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For luxury in a modern mode, this dramatic, pale-hued tower by I.M. Pei is the ultimate, with rooms among the city’s largest, and every amenity. The bar and restaurant draws the city’s elite.

Antiques set the stage for an uptown, luxury lair that has long attracted the famous with its hushed European ambience and spacious quarters in understated good taste. Café Carlyle is the city’s poshest cabaret.

Fresh from lavish refurbishment, the hotel straddles the opulent 1882 Villard Houses and a 55-story tower, with a choice of traditional or contemporary room decor. Room service is from the legendary Le Cirque 2000.

High ceilings and tall windows mean fabulous city and Central Park views, and the amenities are equally bountiful – jacuzzis, personal business cards, room service from Jean Georges (see Jean Georges), or a chef to cook for you.

The Hong Kong hotel group has done itself proud, turning a 1905 classic into a state-of-the-art luxury lodging. Rooms are contemporary with Art Nouveau accents and bedside controls for the many gadgets. The health club with pool is superb.

A landmark opposite Central Park since the 1930s, the Pierre, part of the Four Seasons group, is a bastion of old-world elegance. Personal service is a hallmark that draws many of the elite.

Rooms come with Louis XVI furnishings, silk wall coverings, chandeliers, and a butler tending to your every need at this Beaux Arts beauty. French restaurant Lespinasse (see Alain Ducasse at the Essex House) is attached.

Discretely elegant, this member of the prestigious Mandarin group is a contemporary sanctuary. It draws an international clientele who appreciate the Biedemeier furnishings, antique prints, luxury linens, and conveniences such as cordless phones.

An intimate, 152-room Parisian outpost located on a quiet upper East Side street. Modern facilities include a fitness center and staff waiting to attend to your every need.

A gilt and mirrored sanctuary favored by show business moguls, the hotel has Regency decor that inspired the name and oversize suites. The restaurant, 540, a power breakfast favorite, turns into Feinstein’s club (see Feinstein’s at the Regency) at night.