Best New York Hotels for Iconic Skyline Views

A retired couple who came to New York for a season of concerts chose The Wallace Hotel for its location near Lincoln Center and Strawberry Fields. Their days started with a walk into Central Park and ended in a city-view room after a show, the lights of the Upper West Side outside the window. The bar served for a quiet nightcap. There is no rooftop terrace or pool, so travelers who want a view in the open air should look elsewhere.

A photographer in town for a week of shoots picked a room at the Bryant Park Hotel because the window looked straight over the park toward the Midtown skyline. He watched the park change through the day, from early lawn crews to winter evenings when the surrounding towers lit up. Breakfast was taken out, coffee by the window. The view belongs to the room rather than a shared terrace, so travelers wanting a rooftop crowd should look elsewhere.

A musician in New York for a run of downtown gigs chose The Bowery Hotel for its loft-style feel and floor-to-ceiling windows. Back from shows past midnight, he would sit by the glass watching the city lights over the East Village rooftops, and mornings were slow with coffee in the same spot. The 24-hour concierge handled odd-hour requests. There is no rooftop bar or pool, so travelers wanting an open-air view should look elsewhere.

A couple on their first visit to New York chose Pestana Park Avenue for its central Midtown address and the terrace. After long days on foot between landmarks, they came back in the early evening and sat outside with the city views while the office towers around them lit up. Their room had a small balcony, which became the spot for morning coffee. The terrace is calm rather than a bar scene, which suited a couple needing to recover.

A business traveler on a regular Midtown circuit requested a city-view room at Hilton Club The Quin and now asks for it every trip. The appeal is simple: a Nespresso at dawn while 6th Avenue wakes up below, and the skyline lit up when she returns from late dinners. She rarely uses anything beyond the room and the WiFi. There is no rooftop bar or pool, so anyone wanting a shared terrace should book elsewhere.

Parents bringing their grown daughter to New York for a birthday booked a room facing Central Park, and the window turned out to be the real attraction. Mornings started with coffee from the kitchenette while joggers circled the park below, and evenings ended watching the city lights from the same seat. A spa afternoon broke up the shopping. There is no rooftop bar or pool, so the view stays private, which is either the appeal or the drawback.

Two university friends on a four-night city break booked citizenM Times Square for its location and the rooftop bar. Each evening started up there, a cocktail in hand as the skyline went from dusk blue to a wall of lights, before heading out to dinner. The iPad-controlled rooms amused them more than expected, though space was tight for two suitcases. The bar draws a busy, cheerful crowd, so travelers wanting quiet should plan an early visit.

Old friends reuniting in Manhattan for a long weekend booked The Chemists Club Hotel for its historic character and rooftop terrace. Their ritual was simple: up to the terrace before dinner to watch the skyline shift into evening, then downstairs to the steakhouse. The marble bathrooms earned more praise than they expected. The terrace has an upscale, quiet feel, which suited a reunion with long conversations, though it would disappoint anyone after a loud night.

A bachelorette group of five booked Margaritaville Resort Times Square expressly for the rooftop pool and bar. They spent a summer afternoon in the pool with the skyline rising around them, then stayed for live music as the Midtown lights came on. Bryant Park made an easy morning walk. The rooftop is loud, crowded and cheerful in the evening, perfect for a celebration, but couples wanting a quiet drink would be better served almost anywhere else.