Excelsior Hotel - from $199

A looming giant of a hotel in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the Excelsior Hotel places worldly travelers less than one block from Central Park, and does it in style.

The Excelsior Hotel occupies one-quarter of a New York City block, on West 81st Street, and just steps from Central Park. Exuding a provincial French aesthetic, this Upper West Side hotel is decked with dark wood paneling, reproduction period furniture and crystal chandeliers. Full American and Continental breakfast buffets are served daily in the hotel’s library, where books, table games and an electric furnace create a sense of antiquity and purpose. Wireless Internet access (surcharge) is available throughout the hotel, and the property even offers a small fitness center that contains cardio machines, weight machines and free weights.

Hotelbook Tip
Central Park's Wollman Ice Rink is open from October through February. Located in Central Park, this winter attraction is best accessed by the south entrance at 59th Street and 6th Avenue. From there, Wollman Rink is a two-minute walk into the Park. Travelers should check the calendar of events online before scheduling an outing.

Elegantly furnished with two-poster beds, gilt mirrors and charming mahogany furniture, each of the Excelsior's 199 guestrooms have an inviting provincial French motif. Comfort is first priority at the Excelsior Hotel, where damask down comforters, complimentary bottled water and large vanities come standard. The bathrooms feature pedestal sinks and intricately tiled floors.

The Excelsior Hotel in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, is directly across from the American Museum of Natural History. New York City’s main street, Broadway, is only two blocks away, and offers transportation into Manhattan’s Midtown, where theaters, parks and shopping are all within reach. A subway stop across the street from the hotel delivers travelers to Times Square in less than five minutes. The Children's Museum of Manhattan is three blocks away.

Located in a fashionable neighborhood between Central Park and Columbus Avenue where you can overlook many of the West Side's attractions from the American Museum of Natural History and the Rose Center for Earth and Space.