By Kim P. Alden
The Best New York City Boutique Hotels
Intimate, unique, surprising and often luxurious, boutique hotels offer visitors a special experience. There is none of the cookie-cutter feeling that comes with a stay at one of the big hotel chains. Each boutique hotel has a distinct personality. Although there are no hard and fast rules, boutique hotels tend to have fewer than 150 rooms, and most are much smaller. Boutique hotels often are described with adjectives like "cozy," "warm," "hip," "chic" or "jewel-like." Many travelers intentionally search for boutique hotels and make their favorites home when they revisit a destination. Boutique hotels can be discovered all over the world, and many are in
New York City. The Library Hotel, the Lowell and the Hôtel Plaza Athénée are some of New York's best boutique hotels.
Library Hotel
There's definitely a sense of fun in this luxury hotel. Each of the ten floors is named for one of the categories in the Dewey Decimal System, and each guest room is uniquely designed according to its location. For instance, on the Math and Science floor, guests will find the Astronomy room and Botany room. In-room amenities include Egyptian cotton bedding, down blankets, bathrobes, slippers, Thymes Azur bath amenities, high-speed Internet access, flat screen television with premium channels, room service and turn-down service. European style buffet breakfast is served each morning, and coffee, tea, juice, fruit and cookies are available throughout the day. Guests of the Library Hotel have complimentary use of the New York Sports Club. The hotel has charming and comfortable public rooms. The Writer's Den has a fireplace and enclosed garden terrace. The Poetry Garden also has a terrace. In the evening, the fourteenth floor is transformed into the Bookmark Lounge for drinks and socializing. The hotel's Madison & Vine Restaurant is open every day except Sunday.
Library Hotel
299 Madison Ave.
New York, New York 10017
(212) 983-4500
libraryhotel.com
The Lowell New York
The elegant Lowell is located on a quiet street just off Madison Avenue and a block from Central Park. Arriving guests are greeted with complimentary beverages and personal service. The twenty-three rooms and forty-nine suites feature luxury bedding, marble bathroom, full size Bulgari bath products, television with movies on demand, DVD, three telephones, free wireless Internet access, complimentary copy of the New York Times each day, room service, housekeeping twice a day and Fiji water with the nightly turn-down service. Some guest rooms and most of the suites have wood burning fireplaces. Some suites have terraces. Multilingual concierge service is available around the clock. The spacious, fully equipped Lowell Fitness Center has a health snack station, and private trainers can be arranged. The hotel's Pembroke Room serves breakfast, afternoon tea and cocktails and brunch on the weekends. The Post House serves cocktails and dinner.
The Lowell New York
28 E. 63rd St.
New York, New York 10021
(212) 838-1400 or (800) 221-4444
lowellhotel.com
Hôtel Plaza Athénée
Convenient to Central Park, museums and Madison Avenue, the Hôtel Plaza Athénée offers elegance and European style. The 114 guest rooms and 35 suites feature Belgian linens, fine European fabrics, two-line speaker phones, wireless Internet access, plasma screen televisions, in-room safes, minibars, housekeeping twice a day, choice of daily newspaper and complimentary use of the business center. Several suites have an indoor atrium and outdoor balcony, and eight of the suites feature a dining room. The hotel's restaurant, Arabelle, serves modern American cuisine and is known throughout the city for its Sunday brunch. Bar Seine provides drinks---including their "crystal cosmopolitan"---and light fare in an intimate lounge setting. Both Arabelle and Bar Seine appeared in the television series "Sex and the City."
Hôtel Plaza Athénée
37 E. 64th St.
New York, New York 10021
(212) 734-9100
plaza-athenee.com
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About the Author:
A professional writer and editor for more than 25 years, Kim Alden is also a certified yoga therapist who has lectured in and traveled to many parts of the world. She combines her travel savvy with natural health and yoga expertise to write for various online publications. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.
Photo Credits:
New York City Skyline image by paolobenne from
Fotolia.com
