New York City



The Experience

Forget everything you think about Ritz-Carlton: This downtown hotel steps outside the chain's traditional comfort zone with an Art Deco interior reminiscent of a 1920s cruise liner. Like its uptown sister hotel on Central Park South, the hotel attracts its share of celebrities and executives, but here the vibe is low-key and the hip factor high with cool colors, pale woods, plush seating that begs you to dive in and contemporary art from 100 living New York artists. Down here at the tip of Manhattan, you're out of the frenzy but just a five-minute taxi ride from SoHo or Tribeca. And the views are spectacular.

The Rooms

Youthful-minded artsy types with a playful bent will love the chic, casual rooms that are such a departure for Ritz-Carlton. Every one has at least two pieces of original modern artwork, but you may overlook them, since 70 percent of the rooms come with a waterfront view and a high-powered tabletop telescope for magnifying New York Harbor, Battery Park, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. There's a wide harbor view from the bedroom in the 425-square-feet Deluxe Harborview Room, while the glass is nearly wall to wall in the corner-situated 1,125-square-feet Liberty Suites, with panoramic views. On the 12th floor, the two-bedroom, 2,000-square-feet Ritz-Carlton Suite looks down on the water from every room, including the huge master bath with deep-soaking Jacuzzi tub.

The Service

Sure, staffers make you feel like a VIP, but what goes on behind the scenes is even more impressive: the housekeeper who positions your telescope on the Statue of Liberty every time she services your room, or the fact that no matter who you question about those stunning floral arrangements you'll get the same answer (there's a staff briefing on the flowers every morning).

The Highlights

There's only a small spa with three treatment rooms -- a design trade-off that favored giving more space and waterfront views to the restaurant, a fitness center with skyline and harbor views, and the 14th-floor Rise bar, which has floor-to-ceiling glass. Regular locals and guests choose from Rise's signature martinis, like the Libertini and PHAT Apple, and a luscious summer raw bar on the west-facing terrace -- the place to be at sunset. And the Ritz even reinvented the American steakhouse, giving it a French spin: 2 West Steakhouse serves meat dishes with pomme frites and a choice of six different French sauces. There's even more modern artwork here, along with views onto Robert F. Wagner Park. It's a refreshing change from the typical, much like the hotel itself.

-- Gail Harrington

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