The Ritz-Carlton New York Battery Park Rating: 4.5 Pearls

Lower Manhattan, Manhattan, New York City

The lobby

Many hotels claim to be synonymous with one superlative or another. ("Our name is synonymous with service .... ") With the Ritz, it's precisely the opposite: the superlative "ritzy" is literally derived from the hotel's name. Even the Four Seasons can't say that. ("This fruit is so four-seasonal .... " Um, nope.)

Featuring 298 rooms (including 39 suites) on 39 floors of a skyscraper right on the Hudson, this Ritz is quieter, lower-key, and, yes, a bit less ritzy than its sister property uptown by Central Park. The lobby is classy, sure, with gorgeous modern art and a baby-grand piano, but it's smaller and less imposing than those you'll find at other luxury hotels like the Waldorf Astoria. The front-desk clerk who checked me in wore a suit and addressed me as "sir" and "Mr. W__," but he was also chatty and smiley, like, say, a waiter at Applebee's.

Still, this is the Ritz, and the little flaws you find at other hotels -- chips in the paint on the door, luggage-tire scuff marks on the walls -- are noticeably absent here. The Ritz's ritz is in the details: the water bottles and headsets in the gym; the padded hangers in the rooms; the complimentary overnight shoe-shine service; the trademark cobalt-blue glass vases (check out the interesting history behind that motif at the corporate site). Even the Gideon's Bibles are gold. All of that adds up to an experience that has earned this Ritz a place on a number of "Top" and "Best Of" lists, including Travel+Leisure's "500 World's Best Hotels" of 2009.

I stayed there in mid-April, seven months into the recession, yet it wasn't immediately evident that the slowdown had hit the Ritz. The lobby was never empty, and the restaurant, 2West, was still bustling at 10 p.m. An hour later, its bar area was a happening place to be, with finance types in pinstripes crowding around the larger tables and well-heeled couples lining the bar. But much of the crowd was probably spillover from the popular Rise Bar, which shut down the previous week. This was big news. A 14th-floor bar with gorgeous views of the Statue of Liberty, Rise was one of the hotel's most defining features. So much for my "Libertini."

The front desk

According to the corporate website, the Ritz's motto is, "We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen," which makes the place sound a bit snootier than it actually is. Yes, the staff dresses formally, and when I dialed from my room, whoever picked up addressed me as "Mr. W__." But the vibe is a far cry from aristocratic Manhattan. When I passed staff in the halls or elevators, it was all smiles and how're-you-doings. Patrick, the front-desk clerk who checked me in, seemed genuinely happy to be there. That, or he's just a really good actor (always a possibility in New York).

Overall, it was typical Ritz service -- "typical," of course, being set on a higher bar here than almost anywhere else. They anticipate, they personalize, they go the extra mile to make sure you're happy. Moments after I settled into my room, a member of the housekeeping staff came by to see if I wanted a p.m. turndown (I declined). But she noticed that I had ordered extra towels earlier, went into my bathroom to see if they had been delivered (they hadn't), and went back out to her cart to bring me a pile. When I asked at the front desk if I could rent a DVD, despite the fact that it's officially a perk for Ritz-Carlton Club members only, Patrick said it was no problem, and printed out a copy of the DVD index for me. For wake-up calls, they offer a second, follow-up call 15 minutes later.

The only service slipup was leaving me a USA Today rather than the New York Times I had requested at check-in.

View on a Larger Map

The main thing that separates the Ritz Battery Park from the city's other landmark hotels is its location. Nestled at the southern tip of Manhattan, about 100 yards from the harbor that separates New York from New Jersey, this Ritz is miles apart from its counterparts uptown. The area is comparatively tranquil during the day and downright -- almost eerily -- quiet at night.

It's a different sort of New York experience. Nearby dining and nighttime entertainment options are scarce. During the day, there's plenty to see, but it's not the typical Times Square/Central Park/Museum Mile loop you'll take uptown. Instead, it's New York's almost-as-famous -- and very worthwhile -- downtown haunts. The departure point for tours of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty is right around the corner. Also nearby are the Museum of Jewish Heritage, the Museum of the American Indian, and the famous Staten Island Ferry. And of course, right next door, the attraction the Ritz is named for: 25-acre Battery Park, which is great for people-watching.

Avid shoppers benefit from the hotel's location near Century 21, a prime destination spot for the serious bargain hunter. This is where to scoop up heavily discounted Prada, Versace, and other designer products.

If you do need or want to get uptown, it's easy. The Bowling Green station, an express stop on the main subway line that runs up the east side (the 4/5 express train), is just a block away from the Ritz. And it's only a 10-minute cab ride to the myriad shops and restaurants downtown.

