Empire Hotel

Situated between Lincoln Center and Central Park, this hotel has 422 units, all of which have floor-to-ceiling windows to let in the best views. Although somewhat small, guest rooms are comfortable with with rich earth tones, brass accents, and subtle animal prints. Chef Ed Brown’s seafood shack, Ed’s Chowder House feeds guests everything from lobster rolls to tuna steak frites and an array of oysters. During the summer, the rooftop deck and plunge pool on the 12th floor offers private cabana rentals with daybeds and flat screen TVs.