2023 Readers’ Choice Awards: The Top Hotels in New York City
Now in its 36th iteration, our annual Readers’ Choice Awards continues to capture the travel experiences our readers love best, from the top hotels in NYC and beyond, to the world's best airlines, cruises, islands, and luggage. This year, you traveled farther and deeper; seeking out remote properties; sailing on smaller, more intimate ships; and prioritizing destinations you’ve been waiting years to visit. At least that’s what a staggering 526,518 of you told us in our annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey. Now, you can use the results to decide where you’re going next—these are the top hotels in NYC, according to our readers.
View the Readers’ Choice Award winners for the top hotels in New York as a list with scores here.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Courtesy 1 Hotel Central Parkhotel25. 1 Hotel Central Park
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Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023AvroKo group and Kemper Hyers are behind the impressive design of this 229-room eco-conscious hotel. Perhaps only in a 1 Hotel could rooms come with stylish reclaimed wood furniture, recycled cardboard hangers line the closet, hemp Keetsa mattresses come topped with organic cotton sheets, and a Google Nexus tablet tracks your carbon footprint. The clever details don’t end there, either: The floor in the fitness center is actually the old University of Wisconsin basketball court; restrooms feature moss growing on the ceilings; and even the hotel's three-story living-wall exterior is composed of recycled materials and helps to conserve water.
1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridgehotel24. 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
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Hot List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023Few things are as classically New York as the 1 Hotel's location at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. Aside from the prime real estate, it's a thoughtfully designed, supremely attractive place to call home for as long you're a guest here. Plus, it has one of the prettiest farm-to-table restaurants in all of Brooklyn: the Osprey. You can feel even better staying here knowing that the entire hotel is sustainable and eco-friendly, using recycled materials for all furniture, LED lighting, and a gray water irrigation system. The rooftop pool has amazing views out over Manhattan and is where you'll want to be on warm days.
hotel23. The Standard, High Line
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023At once futuristic and retro, The Standard almost feels like a scene out of The Jetsons, with mid-century-inspired furniture and lighting, all in a blocky concrete hulk that seems to float above the High Line in the Meatpacking District. Even if you aren't big on working out, check out the 17th-floor gym for sweeping Hudson River views. And if you're a night owl, head up to Le Bain, the penthouse discotheque and bar, for even better scenery and live DJs. The views are perhaps the most dramatic you'll find in downtown, and the location—in walking distance from the Whitney and Chelsea galleries—is ideal.
Courtesy TWA Hotelhotel22. TWA Hotel
$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2021, 2023Completed in 1962 and designed by the Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen, who also designed St. Louis's Gateway Arch, the original TWA Flight Center was built amid the Golden Age of Flying, but closed in 2001 when the airline went kaput. The architectural marvel has since been revived into a 512-room hotel designed that functions not only as a traditional (if more upscale) airport hotel, but as a fascinating place for those with layovers to get some respite. Rooms are available for four and six-hour bookings, as well as overnight, and are thoroughly soundproofed. You won’t hear a thing: not the booms as planes land and take off, nor the din of Ubers waiting to drop off passengers, nor the high-frequency bleeps and bloops one normally associates with an airport. But you will see all of this if your room faces the runway; if not, you’ll be facing the Saarinen building—either way, the views are a win.
Courtesy Lotte New York Palacehotel21. Lotte New York Palace
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023The Lotte New York Palace made its mark on impressionable viewers when it served as a frequent hangout for the entitled characters of Gossip Girl on TV, but its history catering to New York’s elite stretches back to 1882, when six neoclassical style townhouses were first erected with a courtyard that faced out to Madison Avenue. These historic buildings were annexed to a 55-story hotel tower in 1974 by hotelier Harry Helmsley, and the property has been pampering guests ever since. Today’s incarnation of the hotel features gorgeous luxury guest rooms with up close and personal views of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, along with a separate hotel-within-a-hotel called The Towers, which offers more space, better views, and personal butlers. The hotel also has two restaurants and four bars, including one named Trouble’s Trust (after Leona Helmsley, AKA the Queen of Mean’s dog.)
