St. Regis New York

Eight years before he perished on the Titanic, John Jacob Astor opened this luxurious lodging for the upper crust. Butlers still attend to your every need and the liberally gilded interior retains an air of old-school opulence (though the Bottega Veneta Suite, featuring furniture designed by the Italian fashion house, has a more contemporary vibe). Adour Alain Ducasse, the famed chef's fine-dining (and wining) establishment, brings a modicum of cutting-edge style to the Beaux Arts building courtesy of David Rockwell.