Profile

The renovated Hotel Elysee has been a part of the New York Scene since its completion in 1926; old-school luminaries like Marlon Brando and Ava Gardner were known to flit about its rooms during their downtime. Tennessee Williams even moved in, living at the hotel for 15 years before dying here in 1983. The hotel conveys both upscale elegance and old-world charm, with a modern black-and-white marble floor and mahogany walls in the lobby that somehow complement the French provincial furnishings of the 103 guest rooms. All suites boast high-speed Internet access and some even feature solariums. If you've got the cash, the one and only Royal Suite—dubbed the Steinway—features a living room and, you guessed it, a baby grand piano. The Elysee's Club Room offers free wine and hors d'oeuvres on weeknights. Then there's the famous Monkey Bar, an upscale watering hole and eatery covered in all things simian. It used to be a pit stop for celebrities in the '40s who, according to legend, would have their chauffeurs drop them off for a nightcap. That probably explains why, amid the monkey décor, there are blown-up black and whites of bygone stars. — Nick Divito

Free booze on weeknights.

Cons
These days, chances of a celebrity sighting are slim.

Claim to Fame
The Monkey Bar; the final home of Tennessee Williams.