New York City has a staggering number of five-star hotels. That means luxury-oriented visitors (or staycationers) have myriad ritzy options. It would be easy to list the most expensive stays in the Big Apple, but that would only take rates into account. When you’re talking about going all out on a completely splurge-worthy overnight, a lot more than just a sky-high price tag matters. A hotel needs to be super stylish — whether that’s dripping with crystals and gold or an aesthetic that falls into the more modern boutique cannon — with flawless service, incredible amenities and drool-worthy food. Overall, the experience should leave you — and literally, anyone who checks in — just saying “wow” over and over. If you’re ready to be spoiled rotten in a way that will probably ruin other hotels forever (don’t say we didn’t warn you), scroll on for the most marvelous upmarket properties in New York City.
The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park
The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park offers a privileged address, a La Prairie Spa and a grand ground-floor lounge. While all the rooms blend old-school elegance and contemporary sophistication in a way that’s beyond reproach, one particular space reigns supreme. The Royal Suite rings in at $30,000 per night and measures 2,175 square feet (for scale, that’s three times the size of the average Manhattan apartment). Fashioned after the stylish penthouse of our dreams, the expansive pad that’s beloved by A-listers shows off unobstructed views of Central Park, an impressive art collection, a kitchen with a separate entrance (so your private chef can enter and exit with ease), and Carrara marble bathrooms. It also comes with Club Lounge privileges.
The Mark
The Mark may have popped up on your social media feed recently as the site of a very star-studded Met Gala after-party. When this five-star property isn’t hosting celebs fresh off the red carpet (OK, fine that’s pretty much always happening), it welcomes big spenders who flock to “New York’s most boldly lavish hotel” for stellar service and a whole lot over-the-top style. Every inch of the Upper East Side landmark is luxurious. If you really want to splash out on a true once-in-a-lifetime extravagant lodging, it’s got to be The Mark Penthouse. Covering nearly 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space — five bedrooms, six bathrooms, two powder rooms, a library, a massive dining room and a panoramic terrace — it’s one of the most palatial suites not just in the five boroughs but the entire country.
The Plaza
The iconic, five-star hotel immortalized in books, film and society pages, The Plaza has long been the barometer of luxury in New York City. The Palm Court does a legendarily lavish afternoon tea with gold leaf-dusted macarons and bubbly. There’s also a Guerlain spa for pampering and stately quarters — notably the playful, Besty Johnson-designed, pink-hued dreamworld dedicated to Eloise. The most magnificent of all, the 4,500-square-foot Royal Suite is fit for a queen (or someone of equally elevated stature, ahem, heads of state and heirs to the throne) with direct elevator access to ensure privacy for high-profile guests, a soiree-ready living room with a grand piano, a chef’s kitchen, a dinner-party-sized dining table, three bedrooms and white-glove butler service.
Aman New York
One of the most highly anticipated and luxurious additions to the city’s hotel scene, Aman New York is an 83-key urban oasis with a zen spa, omakase dining and underground jazz club that’s set inside the emblematic Crown Building. Certainly, any traveler would be pleased to swing open the door and see a sleek Japandi (a portmanteau of Japanese and Scandi) sanctuary. However, it’s the signature Aman Suites that attract guests with the deepest pockets — and, no doubt, a desire to unwind to the fullest. The brand doesn’t publish prices for this particular accommodation, but based on $1,950 starting rates for guestrooms and the litany of indulgent attributes — including cloud-like king beds, fireplaces, soaking tubs and marble rain showers — it’s fair to assume all that relaxation will cost you.
Aman New York Review: A Luxurious Hotel Where Rooms Go for $15,000 a Night
Welcome to Aman New York. Your plunge pool awaits.
Baccarat Hotel
The sticker shock is real (at least for mere mortals without black cards) at the Baccarat Hotel, a sparkling jewel in the crown of Midtown accommodations. It’s not just the glimmering aesthetics but elevated experiences that make it such a leader of all things luxury. Take the $3,000 Crystal Tea in the Grand Salon, a glamorous afternoon activity complete with caviar, ganache-filled cakes presented on a three-tier crystal stand, champagne and a souvenir tea set. The same lack of budgetary constraints needed to partake in the pinkies-up poshness is also required to stay in the glamorous Baccarat Suite, which dazzles with space and sumptuous amenities such as marble bathrooms stocked with La Mer products, cashmere throw blankets and, of course, the Baccarat stemware.
Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown
Top-notch service is a major point of pride at the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown. While every guest gets the VIP treatment — that looks like being pampered at the spa, eating gastronomic delights prepared by chef Wolfgang Puck and enjoying thoughtful turndown amenities — the lucky few with the financial means to splurge on the $30,000-a-night Empire Suite can expect something that’s a cut above the rest. Literally — it’s a vast top-floor setup with a living area made for entertaining or just sprawling out solo, an office, media room, kitchen, master bathroom retreat and spectacular city views. The expensive-but-oh-so-worth-it experience also includes roundtrip BLADE helicopter transfers from all three major airports (because who has time to sit in traffic?), breakfast in bed, in-room massages and more.
The Whitby Hotel
Money can buy many things but taste isn’t one of them (though admittedly, it will get you in places that possess it). The Whitby Hotel has the panache and style that makes it a favorite among celebs, jet setters and the fashion crowd. When the upwardly mobile are planning a trip to New York City or need a fabulous place to crash last-minute after having one too many negronis at the atmospheric bar, they pray The Whitby Suite is available — and then pay for it handsomely. Designed by Firmdale founder Kit Kemp with vibrant colors and wow-worthy printed fabrics that steal the show, the exquisitely decorated respite occupies the entire top floor and flaunts two king-sized bedrooms, a large living room, marble bathrooms with deep soaking tubs, a powder room, a kitchen, huge windows that stream in natural light and sweeping terraces.
Hôtel Barrière Fouquet’s New York
Located just a few blocks from Hudson River Park, Hôtel Barrière Fouquet’s New York brings Parisian flair, a sense of serenity and a pretty steep price tag (Courtyard King rooms start at $1,000) to Tribeca. It’s as chic as you’d expect from a French export of this caliber with a pastel color palette that’s anchored by lavender (it’s giving us summers in the Luberon) and almond green, refined fabrics, wood paneling and Art Deco furnishings. Personalized treatments at Spa Diane Barrière are powered by the cult skincare brand Biologique Recherche as well as Les Huilettes and Le Rouge Français. The most indulgent place to spread out on the property? Fouquet’s Penthouse, an elegant pied-à-terre that takes up two floors and offers multiple private outdoor terraces.
The Ned
The sister property of the cross-the-pond stunner that’s beloved by the London elite, The Ned in NoMad is a hotel and members-only club with a boutique atmosphere, limitless cool factor and plenty of posh credentials. It’s worth noting that reserving a room doesn’t guarantee entry to some of the more VIP spaces. The workaround to stroll into the areas that are otherwise off-limits to anyone without a membership? Ponying up for the Duplex Terrace Suite, the largest, antique-studded accommodation in the whole building, which starts at $6,000 (downright economical by the standards of this list), gets you access to Ned’s Club Downstairs — a lounge with live music, bar and library — that’s all hidden from the prying eyes of the public by heavy drapes. Guests also get priority seating at Cecconi’s and Little Ned, the swanky 1920s-style speakeasy.
Mandarin Oriental, New York
Five-star in every sense, Mandarin Oriental, New York has a well-earned reputation for impeccable style and detail-oriented service. The property is home to an acclaimed 14,500-square-foot spa, a gourmet restaurant and stunning views of Manhattan from every room. Not surprisingly a stay at this Columbus Circle icon fetches a pretty penny ($870 just to get in the door). If you have $36,000 to throw around, we highly recommend booking Suite 5000, a jaw-dropping residence that’s outfitted with every conceivable comfort and luxury. Located on the 50th floor and designed to wow, the sky-high crashpad is spectacularly decorated. Among the most striking features? Steven Naifeh’s hanging art installation in the foyer, a sparkling Swarovski crystal dining room wall and a custom soaking tub in the bathroom.
The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad
A cornerstone of the now cool neighborhood that barely existed a decade ago — when this gobsmackingly gorgeous property was just a twinkle in some developer’s eye — The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad stands tall at the intersection of 28th Street and Broadway. Inside the bright, shiny highrise sits two superb restaurants by Michelin-starred chef José Andrés, a rooftop bar with next-level panoramas, a plush spa with aromatherapy saunas, a fitness center, a Club Lounge and 250 faultless guests rooms. On the 37th floor, the awe-inspiring Ritz-Carlton Suite boasts separate living and dining spaces, a huge bedroom, a media room, a 200-square-foot dressing area that’s basically the size of a studio apartment, a marble bathroom with a soaking tub and double rain shower and a movement studio with a Peloton bike.
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