The best luxury hotels in New York City

The William Vale in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is incredibly cool, and also very luxe. All rooms are sleekly-designed with expansive terraces for panoramic views of Brooklyn, Queens, or Manhattan. The pool scene is thriving, upped only by the on-site food and nightlife. The rooftop bar Westlight and Italian restaurant Leuca both easily warrant a visit on their own, and attract locals who wait in lines that wrap around the block.

Of course, staying here provides VIP access to skip the line, among other cushy benefits. Standard rooms are a bit small, but splurge on a suite and you'll feel like the coolest kid in Williamsburg, which is saying a lot.

Holidays and weekends start at upwards of $400 per night, but flexible travelers looking to book midweek or in winter will find deals under $250. Those sunset terrace views are more than worth it.

Pros: All rooms boast balconies with unbeatable views, and the on-site food and drink scene is worth a trip on its own.

Cons: It's expensive and starter rooms will feel very small for what is still an expensive price. Consider an upgrade to a suite to feel more worth it, but it will cost you.

COVID-19 policies: This hotel is currently open with new procedures in place that include:

• High-touch areas are being frequently disinfected with EPA list cleaner.
• Facemasks are required in public spaces and are available for guests.
• Air conditioning filters throughout guest rooms and public areas have been upgraded to a Merv-13 filter that captures bacteria and virus-carrying particles.
• The hotel is only assigning every other guest room.
• Deliveries from the housekeeping team will be available upon request through contactless delivery.
• See more info here.

Where the Conrad New York Downtown in TriBeCa might be considered more straight laced and traditional, the brand's newer outpost in Midtown is contemporary and youthful, with a design-heavy approach favoring rich gem-tone velvet upholstery, modern light fixtures, and prominent art.

Like its downtown sibling, all rooms are suites with standard entry-level offerings that feel more pied-a-terre than a generic hotel room. It's a great option for newcomers that are eager to explore from a well-placed, five-star base that is steps from Central Park, Rockefeller Center, MoMA, and the Theater District.

Pros: All rooms are spacious here, offering great value for families or those on a longer stay who want apartment-style accommodations without sacrificing comfort or style.

Cons: Suites are pretty incredible and also pretty costly, and may seem redundant when all rooms are some sort of suite.

COVID-19 policies: This hotel is currently open. As a Hilton property, it is following the brand's new 'Hilton CleanStay with Lysol protection' policy that includes:

• Room seals to indicate that guest rooms haven't been accessed since they were cleaned.
• Extra disinfection high-touch areas.
• Guest-accessible disinfecting wipes at entrances and high traffic areas.
• Enhanced cleaning of rooms and common areas.
• Contactless check-in and check-out with Digital Key app.
• Evaluation of new technologies like electrostatic sprayers with disinfecting mist and ultraviolet light to sanitize surfaces and objects.
• Airport shuttle, business center, complimentary evening social, concierge, fitness center, breakfast, on-site restaurant, pool, room service, spa, and valet parking are all unavailable currently at this property.
• See more info here.

I don't typically associate Times Square with luxury — crowds, Broadway, Spiderman begging for photo tips, and more crowds come to mind more instead. But The Knickerbocker is a rare high-end offering and a refreshing alternate to the big-name brand hotel offerings with small, indistinguishable rooms.

The Knick, as it's affectionately known, is a five-star hotel where you'll find high-end and spacious rooms that manage to channel zen in an otherwise chaotic part of town. There's also good on-site food and drink from the likes of Charlie Palmer, and a great rooftop bar overlooking the action. If you're booking a room in Times Square, you're likely spending most of your time outside of it, but The Knick is a great option for those who want a chic place to retreat.

Pros: First-time visitors to New York will appreciate the central Times Square base to hit up all the city's major attractions, with nicer rooms than many nearby counterparts for roughly the same price.

Cons: It's Times Square, so it can be noisy both from outside traffic and inside from fellow guests.

