HotelChatter

1. The Strand: It's not just the rooftop bar Top Of The Strand that has super-zoom views of the Empire State—the photo above was taken in Room 2003. Rates are usually around $245 a night.

2. The Standard New York: This is the view northeast from HotelChatter's stay in room 09.24. This is a standard queen, which usually starts at $295 a night, but if you want to gaze at the ESB from a soaking tub, you'll need to spring for an Empire Suite, from $1,800 a night.

3. Hotel Metro: This little-known hotel has a not-so-secret rooftop bar right in the shadow of the ESB, and it's a low-key, no-fuss place to drink in the NYC skyline. Just get there early before the after-work crowd takes over. If you wanna stay the night, rooms start around $255 a night.

4. Gansevoort Park Avenue: How would you like to swim with a view of the most famous landmark in the city? You can head up to Plunge for a drink and tasty slider snack without checking into the hotel but if you want to get wet and gaze at the ESB, you'll have to fork over around $465 a night for a room.

5. The Eventi Hotel: NYC's newest Kimpton may be in a strange part of town but that sometimes strange is good. If you're on a high enough floor, on the east side of the hotel, you can enjoy views of the ESB through floor-to-ceiling windows. Rooms start around $375 a night, although may be more on the coveted east side.

6.Fashion 26: Inside, it may be all about cute sartorial details, but head up to Rare View on the rooftop and it's all about juicy burgers, cocktails, and pretty sunset city views. We found rooms here next week from $313 a night.

7. Trump Soho: Its uptown sister has the breathtaking views of Central Park but the downtown newbie has the benefit of being able to look northward. (You guessed it, ask for a room on the north end of the building.) Corner suites also have soaking tubs with this view—or sexy Statue of Liberty views—if you really want to, uh, splash out. We found a suite available next week for $399 a night—reasonable when you're talking Trump.

8. Andaz 5th Avenue: We were happy enough with the dramatic rain shower and foot bath during our stay at this new Midtown hotel. But what we really want to try is the Andaz Splash Suite, so we can check out the views of the ESB and the New York Public Library from a free-standing soaking tub. (We saw one when the hotel was still under construction: they're huge. And in a space all of their own.) So we'd better save our pennies: rates for this room are around $915 a night.

9. The New Yorker: Yes, it's an old dame, with a vintage in line with the Hotel Penn's. But check out this view from the 40th floor! Just walking out of the hotel onto 34th Street gives you a great view of the ESB but the staff also makes it easy by offering View Rooms. We found one available next week for $299 a night.

10. New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge: Yes, it's in Brooklyn—but it's a convenient location, just a quick cab ride into Manhattan, with lots of subway lines nearby. And just think: No craning or leaning into your window just for a peek of the ESB—here you can have views of the entire NYC skyline. City-view rooms are around $349 a night.

[Photos: Hotel Metro website; The New Yorker by The New Fine Arts Lab/Flickr; all others by HotelChatter ]