Last Updated on December 27, 2023 by Katrina

Photo credit: The Pierre

Manhattan’s Upper East Side embodies a lot of what people love about the Big Apple. It’s posh, glamorous, and rich with history. Stay in this part of the city and you can walk to Central Park and elegant restaurants, explore the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Guggenheim, and shop at the world’s most luxurious boutiques. Here are five of the best hotels on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

The Pierre, A Taj Hotel (2 E. 61st St.; 212-838-8000) Upper East Side

Condé Nast Traveler describes this French classical hotel across from Central Park as “stately and imposing …think black-and-white marble floors, gilded moldings, and big, fresh flower arrangements. You can’t help but feel important when you’re here.” A Google reviewer gushes that The Pierre is “the absolute best hotel for opulence, service, location and privacy,” with even more accolades for its famous afternoon tea—“top of the list in NYC. Elegant, tasteful and fresh!”    >> Book this hotel for less

The Lowell (28 E. 63rd St.; 212-838-1400) Upper East Side

“Nowhere in the city feels quite as refined” as this 74-room hotel, writes Condé Nast Traveler, where “every room has fresh flowers, separate tub and shower areas, and Frette bath robes.” Some suites have full kitchenettes, too. A Tripadvisor user calls it a “quiet boutique hotel a couple of blocks off of Central Park. Wonderful service from the front desk to the Doorman. Lovely bar. The location is hard to beat—fairly close to the Met.”    >> Book this hotel for less

The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel (35 E 76th St.; 212-744-1600) Upper East Side

This 1930 Art Deco hotel is home to both the famous cabaret lounge Café Carlyle and Bemelman’s Bar, featuring murals by the creator of the Madeline books. “That doesn’t mean it’s outdated or stuffy, by the way,” writes Vogue, adding that the 192-room hotel “manages to encompass both old-world charm and the modern day.” Some Tripadvisor users complain that not all rooms have been updated, though one says “the room was spacious, well-appointed, and comfortable. The staff was attentive to small details and Bemelman’s Bar was magnificent.”    >> Book this hotel for less

Loews Regency New York (540 Park Ave.; 212-759-4100) Upper East Side

With bold colors and apartment-like comforts, this 379-room branch of Loews “makes you feel not that you’re visiting New York, but that you’re living in the city,” writes Forbes Travel Guide. For more fun, choose from specialty suites such as the Andy Warhol-inspired Pop Art Suite, or the tribute to Marilyn Monroe named the Glamour Suite. A Tripadvisor user says that the Loews is “the perfect place to stay for a weekend in the city, which allowed us to walk every place we wanted to go—from the Met to Central Park, the Theatre district and everything in between. The beds are divine—so comfortable.”    >> Book this hotel for less

The Mark Hotel (25 E. 77th St.; 212-744-4300) Upper East Side

Vogue applauds the “grandeur” of this timeless 1927 hotel off Central Park, with an iconic black-and-white-striped motif that “serves as The Mark’s chic calling card, plastered over everything from their pedicab to their hotdog cart.” A Google reviewer finds the hotel friendly, too. “Boutique-hotel feel upon entry…. Incredible staff that actually care and listen to your needs and wants….but it does not come cheap.” Don’t miss The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges restaurant, which Vogue calls “divine. Order their cheeseburger with black truffle dressing.”    >> Book this hotel for less

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