Fashion Wire Daily NY - Many of us have eagerly embraced the hip-hotel lifestyle that has blossomed in the last few years, but sometimes the service-optional chic-boutique gets tired, and you yearn for those residences with a history longer than a reservation wait list, and a culture that extends beyond the lobby bar. There's a lot to be said for old-world comforts, where tradition and timeless elegance preside over cool. FWD made the brave journey to uptown New York to find the top three time-honored establishments that promise a luxurious stay.
The Lowell Discreet, intimate and luxurious are the words to best describe The Lowell, located in a historic landmark Art Deco building on New York's Upper East Side. Once guests quietly and quickly check into one of the 68 rooms they have no desire to leave. Suite choices include the Garden Suite, Gym Suite, Hollywood Suite and Presidential Suite. The hotel, built in the 1920s, has European-style rooms with an emphasis on comfort. A bottle of champagne on arrival, Frette duvets, Bulgari products, a library, wood burning fireplaces, Dean and Deluca gourmet snacks and the New York Times, and that's just in the rooms. There is also an excellent fitness center and The Post House, voted one of the 'Top 10 Steakhouses in America' by Wine Spectator, and The Pembroke Room, serving cocktails and traditional British afternoon tea. The staff completely understands the wants and needs of their elite clientele, which includes celebs and businesspeople alike. 800.221.4444
The Mark As a Mandarin Oriental Hotel, you'd expect The Mark to hit the mark, and it does. The spacious rooms are neo-classical Italian in style with Italian marble, original Piranesi prints and exquisite Biedermeier furnishings. Fresh flowers, Frette linens, Molton Brown products and an in room pantry and super compact chic kitchen, stocked with every bite-size snack you'd need, complete the picture. If you do manage to drag yourself from your room be sure to stop by the Mark Bar and Mark Restaurant, which features a master sommelier (one of only 75 worldwide) and a "tea master." 800.THE MARK
The Plaza Athenee Even though it's located on a quiet tree-lined street off Park Avenue, when you stay at the Athenee you feel like you've arrived in Paris. Its French contemporary decor only adds to that flavor. The 117 rooms and 35 suites are richly furnished with rose aurora marble baths, Frette linens and Gilchrist & Soames toiletries. The staff is attentive without being overzealous; and the restaurant Arabelle, which re-launched in 2001, is superb. The decor is exuberant but tasteful, and the contemporary French menu, which emphasizes local market ingredients, boasts dishes such as roasted organic Poussin, Colorado Farms leg of lamb and Florida Keys red snapper Escabeche. Dreamy. 800.447.8800
