The Jewel Hotel, New York

Six blocks separate The Jewel Hotel from Central Park South, with 11 West 51 Street placing guests between the Rockefeller Center skating rink and Fifth Avenue's flagship stores in Midtown Manhattan.

The four-star property suits business travelers and shoppers wanting subway access without Times Square congestion — the B/D/F/M line at Rockefeller Center sits two minutes on foot, and St. Patrick's Cathedral is visible from the block's north corner.

Rooms run compact by design, standard for Midtown towers, with soundproofed windows facing the avenue rather than an interior shaft.