COVID-19 policies: This hotel is open with new cleaning measures in place including:

• Touchless hand sanitizer stations placed throughout public areas of the hotel.

• EPA-rated hospital-grade disinfectants used in guest rooms and to clean public, event and back-of-house areas.
• All hotel associates are required to wear face masks and gloves.
• Each room includes a sealed safety kit containing a face mask, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes.
• No hotel personnel will enter your room during your stay without your permission.
• See more info here.

Behind a historic, yet unassuming facade, The Beekman Hotel effortlessly blends boutique hotel charm with luxury finishes, to appeal to travelers seeking a more individual stay but with all the trimmings of a luxury hotel.

It's also a jewel hiding in plain sight. Housed in a New York City landmark building in the Financial District dating back to 1881, the hotel features a breathtakingly preserved nine-story atrium, which may very well upstage the tastefully-appointed rooms and excellent on-site food and drink.

Pros: Incredible architecture, friendly service, great on-site food and drink. Don't miss dining at any of the wonderful restaurants.

Cons: Many previous guests have complained of noise.

COVID-19 policies: This hotel is open with new policies in place that include:

• Temperature checks are required upon entering the building for guests.
• Face coverings are required at all times inside the hotel's public spaces, as well as in designated outdoor spaces.
• Hand sanitizer stations are placed throughout the hotel's public spaces and on each guestroom floor.
• Enhanced cleaning and sanitation protocols are in place using EPA registered disinfectants throughout the property.
• Hygiene & Wellbeing Leaders have been appointed to ensure new protocols are being met and lead the property toward GBAC STARTM accreditation.
• Guestrooms will remain vacant for a minimum of 48 hours prior to the next guests arrival.
• Housekeeping services will be available upon request only.
• See more info here.

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge is another to, ahem, bridge the gap between boutique and luxury.

Where it excels on the latter is top-notch customer service, hygge-inducing rooms (read: intensely cozy), and a design-forward approach observed everywhere from the glass-encased shower to the open lobby dripping in lush greenery.

Reclaimed wood, repurposed materials, living plants, and soothing neutral colors make it feel like your room might double as a woodsy Scandinavian cabin, minus any sort of roughing it. It's an indulgent stay and one you can feel good about thanks to the earth-friendly mission.

Pros: Cool design and sustainable efforts make thoughtful use of the room, and smaller standard offerings still feel roomy. Plus the waterfront location and city views and stunning.

Cons: The bathroom provides little, if any, privacy.

COVID-19 policies: This hotel is currently open. As part of the 1 Hotel brand, it will be following updated policies that include:

• All properties will be completely sanitized using hospital-grade EPA approved agents and virus-eliminating UV technologies before opening their doors to the public.
• All guests and team members will enter the property only after their temperatures have been scanned and if they are wearing a mask.
• In public and employee areas, touchless hand sanitizer, sanitation, and social distancing guidance, along with signage and monitoring will be available.
• All guests will be welcomed with a wellness kit for personal use, their luggage and packages will be sanitized using UV technology upon arrival, and guests will arrive to a sanitized and sealed guestroom.
• High-touch points like door handles, elevator surfaces and public area furniture will be sanitized multiple times per day using UV technologies.
• Guest rooms will remain unoccupied for 48-hours in between guests and sanitized using both hospital grade and activated oxygen sanitizing agents.
• See more info here.

Andaz 5th Avenue, a World of Hyatt member, has an excellent Midtown location beloved by tourists and business travelers for the convenience offered.

They also love it because they know what to expect: Andaz is a high-end brand dependable for luxury rooms and amenities and excellent service. The solid reputation also means some rooms feel a bit corporate, but there are no surprises here and all rooms are spacious and recently renovated. We stayed in a suite but solidly stand behind their Standard King Room as the best choice.

Pros: The Andaz brand is a reliable heavyweight, and the central location is near all major tourist activity and business hubs without being thrust in the frenzy of crowds.

Cons: Room design feels a bit generic compared to some more contemporary hotels, and housekeeping could pay better attention to detail.

