In short… A sublime retreat in the heart of the city—Aman’s first urban hotel in the United States
The vibe… Rumored to have the most expensive room rates in the city, the Aman New York is definitely over-the-top. From the minute you arrive, you realize you’re dealing with staff who are trained on another level. I’ll never forget the first time I came, just after they opened, to visit a friend who was staying here, and when I arrived the front door staff greeted me by name. It wasn’t as if a car had been sent for me, or I was a guest—it was just built into their protocol to do their research. I was so impressed. As a guest, it was all of that and then some. Staff are natural, unscripted, and don’t spend too much time explaining the room features. While I love an in-room check-in process, there is often too much hang time with the person checking you in and you just want them to scram. Not here—everything was just right.
The rooms… We were spoiled with a gorgeous corner suite overlooking Bergdorfs, Tiffany’s, and Louis Vuitton, and while we were not on a high floor (the 10th), we were still able to see Central Park peeking out. We had a giant living/dining room with a kitchenette, and a beautiful bedroom (such a comfortable bed), giant bathroom, and a closet area the size of many hotel rooms. As you’d expect from an Aman, every detail is very considered. I loved their evening ritual of leaving a small gift with the intention to de-stress. One night, I was given a beautiful polished stone, and Matt received a worry-bead type of bracelet. I also loved their subtle minimalist Japanese flower arrangements.
Food and drink… We ate dinner at Arva restaurant on our first night and it was excellent. It leans Italian, and their wine list was massive, with a nice selection from Alto Adige, one of our favorite wine-making regions. We were so disappointed to miss their Japanese restaurant, Nama, as it was closed when we were there—but friends told us they loved eating omakase at their hinoki wood counter. Unfortunately if you’re not a guest or a member of the Aman Club, you can’t experience the restaurants at the hotel, which makes for a very different dining experience—not the crowds and noise you find in most NYC restaurants. Since I never wanted to leave my room, I ordered room service several times—it was so fast, and so good. I especially liked their crudite and hummus, and the club sandwich was solid.
The spa… Spread out over three levels and 25k square feet, there is a beautiful long indoor pool, a spacious spa area with a hammam, sauna, and, my favorite—a cold bucket shower. I had a transporting, two-hour Aman New York Signature treatment, which was designed for this hotel and is only available here. Lots of cranial sacral as well as deep tissue—and I loved how it began with a full-body scrub.
Be sure to… Check out their Jazz Club, which is actually available to non-hotel guests and club members. It has its own entrance on 56th street, and is a very intimate venue, with great musicians and an excellent bar.
Date of stay… Oct 21-23, 2024
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