Perched high above Columbus Circle on the upper floors (we like to think upper-echelons too) of the Time-Warner building, the Asian-inspired Mandarin Oriental New York is the five-star brand’s outpost of opulence – complete with wood panels, marble floors and artworks inspired by nature – offering we visitors to the city that doesn’t sleep, a luxurious, effortlessly zen place to do so if we wished.
Much like a hotel in Tokyo, or Bangkok, the Mandarin Oriental New York is situated on top floors of a Central Park facing skyscraper, with its lobby up in the sky. In fact, everything about this property was sky-high and while our ‘maximalist’, Far Eastern-inspired and decorated room – appointed in lacquer box colours – could have done more for us as compared to other lavish uptown Manhattan properties, waking to a birds-eye view of Central Park every morning was a showstopper.
We enjoyed the property’s spa and Asiate restaurant, with its floor-to-ceiling vistas of the city’s skyline complemented by delicious food. The Aviary bar is a should-visit, as it overlooks Central Park and serves some fabulous (not to mention, dramatically served) cocktails.
The property’s location is right in the thick of it all. When you descend from the lofty heights of the Mandarin Oriental New York onto Columbus Circle, you’re just moments from the park and its cultural institutions. Show-queens will also quickly realise that Broadway is just moments away, as well as some of the city’s most lauded restaurants and the delightful drinking dens and more local neighbourhoods like Hells Kitchen.
Perfect for | Fly into | Right on time |
The Sophisticate | JFK / EWR | GMT -5 |
While you’re Out There |
The Mandarin Oriental New York has a private entrance to the Shops at Columbus Circle, home some chic luxury brands that will kit you out ready for a quintessential New York day, night and following morning out. |
Photography courtesy of the Mandarin Oriental New York