The grand Bentley towers over New York's East River in stately art-nouveau style. Little expense is spared on the luxuriously rustic guestrooms, complete with Belgian linens, expansive views and soundproofed windows to keep New York's hustle-and-bustle at street level. The fashionable Upper East Side address provides instant access to high-end designer boutiques, Central Park and the culturally rich Museum Mile.

With stars like Eartha Kitt and Woody Allen cooing downstairs at the famous Cafe Carlyle, most New Yorkers don't pay much attention to the hotel itself—a masterpiece of Art Deco grandeur that lavishes its guests with some of the finest lodging in all of Manhattan. Presidents, musicians and social luminaries with Connecticut estates call the Carlyle home when visiting the city. Located on Manhattan's swanky Upper East Side, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Jewish Museum, the Frick Collection compete for attention with the high-end boutiques like Prada, Gucci and Chanel that line 5th Avenue.

Located on the southern end of Manhattan's famed Upper East Side, the Fitzpatrick Manhattan, an Irish-flavored hotel with gracious appointments, is equidistant from the hustle-and-bustle of midtown as it is from the high-end shopping of Fifth Avenue. Central Park is only a few blocks away, as are the cultural riches of New York's famed Museum Mile.

The gracious Pierre Hotel is every bit as sophisticated and stylish as one visiting New York could hope for. Flanked by Central Park and the shopping of Fifth Avenue, the European-tinged hotel exudes charm and luxury from its imported linens to its antique-style furnishings. Lavish ballrooms, charming cafes and elegant residential appointments add luster to any New York trip. Cabs and horse drawn carriages offer quick service to the cultural and retail riches of the Upper East Side and all that it holds from high-end shopping to culturally rich museums.

Smack on the avenue famed for haute couture and all the latest vogue goodies, the Helmsley Carlton House is every bit as elite as the location would suggest. Prim and proper doormen, full valet, white-gloved elevator attendants and nightly turn-down service are only some of the upscale amenities that guests can anticipate. Tastefully furnished studios, one- and two-bedroom suites add to the home-away-from-home feel that Helmsley Hotels cultivate. The Helmsley Carlton is one block from both Fifth Avenue and Central Park, and is across the street from the flagship location of Barneys New York.

Leona Helmsley caught quite a bit of flack in the late '80s for her, ahem, somewhat demanding and exacting demeanor. The Helmsley hotels (of which there are now six) embrace the attitude for which she was once so upbraided and pride themselves on the fact that they not only need please you—they need to please "you-know-who." In addition to the furiously kept rooms and lavishly dispensed amenities, the Helmsley Park Lane offers sweeping views of Central Park and is walking distance to Carnegie Hall, Bloomingdale's and the Upper East Side's cultural riches.

The Hotel Plaza Athenee is consistently rated among the top New York hotels for a reason. This European-style boutique hotel offers spacious rooms with sitting areas, fresh flowers and cushy, if not casual, furnishings. The concierge service here is as legendary as the hotel itself, doling out recommendations and reservations as if he were a gilded entertainment machine. Located on Manhattan's tony Upper East Side, the Hotel Plaza Athenee is just blocks from Central Park and minutes from Times Square, Broadway shows and midtown business lunches.

This classic New York hotel is neither stodgy nor pretentious, yet manages to impart Old World elegance to its refreshingly non-boutique lodging. Frette linens, wet bars and a full-service gym are but a few of the luxury amenities available to the moneyed clientele who wish to be close to the cultural and retail attractions of the Upper East Side.