The Best Hotels in NYC
by Lana Jainarain
As a luxury travel advisor, I'm in NYC at least five times a year scouting hotels and restaurants. I've toured over 30 hotels in the city over the past two years. Trust me on this one, the "best" hotel in the city isn't really a single answer. It depends on who you're with, why you’re going, and what kind of trip you want to have. So instead of a ranked list, here's how I actually think about it when a client asks me where to stay.
If you want the kind of New York hotel that feels like an occasion in itself, my answer is always The Plaza. There's a reason it's been the backdrop for New York romance for generations: the Palm Court, the park views, the sense that you've stepped into a moment bigger than an ordinary weekend. It's weathered more than a century of New York history while somehow never going out of style.
If you want something a little more intimate and Parisian, Fouquet's New York in Tribeca is my other go-to. Think soft pastels, marble, and a quiet, residential-feeling neighborhood that makes it feel like your own secret. It's also the kind of hotel that turns a girls' trip into an event, not just a stay.
If you're going for the scene (to be seen, to be in the middle of everything), book your stay at the Waldorf Astoria New York. After its recent top-to-bottom renovation, it has reclaimed its place as the address everyone's talking about again. It even holds the honor of hosting the first-ever Met Gala in 1948. Don't leave without a reservation at Lex Yard, their new restaurant.
If newer, buzzier energy is more your speed, Faena New York, which just opened in Chelsea overlooking the High Line, is the reservation everyone's trying to get right now. Expect art-filled interiors and a design sensibility that's unapologetically dramatic. From the murals to the hidden speakeasy, nothing about it plays it safe.
If your trip is about the culture (theater, art, downtown history), stay where the stories are. The Whitby, right in the Theater District, has Kit Kemp's signature playful design, ideal for a pre- or post-show stay. For something with real New York mythology attached, Hotel Chelsea is unmatched: built in 1884 as the tallest building in the city at the time, it became a landmark magnet for New York's artists and writers. After a decade-long renovation, it reopened in 2022 with its bohemian soul intact, a new rooftop spa, and a genuine five-star polish layered on top.
If you're not sure which kind of trip you're planning yet, that's what I'm here for. Tell me what kind of New York you're picturing, and I'll match you to the right address (with my exclusive perks included). Let's find the version of New York that's actually yours.
Lana Jainarain
Take off With Lana
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