232-7700
thompsonhotels.com
Very Expensive
If you get a room here, you'll want to take advantage of the breathtaking evening views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. To enhance the views, many of the rooms actually come with telescopes! This hotel, and its restaurant (2 West) have won a number of awards from such publications as Conde Nast and Travel + Leisure. There's also a Prada Beauty Spa offering massages and skin treatments.
The Ritz Carlton New York, Battery Park
Two West St.
New York, NY 10004
212-344-0800
ritzcarlton.com
The Washington Square Hotel is an extremely elegant, Art Deco space in Greenwich Village. Kept in the family for decades, has gotten glowing reviews from many different travel guides and publications. The bar, in terms of dark, smoky atmosphere and style, is something to behold. The lounge at the Washington Square Hotel holds a jazz brunch every Sunday.
Washington Square Hotel
103 Waverly Pl.
New York, NY 10011-9194
212-777-9515
washingtonsquarehotel.com
Resources
About the Author:
Juan Ramirez has been a writer for over 14 years and worked for two years as an assistant editor with an internationally circulated journal. Ramirez holds a Bachelor of Arts in English writing from Potsdam State University and a Master of Arts in individualized study from New York University.
Photo Credits:
manhatten night image by Vladimir Efroimson from
Fotolia.com