New York City has three nearby airports: JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark (in New Jersey). Getting into town from JFK or LaGuardia is usually more convenient than from Newark, but travel times are heavily dependent on the time of day and traffic conditions. From JFK, a taxi to anywhere in Manhattan costs a flat rate of $45 and takes around an hour in average conditions. From LaGuardia, a metered cab ride to midtown Manhattan costs about $40 and can take 30 minutes if traffic is light, three times that if it's bad. Rides from Newark cost at least $40 plus tolls and can take more than 90 minutes. It's customary to tip your driver 15 to 25 percent.

Those looking to save some cash can use the privately run shuttle buses that are available at all three airports for about $14 per person. For more information on the shuttles, go to Super Shuttle or New York Airport Service. Public transit is also available for as little as $7 per person, but travel can take up to two hours and involve a lot of lugging bags up and down stairways.

For mass-transit directions right to the hotel, check out HopStop.com.

The Deluxe Harbor View Room

With the exception of a few enormous -- and enormously priced -- suites, the Ritz's standard rooms start at 425 square feet, which is large for New York, but not quite as big as those at some other upscale hotels (the Four Seasons comes to mind). In addition to the king-size bed, there's an extra-stuffed chair and ottoman and a desk with an office chair. Between them, there's plenty of room to maneuver. This Ritz was built in 2002, and the rooms are now showing a little wear. The carpet in my room had a few snags; the furniture, some dings. But overall, my room was in excellent shape.

Although the website lists two different types of standard rooms, Deluxe Harbor View and Deluxe City View, their layouts are basically identical. The difference, of course, is the view, and you can probably guess which one to try for. Deluxe Harbor View rooms face west, towards New Jersey. It's not the most amazing view in the world, but it's still awfully nice. Lady Liberty is further away than I thought she'd be, but that's why those rooms come equipped with telescopes (which, while fun for a few minutes, is really more of a gimmick than a true draw).

The beds are what you'd expect from a Ritz: plush but firm, with 400-thread-count Frette linens and goose-down pillows.

The bathrooms are also up to Ritz standards -- spacious and beautiful. Highlights include the tub, the Bulgari bath products (including a loofah), and a shower with Niagara-like water pressure.

The room's best feature? The "free" minibar and snacks. (Officially it's an honor bar, but the guy who restocked my fridge told me to take whatever I wanted "on the house.")

If I were to be nitpicky -- and hey, this is the Ritz, and hey, that's my job -- there were two things I didn't like about the room:

1) The most hi-tech feature in the room -- a powerful audio feed from the TV into the bathroom -- is also potentially its most annoying. I was alone during my stay, but what if I had wanted to take a bath in peace and quiet while my wife watched TV? Impossible. And there appeared to be no way to disconnect it.

2) The Internet connection (available via wire or Wi-Fi). Not because it wasn't strong and reliable -- it was -- but because they charged an additional $12.95 per day for it. Given that they charge upwards of $400 for a room, I felt like I was being nickel-and-dimed for an amenity that, in this day and age, is more like a necessity.

The gym

The fitness center isn't huge, but it's still impressive. It sports cardio machines with private TV screens and headphones (four treadmills, three ellipticals, three bikes), half a dozen strength-training machines, a set of free weights, and some more specialized equipment like fitness orbs, "Perfect Pushup" bars, and a full-size dumbbell set. Plus, there's free bottled water.

I wasn't able to see the spa or meeting rooms myself, but you can view them here and here, and read about the basics here and here, respectively. The Ritz is also a popular choice for weddings and other social events. Plus, they're converting the Rise bar into a group space.

Other noteworthy features: Wi-Fi throughout the hotel ($12.95/day) and a limited but decent DVD library that the front-desk clerk will give you access to even if you're not a Ritz-Carlton Club member.

On the one hand, the Ritz has a very adult vibe, with a classy decor, relatively formal service, and an upscale restaurant, 2 West, that doesn't have a children's menu.

On the other hand, cribs and rollaway beds are both available at no extra cost, and fit easily in the rooms (with the exception of the rollaways, which can't be used in rooms with two double beds). There's also a small selection of kids movies in the DVD library.

The Ritz was built in 2002, and the property is extremely well maintained. My room was showing a little wear: the carpet had a few snags; the furniture, some dings. But overall, my room was in excellent shape.

Light fare at 2West

The Ritz's restaurant, 2West, serves up high-quality American and international cuisine. My lobster bisque and fish burger were both tasty; the fries -- sorry, pommes frites -- were greasy but (and?) dangerously addictive.

Your best option for any meal might be to just stay in the room. As at any Ritz, room service is available 24 hours.