Lonely Planet Review
High-class luxury is one thing at the Ritz-Carlton, but private 700mm (27.5inch) telescopes pointed at a stranded woman? Well, actually, all waterside rooms (about three-quarters of the 298 rooms) come with telescopes pointed at the Statue of Liberty - the best harbour views in the city.
The nicest hotel in Lower Manhattan, the glass and brick tower fills its bottom 14 floors with lushly outfitted rooms and suites (feather beds, velour robes). Marble baths feature 'bath butler' service, including the 'Rub-a-Dub Dub' for kids (with milk and cookies). Bvlgari soaps and lotions are a bonus. Surprisingly only suites have DVD players (and all TVs are clunky non-flatscreen), and the 'deluxe' standard rooms are not that roomy. If you have the bucks, spring for a suite - the best is the Liberty, a sprawling, L-shaped two-room suite with a big pull-out sofa, a half-equipped kitchen, and a big dining table that can double for business meetings. The top bar/restaurant, Rise, has light meals and drinks with armchairs facing the bay and a balcony. Drop into the club for a big breakfast, or just for snacks and drinks throughout the day.
Review by author
Robert Reid