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Read McKendreehotel20. The William Vale
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Its distinctive white criss-crossing exterior can be seen from Lower Manhattan, but The William Vale, in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, also makes an impression when seen up close. Each of the hotel’s 183 guest rooms has balconies, most with views looking over the East River and at the Manhattan skyline. The decor is light, airy, and of-the-moment, with hardwood floors, glass-enclosed showers, patterned rugs, and succulents on the nightstand. The hotel also has its own elevated public park and retail shops, as well as a 60-foot outdoor pool, a restaurant from famed chef Andrew Carmellini, and a retrofitted Airstream trailer that serves burgers, fries, and ice cream in the warmer months. Come cooler months, guests can enjoy an ice rink and winter spa concept on the terrace—ensuring al fresco activity all year long. As for the hotel name, it’s an homage to William Vail, the original Brooklyn hipster, er, property owner in the 1800s.
Courtesy Archer Hotelhotel19. Archer Hotel New York
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Standing 22 stories above New York's Garment District, the Archer Hotel is a reflection of the surrounding neighborhood, with glass-and-steel exteriors, exposed brick walls, and 180 guest rooms full of decor ranging from tufted leather headboards to subway-tile bathrooms. You can also expect luxe but quirky touches like Malin+Goetz bath products and slippers embroidered with mustaches and lipstick kisses. The hotel's main appeal, though, lies outside of the rooms—specifically at the 22nd-floor Spyglass Rooftop Bar. Here you'll find some of the city's best views of the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings, plus signature cocktails like the Archer Palmer, a spin on the Arnold-classic made with black tea–infused gin, lemon, and simple syrup.
Courtesy Baccarat Hotelhotel18. Baccarat Hotel New York
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Gold List 2020 Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023No one knew what to expect when a 258-year-old French luxury brand opened its first property, Baccarat Hotel, on West 53rd—except that there had better be at least one over-the-top chandelier. The hotel did not disappoint, but what was surprising was how wonderful its opulence felt, after all that industrial, bare-bulb, and rough-hewn everything—like a return to Champagne after years of lager. Unabashed opulence is what you get as soon as you step into the lobby, where there are about 15,000 pieces of the brand's crystal throughout, including glassware and chandeliers. Arrangements of fresh red roses everywhere add a touch of color. But even though the hotel is a singular vision, it may be the little touches—like Baccarat tumblers in the bathroom—that make a stay special.
Courtesy The High Line Hotel/Jesse David Harrishotel17. The High Line Hotel
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023The area surrounding the High Line is so unrecognizable from recent decades that many lament the loss of the neighborhood’s former grit and industrial vibe. But if you’re feeling nostalgic, stay at Chelsea’s High Line Hotel, a red brick building built in 1895 as a Collegiate Gothic Seminary. While there’s nothing rough about it, you may still feel you’ve been shuttled into the past. Rooms look out onto the High Line (the former train track reimagined as a public green space) or the hotel’s own garden, and are treated with hardwood floors, idiosyncratic furniture sourced from the likes of Brimfield Antique Show, and reproduced 19th-century English wallpaper. Guests are encouraged to take one of the hotel’s Shinola bicycles for a spin or grab a latte at the lobby’s Intelligentsia bar. The hotel may be especially appealing to writers, given the building’s history (it once belonged to The Night Before Christmas author Clement Clarke Moore), the abundant presence of old typewriters, and the property’s claim to the city’s fastest Wi-Fi.
Robert Rieger/Aman New Yorkhotel16. Aman New York
$$$ | Hot List 2023 Readers' Choice Awards 2023In the 35 years since Aman was founded and its first property opened its doors in Phuket, the brand has come to represent a certain kind of experience for a certain kind of traveler: discreet, expansive, and intimate, with a full-bodied approach to wellness and an almost chameleon-like ability to adapt to the surrounding landscape. So it goes with Aman New York, the latest jewel in its crown—the brand’s very first urban outpost in the United States, and only its second urban property in the world after Aman Tokyo. And what a crown it is: Taking up residence in Midtown Manhattan’s iconic Crown Building, a Beaux-Arts landmark carefully renovated with Belgian designer Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston Architects, the space dazzles with a 7,000-square-foot outdoor terrace, a spa and wellness center spread over three floors, and serene, high-ceilinged guest suites (each with its own fireplace).
