Mandarin Oriental New York
When Mandarin Oriental opened their New York hotel they succeeded in making their presence well known to all. They made a statement that even New Yorker’s will attest to. The elegantly modern entrance on West 60th street is understated except for the attention you will get by the impeccable staff waiting to take your luggage and direct you to the elevators that will speed you to the 35th floor lobby.
When the elevator doors open, to reveal a very dramatic lobby and views of Manhattan’s Central Park and the East Side beyond, understatement is left behind. A floral-like, hand-blown glass sculpture by artist Dale Chihully is a highlight. Artfully positioned lighting illuminates this magnificent crystal bouquet, giving it an otherworldly glow. It’s truly a grand set and so appropriate that Mandarin Oriental Hotel is just a short walk to the Met Opera House and Lincoln Center.
If views are what one is looking for, no other hotel in New York can compete. If style and high standards of service are sought, Mandarin Oriental has that as well. All this glamour just may make you homesick. Don’t fret because adjacent to the hotel is a shopping mall “Manhattan” style. There is even a “Whole Foods” food market where you can watch the natives go crazy over the prices of the produce. Yes, if you’re looking for a very luxurious guest room over- looking the city that never sleeps than this will be your new home.
The hotel restaurant Asiate, which is off the lobby serves innovative Japanese-French fusion cuisine at lunch and dinner. Service is excellent, from the temperature of the food to the crispness of the napkin fold, every detail is attended to. The views draw more from the city skyline than the park, but the atmosphere is electric, and at night, it doesn't take champagne to get you giddy. The weekend brunch is one of the best in the city and very popular. Make a reservation as soon as you arrive as it’s always sold out.
A second bar, MO Bar, is secreted off in a room of its own with cinnabar walls. A crowd of movers and shakers and the carved stone dividers give imbibers privacy to enjoy savory sips and nips, which include the bar's signature MOpolitans, MOtinis, MOjitos, and Petrossian Osetra caviar.
The beautiful and lavish spa and health club is a must. Physical fitness buffs will be happy in the high-tech gym and be rewarded after with spa treatments that incorporate all of the senses: sound, scent, sight, taste and, of course, touch. The panoramic 75-ft lap pool has almost as grand a view as the lobby.
The accommodations do not disappoint, with a crisp blend of contemporary Western and Asian influences, rich silk and luxurious wool and cotton fabrics, plush carpeting, exotic woods, original art, fresh flowers and views, views, views. Beds are firm and triple-sheeted, and have chaise longues set up at the foot of the bedstead.
Standards occupy floors 38 to 39, Deluxe ones are on floors 40 through 42, while Premier and Grand Deluxe rooms run up to the 54th floor. Rooms with Central Park views draw a stipend, and have floor-to-ceiling windows for dizzying panoramas. The most impressive feature, and one that might not be noticed by guests, is the complete absence of city noise from this aerie in the sky.
The gadgetry in the rooms is just as impressive as the sumptuous design, with flat-screen TVs with DVD players, and CD players with surround-sound systems, iPod docks, multiple dual-line phones with data ports and voice mail, and wired and wireless Internet access. The host of extras includes minibars, safes and large baths with separate stall showers and deep soaking tubs, which like the rooms, have soaring views from their windows.
Baths are further detailed with TVs, magnifying mirrors, extravagant toiletries and more fresh flowers, usually orchids. Large desks and roomy sitting areas are standard. The smallest rooms measure in at 400 sq ft, suites are palatial and smokers and disabled guests have their own quarters.
Nonstop room service, twice-daily maid service, nightly turndown, daily newspapers, complimentary shoeshine and a gifted concierge who can find a last-minute table at restaurants that even New Yorkers find difficult to book, are among the requisite high-end perks that come with this true luxury hotel.
Pets are pampered, and the hotel does not discriminate between Chihuahuas and Great Danes. (Many NY hotels have a weight limit.)
Please Book online or contact our Travel Advisor [email protected] for more details.
