The 5-star New York Palace Hotel rises inside and above a landmarked mansion built in Midtown Manhattan in the 1880s by a railroad tycoon. That posh pedigree extends throughout the hotel, called "iconic" by USA Today.

Plan ahead for a sumptuous summer weekend and save hundred of dollars. Fridays-Sundays July-August are available for $309-$319 per night, about $200 less than prices on other dates.

Rooms are about one-third larger than an average Manhattan hotel, and feature marble bathrooms. Book this deal through Perfect Escapes and receive an exclusive daily American breakfast for two.

The hotel faces the soaring gothic spires of St. Patrick's Cathedral, and is within two blocks of Fifth Avenue shopping and the Museum of Modern Art.

Not available on: July 6; Aug. 30-31