Francesco Tonellihotel15. The Mark
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023The polished black-and-white floor that greets you in the lobby is the first sign that the Mark is no ordinary hotel experience. Contemporary light fixtures, furniture, and modern art combined effortlessly by designer Jacques Grange give the hotel a sense of cool elegance. The restaurant, by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, is high-end New York all the way. The classic Upper East Side location combined with the contemporary, Art Deco–inspired design make for an unforgettable stay.
Courtesy Thompson Hotelshotel14. The Beekman, A Thompson Hotel
$$ | Gold List 2019 Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023When a hotel opens in New York, it’s not uncommon for locals to barely bat an eye. This is, after all, a city crawling with them—big, small, modern, classic. It takes an exceptional property to capture the collective consciousness, which is exactly what happened in 2016, when The Beekman opened. The landmark was built in the 1880s with a nine-story, glass-ceiling atrium, but throughout the past century, the atrium had been covered up as the building functioned as just another office. Now the glass skylight soars once again above the lobby’s Art Deco bar where New Yorkers flock to—come 6 p.m. it’s nearly impossible to find a free bar stool. The rooms all have vintage furnishings, with dark wood floors and distressed leather headboards: comfortable but not so much so that you don’t want to leave and miss out on everything happening around you. So many hotels like to say they’ve made the neighborhood, but in the case of the Beekman it’s actually true.
Courtesy The Lowellhotel13. The Lowell
$$$ | Gold List 2020 Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023The Lowell, on the Upper East Side, reopened in 2017 after a three-year renovation. Its 74 rooms got a refresh, but the important touches stayed the same: wood-burning fireplaces, grisaille wallpaper in the lobby, tasseled key fobs. Nowhere in the city feels quite as refined. Every room has fresh flowers, while huge marble bathrooms have separate tub and shower areas, Frette bath robes, and custom-made products from the high-end line DDC28. Unlike big luxury chains, there's a small-scale, quiet, and personalized feeling here that's worth the lack of extras (like a swimming pool or spa).
Stephen Kent Johnsonhotel12. Ace Hotel Brooklyn
$$ | Hot List 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2023The lobby in any Ace hotel is the place to be, and its Brooklyn outpost is no different. There are public workspaces galore—including a library-style table, a plant-filled garden, and a moody bar area with cozy seating—and plenty of guests, locals, and staff making use of them all. Many of the hallmarks of Ace decor are present in the 287 rooms: plywood furniture that offers both form and function, local art, and pops of color (in this case, a deep green). But the room design also leans into the industrial building’s architecture, with exposed concrete and warehouse windows.
Courtesy Hoxton Williamsburghotel11. The Hoxton, Williamsburg
$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2021, 2023Last fall, when the Hoxton plunked itself down on Williamsburg’s Wythe Avenue—the neighborhood’s unofficial hotel strip—it was as much for New Yorkers as for visitors. Cases in point: a quirky, retro lobby that’s perfect for long, lazy Sunday afternoons; an events space that has hosted, among other things, a pop-up tattoo studio; a recently opened rooftop bar (Laser Wolf). The U.K.-based Ennismore designed the hotel to feel extremely Brooklyn, dotting it with locally sourced vintage furniture and bookshelves displaying hefty tomes on contemporary art, and ’70-style chandeliers hanging from the lofty ceiling. A brand-new restaurant will touch down soon—K’Far, where renowned Philadelphia chef Michael Solomonov serves all-day menus alongside a full bar and a bakery with takeaway goods. Upstairs, the 175 rooms, like the ones at the Hoxton in Paris, are not massive but fit king-size beds and have views of either the Manhattan or Brooklyn skyline.
