Hotel Elysée
Since the 1920s, this boutique Midtown hotel has welcomed celebrities like Marlon Brando as guests (oops, Tennessee Williams actually resided here!). It is as New York as it gets. From the black-and-white marble floors to the historic Club Room, which offers free wine and cheese during the week, timeless elegance is present in every detail. Then there is the renowned Monkey Bar, which has long been a favorite among the elite of New York City and celebrities for a nightcap. If not in person, at least you can see their picture on the expensive oak walls.
Surprisingly for a hotel in the middle of Midtown Manhattan, the Hotel Elysée mostly succeeds in achieving its aim of having the air of a classy rural inn. Some people might find the rooms' lived-in glitz (chandeliers are by no means in short supply) to be the ideal escape from the bustling outside. Some people can feel as though their grandmother and them have somehow landed up on a Grand European Tour.
This is one of your best options in the city if you're looking for the distinctive, sophisticated bed-and-breakfast ambiance that the hotel offers. Movie stars, artists, writers, and intellectuals have resided in the hotel since it was built in the 1920s and named after one of the best French restaurants of the time. Staying here gives you the impression that you are a guest in someone's exquisitely maintained manor rather than a busy, high-volume New York hotel. Even a free library of DVDs, CDs, and books is available for viewing.
By no means is the experience dowdy. Every room has a flat-screen television, plush beds, and bathrooms that are deliciously supplied with Gilchrist & Soames toiletries. Even some rooms come with complete kitchens. However, while your visit, you won't want to waste any time cooking. Room service is available for both lunch and supper at the magnificent Monkey Bar, which is just off the lobby and is partially owned by Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter. Make a reservation and spend the evening in the popular restaurant yourself, or even better. Your more serenely dignified quarters are perfectly complemented by the stylish throng and dynamic ambiance.
Google Rating: 4.6/5.0
Address:60 E 54th StNew York10022
Phone: 212-753-1066
Website: elyseehotel.com
