Condo troubles aside, the landmarked Plaza remains iconic in the NYC hotel world. The hotel, designed by the Dakota's Henry Janeway Hardenbegh, opened in October 1907 after a $12 million, two-year construction process. At the time, rooms cost $2.50/night. (Today, they cost just a bit more.) Movie appearances include North by Northwest, The Great Gatsby, and Home Alone II—and, of course, the hotel has a long-standing association with Eloise.

The NoMad has a completely different feel from the nearby Ace—the NoMad's aesthetic leans more toward the European, with Paris-inspired interiors by Jacques Garcia featuring clawfoot bathtubs and reclaimed maple floors. The individual rooms range from standard to apartment-esque—the Suite Royale is an 1,800-square-foot space with a private terrace.

The Mercer is the sister hotel to the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood, so, naturally, it's pricey and popular with celebrities. (The lobby is always a place to spot power players.) William Schickel designed the 1890 building—a Romanesque Revival landmark—as offices for the Astor family; before it became a hotel, it housed artists' lofts. The 75 hotel rooms and suites were designed by Christian Liaigre, and the hotel is part of the Andre Balazs empire.

The Crosby Street Hotel, the first U.S. outpost from UK-based Firmdale Hotels, is priced at a level that befits its frequent famous guests. (The nightly rate for a date next week is about four times the rate at The Mercer Hotel, as an example.) One reason those guests come to the Crosby: the 99-seat movie theater downstairs, which often hosts screenings.

The Pierre is Taj Hotels' flagship and received some upgrades to the rooms and bathrooms in a recent $100 million renovation—the building, which opened in 1930, is located within the Upper East Side Historic District. The penthouse contains the hotel's former ballroom and is on the market for $125 million following the death of former owner Martin Zweig. That price almost makes the hotel's room rate seem like a bargain.

Readers clamored for the Soho Grand's inclusion in this list. A hospitality pioneer in its neighborhood, the 352-roomer's past-meets-present design is meant to intertwine the historic grandeur of the 1870s with the more mod stylings of the 1970s. It's also pet-friendly, with sculptures of canines throughout, and earlier this year the hotel debuted a dedicated dog run overhung by twinkle lights, "complete with fire hydrant water stations, bespoke benches, and design by gardener-to-the-stars Rebecca Cole."

Another Upper East Side classic, the Carlyle hotel regularly appears on best hotel lists. Rooms range from the standard 350-square-foot king bed option to the deluxe tower rooms designed by Alexandra Champalimaud. (The deluxe tower rooms are the way to go for skyline views.) There are also art, antiques and fashion boutiques within the hotel, including a Vera Wang boutique and H.M. Luther antiques.

Hotel guests' peep shows have generated some headlines, but The Standard also has things to offer to the non-nudity-inclined. The building straddles the High Line, for one thing, and contains an ice rink and rooftop bar. There's always fun public art.

The Andaz is a contemporary-chic brand under the Hyatt empire, and the decor of this lauded outpost emphasizes New York art. There's a white marble and resin Nick Hornby sculpture, for example, inspired by everything from the urns at the New York Public Library to Bryant Park's Gertrude Stein statue. The rooms are meant to be loft-like, and they start at 322 square feet.

An incredible roster of famous people have swept through the Gramercy Park Hotel, which opened in 1925. Humphrey Bogart got married on the rooftop terrace! The Rolling Stones and U2 are among the many musicians who've stayed there. These days, with art collector Aby Rosen at the helm, the hotel's look is artsy and includes pieces by Damien Hirst, Keith Haring, and Andy Warhol. Julian Schnabel redesigned the hotel (which also has Gramercy Park views, as the name suggests) seven years ago. The Danny Meyer restaurant Maialino is located in the hotel.

One Curbed commenter describes the rooms at The Hudson as "tiny but impeccable" and the lobby as a "Manhattan marvel." The entrance is designed to be eye-catching, with a 30-foot glass tunnel enclosing the elevator up to the lobby.

Robert De Niro is an owner of this hotel, and he's occasionally clashed with the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission over the penthouse he added without LPC approval. Whatever questions the LPC might have had about how that penthouse fit into the neighborhood, De Niro and his hotel helped put Tribeca on the map. The hotel itself is worth a stay, too. Each of the 88 rooms has different rugs and furnishings, and the hotel's restaurant is the celebrated Locanda Verde.

The Thompson LES—one of the Thompson brand's six properties around Manhattan—has been a major player in the changing character (and increasing glassitecture) of the Lower East Side. It still nods to what NYC used to be, though: the bottom of the rooftop pool, for example, is lined with a mural of Andy Warhol.

The Wythe, the only Brooklyn hotel on this list, opened just over a year ago and boasts design by Morris Adjmi of a converted 1901 factory. The 70 rooms include spaces specifically for bands, sleeping four to six, and standard rooms named for their sizes and views. There's no room service, but the beds are made from the building's own reclaimed ceilings. UPDATE: Hotel reps tell us that, sadly, the Wythe no longer offers band rooms.