The Ritz is all about, well, being ritzy. This link in the exclusive hotel chain is no exception, epitomizing New York glamour and sophistication at every turn. Guests nary lift a finger from the time they arrive in the wood-paneled lobby and are escorted to rooms with 400 thread-count French sateen linens, feather duvets and a selection of seven pillow types. Oversized marble bathrooms have deep soaking tubs, Frédéric Fekkai toiletries and a choice of terry-waffle or sateen-cotton bathrobes. Visitors in the park-view rooms get telescopes for bird (or people) watching, and when they tire of that, it's a toss-up between jet-lag therapies, facials and other treatments at the second-floor La Prairie spa or taking one of the hotel's on-call Bentleys or limos for a leisurely drive around the park.

The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park Amenities:

• 259 rooms. Wireless Internet access. Restaurant, bar. Fitness center. Spa. Business center. Pets accepted.