On Manhattan's East Side, a Hotel for Power Brokers and Posh Would-Be New Yorkers

Loews Regency New York
New York, New York
Modern, $$$ (from $300)

When it opened in 1963, Loews Regency New York would soon become synonymous with the upper echelon of Manhattan movers and shakers. It was, after all, the birthplace of the power breakfast, a tradition started by Loews co-CEO Bob Tisch (yes, of that Tisch family) to kickstart economic recovery during NYC’s financial crisis in the 1970s. Decades later, after a $100 million renovation in 2014 and under the direction of Jonathan Tisch (Bob’s son), the hotel continues to tout its elite cachet, offering designer-inspired, apartment-style accommodations within a discrete and luxurious (and landmarked) Park Avenue address. Pack your cufflinks. And come ready to do business.

At a Glance

Style: Updated Art Deco. Various design teams, including Meyer Davis Studio, Nate Berkus Design, Haynes-Roberts Inc, and Rottet Studio, worked on the hotel. The results are modern and sophisticated spaces that recall Midtown buildings of old.

Standout Detail: The grand lobby, the work of Rottet Studio, features a lineup of outlet-equipped velvet couches underneath Brise de Printemps, an art installation by Brooklyn’s Nina Helms, which showcases 438 handcrafted dogwood flowers in various stages of bloom.

This Place Is Perfect For: Business travelers and New York first-timers who value discretion along with easy access to Midtown East and the Upper East Side.

On Site: The Julien Farel Restore Salon and Spa is a highlight (pun intended!). Their power hour treatment combines three services of your choosing done within an hour, an impressive offering for those on the clock. The hotel also has a 24-hour gym with Peloton bikes, complimentary WiFi and shoe shines, and a house car for trips within a twenty-block radius.

Rooms: 379 guest rooms are spacious and airy, with black-and-white marble bathrooms, big beds dressed in Frette linens, velvet furnishings, and flower motifs throughout. Of the hotel’s 58 suites, six signature suites — one inspired by Marilyn Monroe, another by Andy Warhol, a third by Milanese apartments from the 1970s — are highlights, as is the atrium suite, which, as the name suggests, has its own private atrium.

Food + Drink: The Regency Bar & Grill serves classic American fare for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner using locally sourced ingredients. It has has a dedicated bar menu with craft cocktails and luxe bar bites like shrimp cocktails and jumbo lump crab cake. If you want to brunch over smoked salmon Benedicts, you’ll most likely need a reservation: The restaurant still draws a morning crowd.

What to Do Nearby

From its location on Park Avenue and East 61st St., Loews Regency New York is well within walking distance to a slew of Manhattan greats — Central Park, the Met, MoMA, and shopping on Fifth Avenue. After a day in the park or out strolling the streets of the Upper East Side, end with a classic dinner at Daniel, chef Daniel Boulud’s temple to gastronomy, and a cocktail at at the legendary Bemelmans Bar. If you want something much more low-key (yes, you can find it on the Upper East Side), head to Pastrami Queen for a fat sandwich and a cream soda or Jean-Claude II for a classic French bistro meal.

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