A stone's throw from Wall Street, there's an oasis in Manhattan: The Ritz-Carlton, Battery Park. This five-year-old beacon of style and service is more than a local favorite. For small to medium-sized meetings, the 298-room property combines uptown luxury (Bulgari in the bath, Frette on the bed, Prada in the spa), downtown excitement, and a breath of fresh air in the city.

A centerpiece of Lower Manhattan's renewal, the 39-story tower is perched at the tip of the island along the beautiful Battery Park esplanade, which invites visitors for a restful stroll along the Hudson River. Inside, art deco-inspired design is cool and sophisticated. But what really strikes you is the space and light. The Ritz-Carlton, Battery Park feels airy, looking out across the harbor to the Statue of Liberty and the vast sky beyond. Harbor-view rooms all have telescopes for closer looks.

And 14 stories above the harbor is one of the hotel's most striking features — its terrace bar, appropriately called Rise, which draws a lively crowd nightly to its indoor tables and outdoor benches.

The hotel's 12,000 square feet of meeting space includes ballrooms of 4,500 and 1,800 square feet. Technologically, the hotel can manage connections between meeting rooms as well as external videocon-ferencing and satellite and broadcast hookups.