Stay Here, Not There: The art of finding the right New York City Hotel

The Trip: Hitting New York for this month’s wave of spectacular art exhibits, including Monet at MoMA, Vermeer at The Met, Georgia O’Keeffe at the Whitney and Kandinsky at the Guggenheim.


The Demands: An Upper East Side hotel for easy museum access and, of course, good value.


The Options: Famed Upper East institution The Carlyle and its under-the-radar neighbor The Franklin NYC.


The Breakdown: Perhaps a bit off the tourist map because of its location far from downtown and Times Square, the Franklin NYC is a great choice for museum-goers, who’ll be spending time primarily on the Upper East Side, within walking distance of The Met, the Whitney and the Guggenheim.


Another draw is all the freebies: Breakfast, all-day coffee and tea, Wi-Fi, morning newspapers, and evening wine and cheese are all included with a stay, leaving room in your budget for admission fees. On Saturday, September 19, a superior queen room, which we recommend, is $329 plus taxes.


The venerable Carlyle is also nicely-located, just 13 blocks southwest of the Franklin and close to plenty of museums. But its rates are more art patron than starving artist: A classic room with king bed is $575 plus taxes on September 19. While you’ll get more square footage, you’ll still have to pay extra for wi-fi ($14.95), breakfast (a buffet, $35), and evening drinks (starting at $18 at Bemelman’s).


Our Pick: At $246 less a night than The Carlyle—and with many more free amenities—the Franklin NYC is our pick.