TL;DR What makes this NYC boutique hotel special? Why should I stay here?

Classic boutique hotel in a 1904 red-brick building
Quiet Upper West Side location convenient for Central Park
Elegant interiors with a calming, serious feel
Close to Midtown but with none of the chaos
Check prices here

The Lucerne is an old-school, classic boutique hotel on the Upper West Side which offers good value, simple luxury and a little bit of calm.

We start with a 1904 red-brick building that just screams old New York formal. The decor respond in kind – sophisticated, though a bit too risk averse maybe.

Amenities are what you’d expect from this level of hotel, with a solid attention to detail and nice service.

Nothing feels exceptional at the Lucerne, but everything is well done. It makes for a very calming space that matches well its surrounds.

The madness of Midtown is always just a cab ride or a subway stop away, but things around here – the Upper West Side – are generally much more low-key.

What are the rooms like?

Number of rooms: 124
Range of sizes from compact Queens to 2-bedroom family suites
Suites start at 400 sq ft with extra space and features
Classic decor with dark wood and tasseled curtains
See each room in detail here

Rooms at the Lucerne range from Deluxe Queen singles to Two-bedroom family suites.

The smallest are 150 square feet, which is pretty cozy in international terms, and pretty normal by New York standards.

King singles and Double Doubles have more space, and Suites start at a comfortable 400 square feet.

The decor is very simple, yet the furnishings they chose have subtle touches that add a bit of elegance.

Dark wood set off by tasseled curtains makes things feel a bit fancy, even if the hotel of it all is conspicuous.

The most basic rooms feature some kind of seating, LCD TVs, Keurig machines, individual climate control, and working areas.

Suites have the added luxuries of mini fridges, separate seating areas, and bathtubs.

What are prices like?

Check prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

Onsite restaurant Nice Matin with French Mediterranean cuisine
Sidewalk seating for great people-watching
Facilities include event spaces and a fitness center

Common areas at the Lucerne have a bit more personality, done up in sultry dark woods, leathers and velvets.

The onsite restaurant, Nice Matin, sits on the sidewalk, allowing for a certain amount of integration into the neighborhood and a+ people watching.

They serve French Mediterranean cuisine and have a solid wine list. It’s open for lunch and dinner.

You can shoot for a late breakfast if you like to sleep in, but early risers will have to look elsewhere, or at room service.

They offer meeting and event spaces, and a fitness center for anyone trying to keep to a schedule or a routine.

They have the same classic kind of elegance, but the lack of flair is a bit more pronounced in the lesser-used spaces.

How is the neighborhood? Anything interesting nearby?

Upper West Side location near Central Park and the Museum of Natural History
Hudson River parks within a 10-minute walk
Quick subway access to the rest of Manhattan
Midtown spots 10 minutes by cab

For a semi-relaxed vacation, or just a way to get out of the 24/7 never sleep, kind of urbanness for a bit, the Lucerne is it.

The Upper West Side offers a bit of a breather compared to the rest of Manhattan.

The hotel itself is between upper Broadway and Central Park, just a 5-minute walk from the American Museum of Natural History and the entrance to the park.

Head west, and you’ll hit the Hudson within 10 minutes. There are parks and a Greenway perfect for a bike ride or an easy run.

You’re still central and can get to any of the island’s main tourist spots without much trouble at all.

The West Village is a 15-minute drive; MoMA, Times Square, Rockefeller and the rest of Midtown is just 10.

Taxis shouldn’t be hard to find.

You’re also spitting distance from a Subway stop that can connect you to the entire rest of the city.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

“We had three double queen rooms. They were all a little different in size. Ours was the smallest but they were all decent sized for being in the city. Beds and pillows were comfy and bathrooms also good. I was so happy we were able to open the window just a bit and it was surprisingly quiet. Also great to have an amazing restaurant just beside and the location was amazing. Just one block from the subway. I moved the neighbourhood feeling with cafes, bagel shops and restaurants around….”

“Amazing stay, such nice facilities, rooms, staff and location, we would stay again anytime….”

Some things guests didn’t like:

”We were planning on having 3 people in the room but the beds were really small queen beds (about 140cm) so we took an additional room. But that’s the only thing. Would definitely stay again!…”

”Shower was temperamental while adjusting heat….”

Read all the reviews right here