Why book?
Like an exhale in the middle of Midtown Manhattan, this princely landmark building-turned-polished urban oasis places you right in the thick of things—and allows you to quietly retreat from it just as easily, with a sprawling, three-floor spa, serene Japanese- and Southeast-Asian-influenced suites—and no shortage of space. It also makes a luxurious home base for travelers staying in the city during this summer's FIFA World Cup.
Set the scene
If New York sometimes feels like the center of the world, then Aman New York is the bull's eye. Set on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street, right on the corner from Billionaires Row, its location—the iconic Crown Building, circa 1921—is one of the city's finest examples of Beaux-Arts architecture, a landmark building that, until 1932, housed the first iteration of the Museum of Modern Art, and some of the city's most coveted (and pricey) retail spaces thereafter. In its transition to an Aman property, it's likely that little has changed about its clientele—except that now, they're probably already Aman junkies, self-described devotees of the brand who flock to its properties wherever they vacation, from Greece to Wyoming. This is a well-heeled crowd that expects the highest level of everything, from food to design and service, but prefers it dispensed without pomp, circumstance, or flash. It's clear that these patrons, outfitted in sharp Brunello Cucinelli suits and chic Prada shirt dresses, could lay their heads (and their wallets) wherever they'd like, but they've chosen Aman precisely for its brand of unshowy but deeply luxurious hospitality.
The rooms
There are only 83 suites total, and true to Aman's ethos of generous space, they're all positively groaning with it, at least by New York standards, ranging from 718 to 2,770 square feet, with nearly 11-foot-high ceilings that allow everything—including the guest—ample room to breathe. Thanks to the heavily soundproofed windows, the honks and shouts of the city below will feel a million miles away. Many of the elements reflected a distinctly Japanese sensibility: the textured paneling behind the bed that resembled a shoji screen, for instance, and woven detailing beneath it that called to mind traditional tatami mats—not to mention the delicate, ink-painted washi paper mural running along one wall, inspired by the 15th-century masterpiece "Pine Trees" (Shōrin-zu byōbu) by Hasegawa Tōhaku.
Whatever the sense of calm imparted by the aesthetics, though, it was undergirded by smart, seamless technology: a tablet that controlled everything from the lighting to the shades and fireplace, and even the television, which disappeared discreetly into a console when switched off. There were no excesses, no distractions; even in dizzying Manhattan, you'll feel calm—serene, even—as you lie in the oversize king bed. The bedroom and bathroom are divided by a set of pivoting panels that can flip open and shut to varying degrees, allowing you to moderate the flow and movement between spaces.
Food and drink
Although Arva, Aman's signature Italian restaurant, was beautiful, cast in plenty of sunlight with a clean, yet grounded design, eat at least one meal on the sprawling Garden Terrace outside. With all that covetable—and rare—outdoor space in Midtown, you won't want to miss the opportunity. Head down to the subterranean Jazz Club for an evening show, led by the virtuosic musician Brian Newman, and knock back a few of the bar's exquisite martinis.
Japanese restaurant, Nama, is open for à la carte dinner and weekday lunch. Tuesday through Saturday, diners may also choose to experience omakase atop the seven-seat hinoki-wood counter, a true requirement for an authentic experience, according to their three-Michelin-star Japanese chef at Aman Tokyo. The Jazz Club is open to the public, and Arva and Nama are open only to hotel guests, club members, and residence owners.
The neighborhood/area
This is one of the most classic, inimitably New York parts of the city, just a few blocks from Central Park and Grand Army Plaza, right by Billionaires Row, and on the toniest stretch of Fifth Avenue, with enough top-tier shopping within a one-block radius—Bergdorf Goodman, Chopard, Prada, Gucci, YSL, Burberry—to max out your credit cards many times over (not counting the retail spaces that line the building's bottom floors, like Bvlgari, Ermenegildo Zegna, and Piaget). Here, you're at the ultimate crossroads of business and pleasure, with plenty of attractions at your disposal.
Worth it?
Yes—this area epitomizes so much of the energy that gives Manhattan its special zing, and though there is no shortage of swanky properties in these parts, Aman is the ideal counterbalance to it. It's a place you can retreat to after a day of wonderful (if exhausting) overstimulation, leaving everything at the door, and from which you can depart with renewed vigor before each outing.
Comments
Post a Comment