Richard Mandelkornhotel10. The Plaza
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2023This Beaux Arts–style, 19-story landmark on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South is synonymous with New York. Rooms are as sophisticated and elegant as they come, but some views of the park are negligible—even from the higher floors. Don’t skip breakfast in the Palm Court, where the decor is straight out of The Great Gatsby. All rooms have period furnishings and chandeliers, 24-karat-gold-plated faucets, and iPads, and come with round-the-clock butler service.
Virgin Hotelshotel9. Virgin Hotels New York
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2023Fans of the Virgin brand's rock-n-roll personality will no doubt enjoy this playful property, which is certainly designed to be a social hub and event space more than a peaceful respite from the chaos of the city. It has a spectacularly convenient location in the oh-so-trendy NoMad neighborhood just blocks from Penn Station, the subway lines of Herald Square, and the Empire State Building—of which some rooms have a picture-perfect view. The nearly 40-story tower and its associated complex run the length of a full city block, but despite the big exterior, the design of the commons spaces and rooms—called “Chambers” across the brand—is decidedly minimalist.
Durston Saylorhotel8. The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel
$$$ | Gold List 2018, 2019, 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023There are few acts that so capture a certain sepia-tinted version of New York City as sitting in the dimly lit Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle, sipping a martini with a twist while listening to Earl Rose bring home “Begin the Beguine” on the piano. This hotel has always been different since it opened in 1930, starting with its location on the quiet corner of 76th and Madison, just off Central Park and a short walk from the Met. But while it has always been a class act, The Carlyle has never felt uptight. Take Ludwig Bemelmans’s whimsical murals on the walls of his namesake bar, which depict Madeline, a character from his beloved children’s books—or the ebullient Alan Cumming performances and intimate Debbie Harry gigs it's hosted over the years. The hotel also recently debuted a new restaurant, Dowling’s, that throws back to the 1940s with dishes like steak Diane, carving carts, and table side flambé, as well as a new spa by luxe Swiss brand Valmont. The great legends don’t fade away—they evolve.
Courtesy Edition Hotelshotel7 The New York EDITION
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2023Understated, elegant, and reminiscent of a private club, the Edition isn't really a hipster hangout, nor is it an opulent, tricked-out palace. It expertly straddles the line of cool and sophisticated, with a predominately whitewashed interior accented with hits of warm mahogany and creams. The effect is a feeling of exclusivity. There are a lot of business travelers, given its convenient location to all parts of Manhattan. But they're the kinds of business travelers who care about their surroundings and who value great design, food, and amenities. Appreciate the restful simplicity of the white wood floors and little touches like the soft, faux-fur bed throw—If we had a U-Haul with us, we'd take the massive, beautiful walnut headboard against the bed. Plus, it's a couple hundred dollars less than the luxury mainstays you'd find further uptown, and right next to one of the city's best parks, to boot.
Courtesy Ink 48 Hotelhotel6. Ink 48 Hotel
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Located in Hell's Kitchen, this 222-room hotel sits pretty, in a repurposed printing house from the 1930s—and it makes sure to pay homage to its literary past. There's the hotel name itself, of course, but also a 16th-floor rooftop bar called the Press Lounge and an in-house restaurant called Print. If you can pry yourself away from the cocktails and food long enough to spend some quality time in your room, you'll be treated to bright decor, extremely comfortable beds, and flat-screen TVs—although the view of Manhattan's skyline from your window is really the only show you'll need at night.
Courtesy Mandarin Oriental New Yorkhotel5. Mandarin Oriental, New York
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023A cornerstone of the city’s five-star hotel scene, Mandarin Oriental’s New York City outpost is known for elite service, a fantastic spa, and impressive vistas—the 75-foot lap pool overlooks the Hudson, the high-end MO Lounge boasts the Manhattan skyline as its backdrop, and the best rooms have bird’s eye views of Central Park. The rooms feel equal parts timeless in their definition of luxury—think heaping, decadent curtains for privacy, heavy black stained wooden desks, rich hues—and contemporary, with modern artworks hung on the walls, shimmering structural light fixtures, and reflective metal details accenting every room. And the Mandarin Oriental’s spa is a destination in its own right, with luxe treatments like detox wraps, aroma stone massages, and hydrating facials.
