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Uptown New York Hotels
UPPER EAST SIDE
The Carlyle
E. 76th St. at Madison Ave.
212-744-1600 or 888-767-3966.
www.thecarlyle.com
123 rooms, 56 suites.
$$$$$
This elegant hotel has been a fixture in Uptown since 1930. Its guest list includes US presidents and dignitaries from around the world. Unequaled service, comfort and fine furnishings abound at every turn. The hotel is known for its Cafe Carlyle, where the legendary Bobby Short delighted audiences for 36 years. Bemelmans Bar is named for the writer of the Madeline series, Ludwig Bemelmans, who painted the mural that graces the walls therein. Guest rooms may be small in comparison to newer properties, but they are luxuriously appointed with plush carpets and marble baths. Step out your door and you're near the shops of Madison Avenue and the greenery of Central Park.
The Regency
540 Park Ave. at E. 61st St.
212-759-4100 or 800-235-6397
www.loewshotels.com
331 rooms
$$$$
A member of Loew's hotel properties, The Regency graces Park Avenue, just two blocks east of Central Park. Guest quarters are spacious and luxurious, done in soft beiges with contemporary accents and complete with the latest high-tech amenities, including fax/printers. Service is the hotel's hallmark: the guest-staff ratio is one-to-one. There's a fitness center and spa treatments are available. Singer Michael Feinstein is often on hand to entertain in the lounge. Oh, and children under 18 stay free with their parents.
Hotel Wales
1295 Madison Ave. between E. 92nd & E.93rd Sts.
212-840-3080 or 866-wales hotel
www.waleshotel.com
123 rooms
$$$$
This nicely restored (2000) property, built in 1902, is situated in a pleasant residential/commercial neighborhood, within walking distance of some top museums like the Guggenheim, the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, the National Academy Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Amenities include a relaxing rooftop terrace, down comforters on the beds and VCRs and CD players in the rooms. And to make your stay even better, Sarabeth's ($$) restaurant—well-known for its weekend brunch—serves up homemade breads and pastries on the premises.
UPPER WEST SIDE
Mandarin Oriental
80 Columbus Circle at W. 60th St.
212-805-8800 or 866-801-8880
www.mandarinoriental.com
251 rooms
$$$$$
This beauty exudes its exotic charm in the north tower (floors 35 to 54) of the new Time Warner Center. From its lofty perch, the Mandarin Oriental boasts wide-angle views of the city, especially of Central Park not only from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the guest rooms but from the posh lobby and the Lobby Lounge as well. As you probably guessed, Asian color schemes brighten the guest rooms, furnishings hark back to the 1940s and soaking tubs outfit most of the bathrooms. If that isn't enough, there's a full-service spa and fitness center with an indoor lap pool on the premises. Perhaps you better plan to work out before you indulge in the Asian-fusion cuisine at Asiate ($$$).
The Lucerne
201 W. 79th St. at Amsterdam Ave.
212-875-1000 or 800-492-8122
www.newyor-khotel.com
250 rooms
$$$
Occupying a historic landmark property built in 1903, the Lucerne has been transformed into a modern, European-style boutique hotel with spacious guest rooms featuring a full slate of amenities, from in-room movies to marble bathrooms. The hotel also offers a fitness facility and a business center. Nice Matin ($$$), the Lucerne's on-site restaurant featuring French Mediterranean cuisine, opened in December 2002. Set in the heart of the trendy Upper West Side, The Lucerne is a short walk from the American Museum of Natural History and its new Rose Center planetarium.
Amsterdam Inn
340 Amsterdam Ave. at W. 76th St.
212-579-7500
www.amsterdaminn.com
25 rooms
$$
For a decent place to sleep at a bargain price, try the Amsterdam Inn. A residential building converted to hotel use in 1999, the inn has some rooms with shared baths, some with private facilities. All have color TV, air conditioning, phones and maid service. Be prepared to carry your luggage up a few flights of stairs—there's no elevator. There's no restaurant either, but the popular Upper West Side neighborhood right outside the door has plenty of them, including a brewpub in the same building. It's a short walk to the American Museum of Natural History and Central Park, and a short subway or bus ride to Midtown.
West Side YMCA
5 W. 63rd St. at Central Park West
212-875-4100
www.ymcanyc.org
539 rooms
$$
You'll find basic, dormitory-style accommodations here, with'small, spartan rooms. Many have shared baths, but rooms with private baths are also available, and all have TVs and air conditioning. The West Side "Y" is popular with travelers on a budget, from students to seniors (it hosts the Elderhostel program in New York). For the price, the location is as good as you'll find, with Lincoln Center at one end of the block and Central Park at the other. Another bonus: guests can use the YMCA's extensive health and fitness facilities and two swimming pools.
Jazz on the Park Hostel
36 W. 106th St. between Central Park West & Manhattan Ave
212-932-1600
www.
jazzonthepark.com
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