The Shelburne is friendly without being pushy, and cosy but not at all small. The ""kitchenettes"" are great -- it's nice to have someone do your dishes for you! The location is absolutely perfect, with Grand Central a few blocks away.
My only complaint is that when you go up to the top floor, there's a sign near the door to the roof that says ""The rooftop terrace is intended for guests on the 16th floor only. It is not for general guest use."" Naturally, we ignored the sign and enjoyed the view, but how ridiculous is that rule?! If I'm going to pay that much, I'm going to go out on the roof!
Pros: great location, roomy, newer
Cons: pricey, no minibar
more