Gone are the days of treatless turn-down service and towel origami, at least in these hotels that wow with what we deem the best freethat's right, freeperks offered in the sum of a night's stay. Have a nomination? Send it to our tipline or leave it in the comments below:
1) People call this The City That Never Sleeps, but at The Benjamin, they want you to do just that. The Benjamin is so serious about good sleep, they even have a sleep concierge who curates a "Cloud 10 Pillow Menu" that includes favorites such as Swedish Memory, Anti-Snore, Water-filled, and Five-foot Body Cushion. The menu is arranged by "sleeper type" (side sleeper, back, stomach, etc.) and if a guest is unsure what category they fall into, the staff at The Benjamin is eager to help. The Benjamin also offers reverse wake-up calls called Work-Down Calls during which they persuade guests to power down their electronics and prepare for bed.
2) ↑ Who knew toilets could be considered a free perk, but at The Kitano, each of its 149 rooms comes equipped with a $1,500 toilet and bidet combination by Toto called the Washlet. Controlled by a panel on the wall, users can choose what temperature, pressure, and pulsation pattern their posterior will be cleansed with. The toilet dries users as well with a burst of warm air. If you're curious, this somewhat awkward video depicts how the Washlet works. It gets good at about 1:30.
3) ↑ Staying at The Mark? Help yourself to one of their customized Republic bicycles complete with monogrammed bells,
Handsomely displayed in a stand mimicking the hotel stairwell and positioned on 77th Street outside the hotel's entrance, the bicycles come complete with 'MARK1' license plates, signature black and white helmets, and baskets ... The Mark's award winning chief concierge Isabelle Hogan has curated an illustrated bike map to help guests navigate the area's museums, galleries, shops and restaurants, as well as Central Park. The Mark also offers up a fleet of bespoke, monogrammed baby strollers by Maclaren. Also, an overnight at The Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC, The Jane, The Maritime Hotel, and The Bowery Hotel affords guests complimentary bicycles, available on request. The Greenwich Hotel furnishes guests with Shinola bicycles. If skateboarding's more your style, take note that The Nolitan offers complimentary rentals.
4) A stay at the St. Regis affords guests 24-7 English-style butler service. Too fatigued to unpack or repack your suitcase? No worries, one of their butler fleet can do that for you. Rather lounge in bed than step foot on the plush carpet to pull your blinds? That's okay, someone can do that for you too. And while they're at it, they'll pour your coffee, deliver your newspaper, and rattle off the day's weather.
5) ↑ Are you a burgeoning ornithologist or a plain ol' birdwatcher? The Ritz Carlton Central Park is the place for you. Not only does the hotel offer sweeping views of the relatively-wooded area, but also furnishes each guest room with telescopes and birdwatching books. Who would have thought the city had something to offer orniphiles?
6) Want to feel like a well-appointed local? Book a stay at the Gramercy Park Hotel, where staff can escort you into and out-of the city's most private outdoor space, Gramercy Park, with their exclusive park key.
7) Guests at The Greenwich Hotel are in for a treat, literally, where a collection of hotel co-owner Robert DeNiro's favorite snacks are on hand in each room. Included in the complimentary smorgasbord are Tate's Chocolate Chip Cookies, Uncle Jerry's Handmade Pretzels, JujyFruits, Oreos, and M &M's. Additionally, if midnight snacking is a favorite activity, consider a stay at The Mark, where Ladurée macaroons materialize during turn-down service.
8) Want to learn a thing or two about the communities built by New York's huddled masses? A stay Pod 39 or 51 gives guests the perk of a free pass on a Streetwise walking toura $75 value. The bona fide tour company is run by seasoned New Yorkers who, naturally, are comedians on the side. Tours parade visitors through the streets and history of the Lower East Side and Chinatown to the High Line and West Village, giving visitors the inside scoop on all that was and is.
9) ↑ Ride around in style as a guest at The Plaza, who provides patrons with chauffeured service in their Rolls Royce Phantom. Similarly, a stay the St. Regis gives guests fully chauffeured access to the hotel's Bentley Mulsanne. Half-a-million-dollar cars not your thing? A stay at Loews Regency Hotel hooks guests up with chauffeured rides in 2014 Fiat 500L's. All subject to availability, of course.
10) ↑ Toiletry hoarding might reach a new level amongst guests at The Quin, which is the only New York City hotel to offer Fresh brand products. The products are selections from the brand's high-quality and pricey best-selling skincare, body care, and hair care lines including their Soy Shampoo with ginseng root, Pomegranate Conditioner, Citron de Vigne Soap, Bath & Shower Gel, and Body Lotion.
11) Couldn't convince those pesky airline attendees to let you carry-on your iMac? You're in luck if you're checking-in at Tribeca Grand, where a reservation grants you use of the hotel's lending iMacs, iPods, and iPads.
12) The Library Hotel wines and dines its guests with complimentary wine and cheese every evening in the lobby from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Want to work the it off in the morning? The hotel also grants guests complimentary passes to the nearby New York Sports Club.
13) ↑ Any music fan will dig the Curious Provisions boomboxes customary to each room in the Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC. Each room is equipped with a one-of-a-kind rechargeable vintage suitcase boombox. The portable speakers work with your iPod, iPad, iPhone or Android, connecting with a cable or built-in Bluetooth. Groove on.
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