The Benjamin

Working at his father’s laundry business, Benjamin Denihan used to care for the clothes of the Vanderbilts and Marilyn Monroe. He maintained a similarly upscale clientele when he became a boutique hotel owner, and The Benjamin, housed in an Emery Roth Beaux-Arts building in Midtown Manhattan, lives up to its namesake in every way. A big meal at its James Beard Award-winning restaurant, the National, will leave you ready for a good night’s sleep, which happens to be the hotel’s specialty. You can choose from a pillow menu that boasts twelve varieties, including a five-foot body cushion and a special maternity pillow. Pint-sized guests are automatically enrolled in the Winks’ Kidzzz Club, in which Winks the Owl instructs on a healthy bedtime ritual and flies in search of family-friendly daytime activities.