The Gramercy Park Hotel currently sets the bar for New York cool -- hence the celebrities in the lounge and the paparazzi on the sidewalk. It offers ultra-luxe but small rooms done up in high Boho-chic style, a gorgeous gym, and a young, attentive staff. True, even guests sometimes feel excluded from the glamour-fest in the bar. But the place is utterly unique.

This mid-range Midtown hotel, formerly known as LOLA -- and formerly, formerly the Hotel Thirty Thirty -- boasts a hip and atmospheric lobby and lounge area, as well as 176 rooms and suites stylishly renovated in 2011. Sizes vary, and all units include modern amenities such as duvets, flat-screen TVs, iPod/iPad docks, sleek work desks, and slate bathrooms. The lobby is by far the place to be, with designer lighting installations, contemporary furniture, and black-and-white murals plus a small bar. The hotel offers the requisite business and fitness centers, and a cafe, but not much else in the way of features. It is, however, a suitable choice for those who want to plop down the bag, have a drink, and get out and see the city.

The 198-room St. Giles Hotel was once a member of the hip W chain, but little has changed since its new owners took over in 2010. It's located in Murray Hill, a convenient base for exploring the city, and its large rooms come with wonderful beds. All around, it's a fine hotel, but the gym is half a block away at the Tuscany.

With a world-class gym and spa, plus dozens of customized amenities, the all-suites Dumont is a phenomenal option if you're looking for an urban spa getaway. More than that, it's an excellent high-end choice in general as long as you don't mind being a bit of a hike away from NYC's main tourist haunts.

The 124-room Tuscany hotel was once a member of the hip W chain, but now has a more refined luxury appeal with hardwood floors and a Tuscan facade. It's located in Murray Hill, a convenient base for exploring the city, and its large rooms come with wonderful beds. It bests its sister, The Court, with its excellent onsite gym, quieter location, and a 2012 renovation that furthered its charm.

Located on an especially quiet, residential strip of snazzy Park Avenue in Murray Hill, the Japanese-owned, 149-room Kitano's appeal is in the details -- in-room towel warmers, soundproof windows, a free morning shuttle to Wall Street, and impeccable service. It's a fine hotel, but for the price it's also worth considering the nearby 70 Park Avenue and St. Giles - The Court hotels.

Thorough attention to detail and old-world charm set this quaint boutique hotel apart. Its 12 rooms have been individually decorated with period antiques and fireplaces, and feature modern amenities, such as flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, and free Wi-Fi. The property lacks most of the amenities of larger hotels, including a fitness center and a full restaurant -- but it does offer an elegant tea salon, a central location a block from Union Square, and an intimate feel that's hard to come by in New York.

W Hotels' 270-room Union Square property greatly resembles other Ws in New York: comfortable beds, modern rooms, an excellent gym, and plenty of business travelers in the butterfly-decorated, techno-soundtracked lobby. The difference: this one's downtown, near the bar-filled East Village and media-mecca Flatiron.

This 249-room hotel with flashy decor, an outdoor pool, and lots of bars is the uptown sister to the original, once wildly popular Hotel Gansevoort. The new trendy-looking Park Avenue South outpost adds lots of nightlife to its largely corporate neighborhood, but only time will tell if the owners can successfully reprise their hotel homerun.

Located in sleepy Murray Hill, the Affinia Shelburne is a bit of a hike from most popular tourist attractions, but the abundance of reasonably priced restaurants nearby -- as well as the hotel’s own rooftop bar and inventive burger grill -- make this comfortable, low-key property a solid mid-price option. The spacious suites have marble tubs and colorful custom-made furniture.