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 virtually flawless 88-room TriBeCa hotel (opened in 2008 by Robert de Niro, among others) offers large, homey rooms, breathtaking design, and very attentive service. Even better: free Wi-Fi; free minibar snacks; and free Wii video games by request. Better still: an underground pool; Shibui Spa; premier gym; and the homestyle Italian Locanda Verde restaurant.

The Waldorf Towers occupies the top floors of the iconic Waldorf Astoria hotel in Midtown East. It is an exclusive boutique with 117 classic, individually decorated rooms, some of which have a rich history of famous guests and long-term residents. Most amenities are shared with its sister property -- including the great (but pricey) restaurants, high-end Guerlain Spa, and beauty salon -- but the hotel has its own lobby, fitness center, elevators, and concierges. Some rooms have underwhelming decor for the price, but for a more personalized stay with a little more luxury than at the Waldorf Astoria, the Towers is still a great pick.

When it opened in 2010, this W hotel brought the suit-focused Financial District with a dose of cool. It's a sleek hotel, and its biggest assets are its stylish lobby lounge (with huge wrap-around terrace) and its proximity to Ground Zero (which means perfect views of the Freedom Tower). Other features include a nice fitness center (with great views), a small business center, meeting rooms, and a restaurant by the well-regarded BLT chain. Many tourists would prefer to be in a hipper, quainter, or more central neighborhood, but the hotel is close to Wall Street, Trinity Church, Battery Park, the ferry to the Statue of Liberty, and of course the 9/11 Memorial. Travelers who like the idea of a hip hotel in the Financial District can also consider Gild Hall, about a 10-minute walk to the east.

This gorgeous new 141-room boutique may seem a bit out of place in the still-gritty Lower East Side neighborhood, which is known for its raucous late-night activity. But for well-heeled hipsters looking for downtown action, the cool design, attentive staff, fitness center, and pool combine to make this a very fine place to crash after a night out in skinny jeans.

Centrally located near Madison Square Park, The Nomad (which shares its name with the surrounding neighborhood north of Madison Square Garden) is a luxurious, impeccably designed hotel with attentive service but limited features (there's no spa or business center). The hotel's focal point is its eponymous bar and restaurant, featuring five separate-but-connected spaces that sprawl along the ground floor. Guests can order cocktails in the cozy, book-lined Library or order brunch in the sun-filled Atrium room, though they should be prepared for price tags that match the high level of style. The 168 guest rooms are luxurious (there are Sferra linens, Frette towels, and robes), and successfully evoke a bygone era with Persian rugs, old maps, and antique-looking fixtures. Hip travelers who are willing to sacrifice luxury (without sacrificing a popular scene) should consider the Ace Hotel just around the corner, which offers more amenities -- multiple bars, a popular coffee shop, and more common space in which to socialize -- at an often lower price.

An elegant, historic hotel across the street from Central Park, the Pierre offers a taste of grand old New York to those staying in any of its 189 small but freshly renovated guest rooms. The large staff is white-glove formal, but service is not without the occasional glitch -- and the hotel lacks the on-site amenities of some of its by-the-park luxury competitors, like the Plaza and the Four Seasons.

After a $60 million renovation in 2009, this 190-room hotel on the Upper East Side is ready to pull guests away from the nearby Carlyle with room service by Cafe Boulud, a private rooftop garden with butler service, and some of the most comfortable hotel beds in New York.

The Mercer's 75 loft-style guest rooms, beautiful staff, stylish lobby/lounge, personalized service, and swanky SoHo location make it a go-to choice for celebrities and other fashionable members of the entertainment industry. Still, several chic downtown rivals like Thompson LES and the Greenwich Hotel have all those things, plus more on-site features, like a pool and a spa.

This Upper East Side boutique hotel, a sister to the world-renowned Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris, possesses a deep-rooted commitment to service, luxury, and sophistication. Rooms are sumptuous, with classic European decor and gorgeous bathrooms. The bar and restaurant are intimate and romantic, serving excellent fine-dining fare and cocktails, while the spa and fitness center provide charming spaces to relax and rejuvenate. Above all, though, is the hotel's dedication to service, made evident from the outset with a sit-down check-in, and continued throughout guests' stays by the excellent Clefs d'Or concierges. It is no wonder that both Princess Diana and Elizabeth Taylor have called the Plaza Athenee home.