At 420 rooms, the Empire can’t really be called ’boutique,’ yet guests feel like kings rather than cattle at this handsome Upper West Side newcomer. It’s a dream hostelry for those with tickets to a Lincoln Center show, as that divine institution sits right next door. It’s also adjacent to Central Park and short stroll from the Time Warner Center.  Frette linens, top-of-the-line electronics, a full fitness center, and a schnazzy, jazzy design scheme done up in earth tones, leather furnishings, animal prints, and modernist touches. Guests enjoy the swank top-floor pool deck (private cabanas available), and the Rooftop bar and lounge is a sexy and serene scene for a memorable evening. Its resident restaurant, Center Cut, is an old school, opulent venue for world-class steaks and chops.