New York - Vital statistics: Built in 1931, this skyscraper dominates the New York skyline, not least because of the six-storey sign in lights spelling out its name across Manhattan.
Its 40 floors of rooms and suites include discreet apartments beloved by celebrities, including Jude Law and Samuel L Jackson, while Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt hole up in the penthouse with their children when in town. Singer Sheryl Crow has also been spotted there.
All residents can tap into the hotel’s room service, fitness studio and restaurant.
From the outside, Essex House is all Art Deco glamour – with a gilded entrance and a grandiose lobby covered in chequered marble. The rooms, including 117 suites, offer four-star comfort rather than five-star glitz. Suites are a good family choice – they have pull-out beds.
Location report: It’s all about the vista here. On 59th Street, in the heart of Manhattan, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, the best rooms have an uninterrupted view of Central Park. As well as the chic department stores on Fifth Avenue, including Bergdorf Goodman, toy shop FAO Schwarz is a short stroll away; Angelina treated her brood to a trip there last month. Culture is easy to come by as well – the Carnegie Hall is in the next block with the Lincoln Center’s concert halls and the Metropolitan Opera also within walking distance.
Key attraction: If you’re willing to forgo a view of Central Park, rates can be surprisingly reasonable for such a central and historic hotel in a city where hotel prices can be sky-high.
In the news: Liam Gallagher recently spent $2.5-million (R26.29m) buying a two-bedroom apartment here – and the price didn’t even give him a view of the park.
Good enough for the rest of us? Rooms start at £175 (R3 136) a night. – Mail On Sunday