Where to Stay - New York City 2009 - page 67

an Upper East Side apartment. Many suites have views of either
downtown or the West Side and Central Park.
The marble-floored lobby with Piranesi prints and murals is a
beauty. The hotel's supper club Cafe Carlyle (p. 182) is the place for
first-rate cabaret. Charming Bemelmans Bar, named after illustrator
Ludwig Bemelmans, who created the Madeline topics and painted
the mural here, is a great spot for cocktails.
35 E. 76th St. (at Madison Ave.), New York, NY 10021. & 800/227-5737 or 212/
744-1600. Fax [phone]. www.thecarlyle.com. 180 units. $650-$950 double;
from $950 1- or 2-bedroom suite. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Parking $48. Subway: 6 to
77th St. Pets under 25 lbs accepted. Amenities: 3 restaurants (including one of the
city's best cabaret rooms); tearoom; bar; high-tech fitness room w/sauna, Jacuzzi,
and spa services; concierge; 24-hr. room service; laundry service; dry cleaning; video
library. In room: A/C, TV/VCR, fax/copier/printer, high-speed Internet, dataport,
pantry kitchenette or full kitchen w/minibar, hair dryer, safe, CD player.

Hotel Plaza Athénée This hideaway in New York's most
elegant neighborhood (the stretch of Madison Ave. in the 60s) is
elegant, luxurious, and oozing with sophistication. With antique
furniture, hand-painted murals, and the Italian-marble floor that
adorns the lobby, the Plaza Athénée has a European feel. In that tra-
dition, service here is as good as it gets, with personalized check-in
and attentive staff. The rooms come in a variety of shapes and sizes,
and are all high-ceilinged and spacious; entrance foyers give them a
residential feel. They are designed in rich fabrics and warm colors
that help set a tone that makes you want to lounge in your room
longer than you should. Many of the suites have terraces large
enough to dine on. The Portuguese-marble bathrooms are outfitted
with thick robes made for the hotel. The leather-floored lounge is
called Bar Seine and is a welcome spot for a predinner cocktail. The
restaurant, Arabelle, receives high praise for its weekend brunch.
37 E. 64th St. (btwn Madison and Park aves.), New York, NY 10021. & 800/447-
8800 or 212/734-9100. Fax [phone]. www.plaza-athenee.com. 149 units.
$755-$825 double; from $1,620 suite. Check for packages and seasonal specials (as
low as $495 at press time). AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Parking $53. Subway: F to Lexing-
ton Ave. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; fitness center; Clefs d'Or concierge; business
center; 24-hr. room service; laundry service; dry cleaning. In room:A/C, TV, fax, high-
speed Internet, dataport, minibar, hair dryer, safe.

The Lowell The Lowell's style of luxury is best
described as elegant, sophisticated 20th-century opulence. It has the
feel of a residential dwelling; the lobby is small and clubby with first-
rate European, old-world service. The rooms are the real treasures;
each unique and all a good size. About two-thirds are suites with
kitchenettes or full kitchens; some have terraces and most have

Kids