6 storied hotels for a New York getaway, from Chelsea to the Upper East Side

New York is a city with an embarrassment of riches when it comes to historic hotels. Whether you want to stay in Manhattan or across the water in Brooklyn, choices include converted factories that once made textiles for NASA, bohemian dens that inspired beatnik novelists and counterculture musicians, and super-luxury boutique pads that have counted presidents and Hollywood stars as guests.

1. Wythe Hotel, North Williamsburg

This is the new epicentre of New York cool, in what was once the city’s industrial heartland. The building that houses the Wythe started life as a barrel-makers in 1897, became a munitions factory in the Second World War and then a company that made fabric for NASA. The hotel celebrates that heritage with heavy wooden beams, exposed brickwork and concrete floors in the 70 guest rooms, while ceiling tracks that were used to lift heavy objects are still visible in the double-height lobby. There are elements that a barrel-maker returning from the 19th century would be harder pressed to recognise. Chief among them are the in-room bars showcasing the best local spirits, and the refined brasserie dishes produced at the handsome ground-floor restaurant Le Crocodile. Not staying? Order small plates and cocktails at rooftop Bar Blondeau. From $354 (£279), room only.

2. The Lowell, Upper East Side

If one-time guests F Scott Fitzgerald and Dorothy Parker were to take rooms at the Lowell today, they’d undoubtedly find everything to their liking. For close to 100 years, this cocoon of discrete luxury is where the Upper East Side has come to exhale. Elderly gentlemen with pomaded hair nurse bourbons in the panelled bar while ladies in Chanel make for the guest lounge, chihuahuas in tow. And so it ever was. The 78 elegant suites and French restaurant Majorelle are, however, newly remodelled thanks to designer Michael S Smith, who decorated the White House when Barack Obama was in residence. Despite the flawless attention to detail — not a petal out of place in the floral displays, not a wrinkle in the upholstery — there’s no formality here. Staff treat guests like treasured friends, whether you’re J Lo checking in with an entourage or you’ve just flown economy from Heathrow.Not staying? Have a white negroni in Jacques Bar. From $1,337 (£1,053), B&B.

3. Hotel Edison, Midtown

Just steps from the neon symphony of Times Square, this grand dame has been welcoming guests since 1931 — when the lights were switched on by legendary inventor Thomas Edison, no less. Much of the art deco charm has been preserved, including a gilded lobby where scenes from The Godfather were shot. The guest rooms, stretching over 22 floors and including Jazz Age flourishes, offer ringside views of the street drama below. As night falls, take a nightcap at the ground-floor Rum House, a louche piano bar that retains all the atmosphere of 1930s New York. Not staying? Drop in for live jazz and daiquiris at The Rum House. From $248 (£192), room only.

4. Hotel Chelsea, Chelsea

The spirit of bohemia hangs heavy at Hotel Chelsea. The former commune/hotel has long attracted poets, punks and painters, with everyone from beatnik writer Jack Kerouac to Bob Dylan calling the Victorian gothic landmark home over the years. Following a decade-long refurbishment, it’s now a chic 158-room hotel complete with a Parisian-style bistro. Ghosts of its previous life remain in the handful of original tenants who reside on the first floor. They starred in Martin Scorsese’s Dreaming Walls, a documentary about their determination to stay put despite the renovation. Loiter in the lobby and you might catch them sharing tales of the time they met Andy Warhol or of avant-garde dance shows held in the marble stairwell. Not staying? Have a Spanish meal in El Quijote. From $325 (£253), room only.

5. The Maritime, Chelsea

If the producers of Mad Men ever decide to reboot the series on a cruise liner, they’d have a ready made set in the suave, retro Maritime. Designed by modernist architect Albert Ledner in the 1960s as the headquarters of the National Maritime Union, the building is in the former port district, with cargo ships and ocean liners once docking a short stroll away. The hotel stays true to his original vision, with a frieze that runs the length of the lobby, each panel showing a scene from a global port, such as Hong Kong to Istanbul. Occupying the original offices and sailors’ dorms, the 126 rooms have a mid-century ship’s cabin vibe, with built-in beds with teak surrounds, a nautical colour and enormous porthole windows — with views of the Hudson, the river that once brought the world to New York. Not staying? Admire the frieze before dining at Catch Steak restaurant. From $265 (£209), B&B.

6. The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel, Upper East Side

At one point, this beaux-arts beauty became known as the ‘New York White House’ after John F Kennedy unpacked his monogrammed suitcases in one of its rooms, apparently sneaking Marilyn Monroe through the kitchens for clandestine meetings. He was in good company: the classy Upper East Side institution has been attracting presidents, royalty and movie stars since its revolving doors started to spin in 1930. Many of the 190 graceful, stylish rooms, some featuring baby grand pianos, offer views of Central Park and Manhattan’s skyline. Meanwhile, a new generation has discovered the old-school charm of mural-lined, softly lit Bemelmans Bar, enjoying dirty martinis shaken by mixologists in crisp red jackets Not staying? Take afternoon tea in the Gallery restaurant. From $895 (£698), room only.