Set apart from Manhattan’s pervasive bustle, the Madison Square Park district is home to the newly restored David Rockwell-designed Carlton Hotel. Boasting quietly luxurious accommodations, this New York hotel provides business travelers swift access to the midtown corporate world and the eclectic dining and shopping options in Chelsea and the Fashion District. The Carlton’s restaurant and upgraded guest rooms and suites mirror the neighborhood itself: understated and classy.

Standing out amid the office buildings and small shops in the surrounding Gramercy Park and Murray Hill neighborhoods, the Carlton features a stately lobby with vaulted ceiling. The 12-story Beaux-Arts building, opened in 1904 as the Seville Hotel, is just four blocks from Madison Square Park and sees both leisure and business travelers pass through its 317 elegant rooms, designed with the perfect balance of old and new, and all with street or courtyard views. Guest rooms feature gleaming marble bathrooms, plush linens and custom-made furniture. All the comforts of a home office are included, as are special touches, like iPod docking stations and leather desk chairs. The Carlton has standard and executive rooms, as well as Deluxe and Empire Suites with separate parlors and views of the Empire State Building. Stocked mini bars and flat-screen televisions are found in every room, and the entire hotel has free wireless Internet access.

At the hotel’s restaurant, Country Café, French-American cuisine is served a la carte for breakfast, lunch and dinner in a setting that recalls the original Beaux-Arts design. A large four-sided zinc bar provides a distinguished centerpiece to the dimly lit restaurant which boasts cozy nooks for wining and dining.

The Carlton also welcomes families and can arrange for babysitting services. Harried parents can ask the concierge to schedule massages. There is also a 24-hour fitness center available to all guests. The front desk can recommend galleries and exhibits in Chelsea, the neighboring arts district, and can also arrange special packages. For example, The Carlton offers discounts on tickets to several New York attractions, including Broadway shows.