Fitzpatrick Manhattan

One of two New York-based properties operated by the Irish Fitzpatrick Hotel Group, the quaint Fitzpatrick Manhattan boutique provides quiet comfort in the center of bustling Midtown East. The predominately Irish staff provides reliably solid service to their guests, many of whom are Irish also (the hotel has hosted both the Prime Minister and President of Ireland since it opened in 1991). The Fitzpatrick lacks many of the amenities offered by other prominent properties in the neighborhood -- there's no fitness center, for example -- but with its hospitable service, comfy rooms, and a pleasant all-day restaurant and pub, it gets the basics just right.

The Fitzpatrick Manhattan is located in Midtown East on the busy intersection of Lexington Avenue and 57th Street, a neighborhood dominated by corporate skyscrapers and retail stores. This business district gets quiet at night but never desolate. - Three-minute walk to the 4, 5, 6 and N, Q, R subway lines at East 59th Street and Lexington Avenue subway stations

• Six-minute walk to Central Park
• 10-minute walk to St. Patrick's Cathedral
• 12-minute walk to Museum of Modern Art
• 14-minute walk to Rockefeller Center
• 22-minute walk to Times Square

Most of the hotel's 91 rooms and suites have a basic, cozy look, thanks to deep yellow carpeting, beige textured walls, and satiny brown curtains. All rooms include Hamilton Beach coffeemakers, iHome radios, pants presses, desks, and 42-inch flat-screen TVs with HBO and on-demand movies. Beds feature chocolate-colored padded headboards, extra-thick mattresses, and pillow-tops (there are either one or two queen beds in the 280-square-foot standard rooms, called Deluxe Rooms).  Deluxe Suites, which range from 625 to 675 square feet, feature either one queen or two double beds. Suites have pantry areas with mini-fridges and separate living rooms with second 50-inch flat-screen TVs, armchairs, and pullout couches, making them a great choice for families. Bathrooms showcase lots of marble and come with Damana bath products, hairdryers, and bathrobes. There are walk-in glass showers in standard rooms, and shower/tub combos in the suites. The 775-square-foot Presidential Suites have a sleek Hollywood Regency vibe, with semi-canopied king beds, purple carpeting and curtains, chrome accents, and framed black-and-white photographs against cream-colored or textured beige walls. In-room Wi-Fi costs a daily fee.

The hotel's next-door restaurant and bar, The Fitz, is a contemporary version of the traditional Irish pub. The Fitz serves three meals a day (including hearty specialities like Irish breakfast (available all day), Yorkshire shepherd's pie, beef stew, and fish and chips), and stays open late every night serving cocktails and Irish drafts. Private dining available. There's no fitness center on-site, but the hotel provides free passes to a New York Sports Club located a few blocks away. Hotel staffers cater to individual requests, plus offer optional nightly turndown, 24-hour room service, and a helpful concierge.