3 Best Hotels in Schenectady, Albany and Central New York

A former fur trapper's trading post–turned–Dutch mansion provides a swish backdrop for a room and a meal on the Mohawk River. Standard rooms have two queen beds; junior suites have a king-size sleigh bed, a desk, and a seating area. The decor throughout is a harmonious blend of patterned fabrics and wallpapers in elegant palettes. Candlelit tables set with fine china and table linens fill the pre-colonial dining room, which has two decorative fireplaces and hand-hewn beams. A cavelike, stone-walled pub downstairs offers lighter fare.

This hotel dramatically transformed the Parker Building, a narrow structure that was the city's tallest building when it was erected in 1906. An antique cage-style elevator takes you to contemporary rooms with dark-wood furniture and floral-fabric accents. Maroon velvet curtains and vintage movie posters in the lounge downstairs are a nod to the inn's neighbor, Proctor's Theatre; before and after shows, a chic crowd gathers for drinks, dinner, and snacks.

Before its latest incarnation, this three-story Federal-style building in the heart of the Stockade served as a bank and an exclusive men's club. The Victorian-style rooms, all on the top floor, have plush carpeting and reproduction antique poster beds; six have gas fireplaces. The first two floors hold a swanky restaurant, which has upholstered armchairs, high ceilings, and chandeliers; a billiards room; and meeting rooms.