The Best Hotels to Book in New York State

Best for exploring Upstate New York, Buffalo and Amherst – where this hotel is located – the Reikart nods to the past, while embracing all the modern tech you could need. Traveling in an e-car? You’re in luck with electric charging points on site. The grand lobby sets the tone for your stay at the hotel, with paintings from famous artist Peter Fowler hanging on the walls.

Topping Rose House bills itself as the only full-service hotel in the Hamptons. So if you want to holiday like Manhattan’s elite but you don’t need a whole house on the water, staying in this beautifully restored, 19th-century colonial mansion is just the ticket. A modern spa and pool contrast the traditional furnishings of the main house – though the rooms look decidedly suave and “now.” Its Bridgehampton location is well placed for local explorations.

Of course you’ll love the spa, the dining and the elegantly finished rooms with balconies and open wood fires. But you’re probably here to get out into nature – and the location of the Mirror Lake Inn, on Lake Placid, means you can whizz to the kayak, fishing spot, swimming hole, ski run and hiking trail in minutes. The hotel is also near the former venues of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, where sporting history comes to life and you can skate, ski and luge.

Bang in the center of Midtown in Manhattan, on 44th Street near Bryant Park and Times Square, the Iroquois maintains its independent streak with a free-wheeling spirit that has attracted notorious guests. They include James Dean and the Clash, who wrote “Rock The Casbah” while they were in residence here. Historic touches nodding to its 1902 origins charmingly remain, like the famous hotel sign.

Rising out of the post-industrial atmosphere of Williamsburg like a bright, shiny ode to excess, the William Vale offers rooms with views over the East River that pack a real punch. You can see the Manhattan skyline laid out in all its glory from the rooms with balconies – even more so up at Westlight, the 22nd-floor rooftop watering hole.

New York City’s great and good have been coming to Gurney’s for decades: Jimmy Fallon, Cameron Diaz, Richard Nixon, Scarlett Johansson – the list goes on. You can stay in upmarket splendor, right on the water, and be near the wild walks of the Montauk peninsula. If you love the beach and swimming in the sea, this is the place to be in New York State. The spa will relax any tired limbs too.

History buffs will appreciate the historic architecture that sings out for attention here: the Adelphi first opened in Saratoga Springs back in 1877 as a hotel for race-goers. Now everyone who wants to have fun in Upstate New York is welcome. The famous ballroom should not be missed and there are several on-site restaurants, with the pretty town of Saratoga Springs right outside to explore.

Its eco credentials set 1 Brooklyn Bridge apart from the competition: green walls, rooms filled with plants and moss, wood everywhere in the building, a sensitivity to environmental issues and an attempt to do things better. You’ll be encouraged to drink tap rather than bottled water, for example. Couple it with buzzing parties at the bar and a killer view of the Brooklyn Bridge – from the Brooklyn side – and this is a place to really remember.

History comes alive at the Curtiss, a five-star boutique hotel in the middle of Buffalo, one of New York State’s lesser-visited destinations. The former Harlow C Curtiss Building, on Franklin Street, has been sensitively restored to create a sumptuous space to stay, with glitzy interiors and lots of gold colors lending a feeling of individuality. It’s set apart from the many chain contenders nearby.

If you dream of a wonderfully relaxing weekend in the Adirondacks, the chances are you’re dreaming of a place that looks just like this. Rustic stone and hardwoods create the feel of the mountains and the forest throughout the restaurant, spa and bedrooms. This 98-room hotel, completed in 2005, is next to Lake Placid and packed with activities: fishing, a skating rink, bowling, camp fires and boating, plus the mountains are nearby for skiing or hiking.