COVID-19 policies: The hotel is currently closed and not accepting reservations until September 8th, 2020, and beyond.

Many visitors fixate on Midtown, but the Conrad New York Downtown offers a more local experience in a neighborhood where real New Yorkers actually spend time, and rooms here feel like the kind of posh apartment we imagine they call home.

An all-suite offering, you'll be hard-pressed to find more spacious accommodations in all of Manhattan where even starter rooms have a separate living room, work area, wet bar, multiple closets, and an excellent walk-in shower that feels completely spa-like.

Pros: All-suite rooms offer more than double the space of typical NYC hotel rooms for similar pricing, and the shower is among the best we've tried.

Cons: Not everyone will love being in TriBeCa, which can feel far from uptown neighborhoods and attractions.

COVID-19 policies: This hotel is currently open. Conrad is part of the Hilton family and will be following Hilton's new 'CleanStay with Lysol protections' that include:

• Hilton CleanStay Room Seal indicating guest rooms haven't been accessed between cleaning and when guests enter.
• Extra cleaning in rooms of high-touch surfaces and increased cleaning frequency of public areas.
• Enhanced cleaning for fitness centers.
• Contactless check-in/check-out options.
• Read more here.

Loews is a posh five-star hotel in Manhattan's Upper East Side, close to Central Park and Midtown, and is popular with travelers in search of something a bit more mature (aside from the Real Housewives of New York City antics that have taken place here, of course) with a mix of older couples and business types, as well as families seeking more room for their brood.

Rooms are spacious with elegant, but traditional decor, and suites are apartment-style with terraces and marble bathrooms. It's not as splashy as some hipper counterparts, but this luxury property delivers on a classic hotel experience you can count on to be elegant, well-styled, and more than comfortable.

Pros: Rooms are generously-appointed, whether you opt for a standard room or a suite, and a large gym, and on-site spa and salon from a celebrity stylist sweeten the deal.

Cons: Some rooms have little to no view, or come with street traffic on lower floors.

COVID-19 policies: All Loews properties have implemented new policies that include:

• Hand sanitation stations added to front desks, spas, fitness centers, and other high traffic areas.
• Contactless experiences via a hotel app for access to in-room TVs, ordering room service, and communicating with the concierge or front desk.
• Team members and guests will be required to wear masks in public areas.
• Read more info here.

The Chatwal is a resplendent example of old-school Manhattan luxury that offers a glam stay reminiscent of decades past, but with all the modern touches you'd expect. It's also a member of Marriott Bonvoy, offering a more elevated sense of hospitality than you may find at other brand options.

Rooms start at $500 per night and include perks such as butler service, town car, and a Broadway concierge, not to mention sizeable rooms and a coveted Midtown address.

Pros: The five-star service is excellent and will make you feel like Upper East Side royalty.

Cons: Room prices are expensive to start and surge higher in peak seasons.

COVID-19 policies: The Chatwal is not currently open and has not stated when they will be reopening.

Baccarat Hotel is regarded as one of the best hotels in New York City, if not the world, and it's easy to see why. The elegant property, owned by the French fine crystal brand of the same name, is teeming with crystal fixtures, glassware, and chandeliers from the high-end line, everywhere from common areas, guest rooms, and even elevators.

But the opulent look is substance as well as style, with impeccable service, painstaking attention to detail, and gleaming rooms that feel like the kind of place James Bond might stay (truly, there are even doors fashioned out of wall panels).

Pros: Rooms are immaculate, and so is every nook and corner of the hotel, for that matter. The hotel is exceptionally elegant and refined, while still remaining warm and welcoming. On-site food served in the Salon is not to be missed.

Cons: The entry-level price is very expensive for what's still a standard room that would go for far less at other luxury hotels on this list. Plus, even the purported best hotel in New York isn't perfect — the noise from the TV in the next room was quite audible during my stay.

COVID-19 policies: The Baccarat Hotel is not currently accepting reservations and has not yet stated when it will reopen.