Profile

An iconic part of the city skyline thanks to its four-story LED sign, the 40-floor New Yorker Hotel opened in 1930, closed in 1972, then reopened in 1994 as a nondescript budget option. Happily, a 2008 renovation restored many of the original Art Deco details—without drastically changing the affordable rates—and now elegant touches await in the double-height lobby and 912 rooms, including ornate graphic carpeting, gold throws on the beds, dark wood-and-chrome desks, and pearly off-white window treatments. Rooms start on the nineteenth floor (below that is commercial space, student housing, and hotel meeting rooms). Though the refreshed basic ones are a good value, they can also be extremely small; for more space, guests typically upgrade to the more spacious New Yorker Suites, which offer extra amenities like free HBO, Wi-Fi, and in-room refrigerators. On the top three floors are the luxurious Tower Suites, which are even bigger, come with free continental breakfast and, in some cases, have terraces facing the midtown skyline. A somewhat strapped staff and the hotel’s popularity with groups mean this isn’t the place for personal service, but the Old New York feel and convenient location kitty-corner to Penn Station and Madison Square Garden make it a good choice for budget-conscious tourists. — Stephen Milioti

The Art Deco design touches make for an aesthetically pleasing stay, while rooms and many suites are quite reasonably priced—and pet-friendly.

Cons
The experience is impersonal—don’t count on someone to answer the phone at the front desk immediately—and basic rooms can be very small.