Weddings Summer 2007 > Planner

The Hotel Roger Williams

With 190 rooms, the Roger Williams has a reputation for great service, including a staff that's very plugged-in. The lobby's tall glass windows and double-height ceiling give it an airy, modern feel. An in-house lounge-bar opened last fall. A small gym is on-site. Bridal couples get a special "Bliss Package" of amenities. Rates vary; group discounts for ten or more.

Hotel Wales

The European-style lobby of this Carnegie Hill institution is in keeping with the nearby Vanderbilt, Carnegie, and Sloan mansions. Guests are surrounded by museums, Madison Avenue shops, and Central Park. The restaurant, Sarabeth's, serves one of the best breakfasts in the city (dinner's not bad, either). Use the tiny fitness studio or the 92nd Street Y two blocks away. Rates from $199 to $500; wedding discounts available.

Hudson Hotel

With the 1,000 rooms at the Hudson, it shouldn't be difficult to accommodate all your guests. Hudson Cafeteria, which serves haute comfort food, and the cozy Library Bar play second fiddle to the Private Park (the Hudson's courtyard) during the summer. Rates from $285; group discounts vary.

Library Hotel

Fireside wine-and-cheese receptions and coffee and biscuits all day long in the Reading Room, perhaps the coziest library that never belonged to J. P. Morgan (down the block), make this spot an ideal place for a family looking to relax. The Wedding Bells Package includes a group rate for reservations of eight or more (but no more than twenty) rooms, a breakfast buffet, and two free room upgrades. Rates begin at $345; group rates vary.

The Mansfield

For guests who want to be tourists, too, the Mansfield's location is a big draw: a short hop from Fifth Avenue shopping and Broadway. It's a good value, but most rooms are tiny; there is a small bar but no gym, but guests can use the New York Sports Club across the street for $15 a day. Rates from $259; discounts for groups of ten or more.

The Muse

Look up when you enter the cherrywood lobby of this trendy boutique hotel: There's a flashy ceiling mural featuring the Muses of Greek mythology. Marble bathrooms are stocked with Gilchrist & Soames toiletries, and beds are topped with comfy feather duvets. The well-equipped fitness center is open 24 hours a day, and the on-site restaurant, District, serves up contemporary American fare. Rates from $319; group rates negotiated individually.

Night Hotel

Vikram Chatwal's newish Goth-themed hotel isn't for the faint of heart-or for your more traditional relatives: It's decorated entirely in black and white and bedecked with artwork featuring creepy-looking Vampyros Lesbos types. Still, for a certain type of trendy traveler, it will provide plenty of New York cool, and it's located in the heart of Times Square. All rooms boast free wireless, room service-featuring items like the "Scary Mary Lettuce Wrap"-is suitably decadent, and although there was some early concern about the hotel getting its liquor license, alcohol options are in abundance. Rooms start at $229.

The QT

The eighth boutique property developed by hotelier André Balazs caters to the style- and budget-conscious. Housed in a narrow, converted office building on a gritty side street off Times Square, the hotel offers an unceremonious arrival. Past the sparse lobby, however, is QT's crown jewel: a 22-foot heated shallow pool with a swim-up bar. Local architect Lindy Roy has cleverly maximized the hotel's 140 mid- to closet-size guest rooms by using built-in furnishings: Platform beds allow for luggage storage below; wheeled tables can be pushed against walls; and narrow, brown- or cream-colored leather banquettes save precious floor space. There are even rooms stacked with four bunk beds or with a twin suspended over a queen-size bed, perfect for packing in gangs of friends. Prices range from $295 to $350.

The Shoreham

Sleek, modern, and all-around cool, the Shoreham offers stylish rooms at modest prices. The popular Shoreham Restaurant & Bar is off the lobby. There's no gym, but passes to nearby Bally's are complimentary. Off-peak rates from $199; group discounts for ten or more.

Soho Grand Hotel

Rooms at this imposing, sceney spot are on the small side, but amenities-Frette linens, sparkling wine by Francis Coppola in the minibar-are generous. The lobby combines Old New York grandeur with downtown edge, and the in-house Grand Bar & Lounge is always buzzing. Rates start at $449, with special offers for Thanksgiving and Christmas; group rates are negotiable.

Tribeca Grand Hotel

DDirect hipsters to this 203-room downtown boutique. Church Lounge, the living-room-style watering hole, offers a full menu-and it's always a scene. The rooms are small but stylish and have cool touches like We Live Like This products in the bathrooms. There's also a small fitness center. Rates start at $449, with special offers for Thanksgiving and Christmas; group rates are negotiable.

W New York

W New York-The Court

W New York-Times Square

W New York-The Tuscany

W New York-Union Square

All W's have handsome rooms along with moderate rates, David Rockwell- and Yabu/Pushelberg- designed living rooms, fitness centers, bar scenes, and popular restaurants. Rates are from $239 at W New York, $269 at the Court, $269 at the Tuscany, $289 at Times Square, and $399 at Union Square; group discounts vary.

Washington Square Hotel

This moderately priced, family-owned hotel on Washington Square Park has 160 rooms-all with high ceilings and newish furniture. Plus there's a small fitness room and two cozy bistros, North Square Restaurant and Lounge, where you can listen to jazz and linger over Sunday brunch. Rates from $175; inquire about group discounts.

From the Winter 2006 New York Wedding Guide