The iconic hotels of NYC

This grand hotel has elegantly dominated the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South since it opened in 1907. Here, Diamond Jim Brady sipped Champagne, Kennedys and Nixons wed in the ballrooms, Truman Capote hosted his Black and White Ball and movies from The Way We Were and The Great Gatsby to Home Alone were filmed here.

Frank Lloyd Wright, Cecil Beaton, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, The Beatles.

Have a look around the pink-and-black Eloise shop or sneak a peek at the wood-panelled Oak Room & Bar, scene of Cary Grant’s kidnapping in North by Northwest. Just across the street, Central Park is waiting to be explored. Why not take it easy and hire a bicycle?

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A true sophisticated lady on the Upper East Side offering royalty, U.S. presidents and rock stars nearly a century of discreet luxury. For 35 years Bobby Short performed at the famed Café Carlyle, and Woody Allen and his jazz band perform here weekly.

John F. Kennedy, Princess Diana, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The murals of Madeline in Central Park hanging in Bemelmans Bar were painted by Ludwig Bemelman (in lieu of payment, he and his family spent a year and a half living at the hotel). Head a few blocks north and take a self-guide tour at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Book your stay at The Carlyle

The heart of this Midtown hotel and tower is the Villard Mansion, designed by famed architects McKim, Mead & White in an ornate, neo-Italian Renaissance style. The opulent salons and drawing rooms have often featured in TV shows such as Gossip Girl and Homeland.

Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Katie Holmes.

The two-story Gold Room with its gilded wood panelling and ceilings. Head to the Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center for stellar city views, or hop on the TV and Movie Tour.

Discover Lotte New York Palace for yourself

Visit the famed Round Table, where New York literary giants, including Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley, lunched together daily, cracking wise and exchanging witty remarks. The hotel’s W. 44th Street location is just steps from the original New Yorker offices (set up by Harold Ross after playing a winning hand against other Round Table members) and the Harvard Club.

John Barrymore, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, Maya Angelou.

The hotel cat, always named Matilda (or Hamlet if it's a male cat), holds sway in the lobby. The Blue Bar opened in 1933 when Prohibition ended and is the perfect spot for a pre or post-theatre drink.

Modern luxury set in the landmark New York Metropolitan Life 41-story clock tower, built in 1909, in the Flatiron District. This is a favourite spot for Fashion Week attendees and the infamous parties.

Jeremy Scott, Prabal Gurung

The plush billiards table and horseshoe bar in chef Jason Atherton’s Clocktower restaurant. Eataly, the Italian food hall, is just across Madison Square Park.

This chic hotel sports jet-age architecture and straddles the elevated High Line with wall-to-wall views of the Hudson River, Meatpacking District and the city skyline. Guests have been known to give as good a view as they get from time to time.

Beyonce, Jay-Z, Madonna

In summer, the astroturfed Le Bain is the hottest of rooftop bars, and in winter, try the ice skating rink in front of the hotel. Visit the neighbouring Whitney Museum or explore New York’s most innovative park on a High Line and Chelsea walking tour.