Courtesy Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtownhotel4. Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023Set in Lower Manhattan, down the block from the landmark Woolworth Building, this 82-story tower features interiors by noted design firm Yabu Pushelberg, which has infused it with a comfortable, contemporary feel. The building also houses 157 private apartments, and that hushed residential atmosphere can be felt across the hotel's 24 floors. Just off the lobby, CUT by Wolfgang Puck is the first Manhattan restaurant by the renowned California-based chef and restaurateur, and the spa is one of the best in the city, scoring points for its lovely facilities and the breadth of its offerings. The main wellness floor houses a 75-foot heated lap pool, a well-stocked fitness center with Peloton bikes, a steam room and infrared sauna, and a sundeck.
Courtesy Dream Hotel Grouphotel3. The Chatwal, a Luxury Collection Hotel, New York City
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023A top-to-bottom refit of the Lambs Club, the historic thespian hangout in the heart of Midtown’s Theater District, by designer Thierry Despont has turned this actors’ den into a sleek 76-room hotel with Art Deco lines and ocean liner–inspired fittings that hark back to a bygone era of travel. (The wonderfully accommodating service throughout—is there anything the house butler can’t do?—is another throwback we love.) A small but richly furnished lobby gives way to the Lambs Club restaurant, an 80-seater from chef Michael White where the focal point would be the original stone fireplace if it weren’t for the storylines unfolding at the other tables. Rooms are fitted with gorgeous steamer trunk–like wardrobes and desk-vanity combos in chocolate leather, while bathrooms come with wall-to-wall mirrors and rain showers stocked with custom Asprey amenities. Guests can find a break at the cozy Lambs Club Bar, hidden away above the lobby, and at the underground spa, with a clever “endless” lap pool and small gym—probably the only place on the property where you can let them see you sweat.
MATTHIEU SALVAING, STYLED BY GRACE HARRIS/COURTESY OF HOTEL BARRIÈRE FOUQUETS NEW YORKhotel2. Hôtel Barrière Fouquet's New York
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2023The French hotel line known for its Paris and St. Barth’s properties has arrived in the U.S. by way of New York. At a cobblestoned intersection in the Tribeca North Historic District, an industrialist red brick facade gives way to eight floors of ethereal Art Deco interior design straight out of the South of France. Fouquet’s New York’s pastel-colored luxury includes three French dining options, an indulgent underground spa (complete with a sauna, hammam, and hydrotherapy pool), and a Cannes-inspired cinema space true to Tribeca’s popular annual film festival. The theater will host programming like screenings and film premieres, and will be reservable for corporate and artistic events. The street-level outpost of the famed Champs d’Elysee bistro, Fouquet’s restaurant is a destination in itself, with signature red and black bar mirroring its Paris (and Louvre Abu Dhabi) counterpart. A French lavender, mint green, and cream color scheme includes custom-made wallpapers with France-linked illustrations of New York City scenes like Lady Liberty, pizza-eating Central Park goers, and cartoon pigeons with croissants in their beaks.
The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMadhotel1. The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad
$$$ | Hot List 2023 Readers' Choice Awards 2023During New York Fashion Week, this already-iconic hotel’s rooftop bar Nubeluz by José Andrés hosted a runway show for Bronx and Banco, complete with a downtown cool vibe and guest list to match—think actress Natasha Lyonne and rapper Coi Leray. Nubeluz (and The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad as a whole) was immediately cemented as an overnight New York City hot spot—just one example of how this legacy brand is reshaping its image. But how did a hotel conglomerate that is thought of as a bit stuffy create a hotel that is familiar to its existing clientele while becoming alluring to a new generation? The answers are found within the lobby which takes its inspiration and pays homage to its location in the floral district, the reservation-impossible Mediterranean restaurant Zaytinya (another José Andrés), view-laden rooms, and skin-tightening subterranean spa. Each space mixes current design trends, like hand-blown Randy Zieber floral petal-inspired chandeliers in the lobby and black Italian-marble walls, with the exceptional, discreet service that Ritz-Carlton is known for. We can’t imagine a more perfect place to shake things up than the capital of reinvention: New York.
