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New York

Explore New York

Hotels (10)
Restaurants (10)
Spa (10)

Where to Stay

1. Aman New York

3 Michelin Keys· Forbes Five-Star

The upper floors of the Beaux-Arts Crown Building shelter 83 residential suites inspired by Japanese ryokans, each exceeding 70 m² with working fireplaces and butler service. A 25,000-square-foot wellness sanctuary spans three floors, housing a grand indoor pool, hammam, private Banya spa house, and cryotherapy chamber. Chef Takuma Yonemaru presides over Nama's hinoki counter for intimate omakase, while the speakeasy Jazz Club channels Roaring Twenties energy with nightly live performances and cocktails inspired by Aman's global portfolio.

2. Crosby Street Hotel, Firmdale Hotels

3 Michelin Keys· Forbes Five-Star

Kit Kemp's exuberant design signature—vivid prints, whimsical animal motifs, imaginative lighting—fills this 86-room SoHo landmark with the warmth of an English country house transported to a cobblestoned Manhattan street. Floor-to-ceiling warehouse windows frame rooftop views across lower Manhattan, while a 107-seat private cinema hosts film-world events below the lobby. The Moroccan-inflected Crosby Bar draws creative locals for English Afternoon Tea; a secluded sculpture garden offers rare downtown quiet.

3. The Whitby Hotel, Firmdale Hotels

3 Michelin Keys· Forbes Five-Star

Designer Kit Kemp's signature aesthetic animates all 86 rooms and suites, each distinct in character with light-flooded interiors and bay windows opening onto Manhattan rooftops. The compact lobby features Hermione Skye O'Hea's woven installation and Maarten Baas's Real Time grandfather clock. Whitby Bar & Restaurant serves chef Anthony Paris's lobster grilled cheese beneath a 30-foot pewter bar, while a 130-seat Ferrari-leather cinema hosts occasional public screenings.

4. Casa Cipriani New York

3 Michelin Keys

Thierry Despont—architect behind The Carlyle, Claridge's, and the Ritz Paris—reimagined Lower Manhattan's 1909 Beaux-Arts ferry terminal as a showcase of contemporary Italian luxury. River-facing rooms command perspectives unmatched elsewhere in New York, while restrained opulence defines the 47 accommodations. The fifth floor houses The Pickering Room, sibling to Venice's Harry's Bar, alongside a Jazz Café styled after prewar supper clubs, complete with live performances and a sprawling spa exceeding 1,000 square meters.

5. Pendry Manhattan West

2 Michelin Keys· Forbes Five-Star

Pendry Manhattan West rises in a rippled-wave glass tower by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill within the Hudson Yards development, bringing California warmth to Midtown through Gachot Studios' greenery-filled interiors and soothing neutral palette. Zou Zou's delivers Eastern Mediterranean fare by chefs Madeline Sperling and Juliana Latif—duck borek with l'orange glaze, Kumamoto oysters—while Bar Pendry showcases Nancy Lorenz's gold-leaf mural alongside classic cocktails, and fourth-floor Chez Zou pours inventive libations like the Dirty Zou with olive oil-washed vodka.

6. The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel

2 Michelin Keys· Forbes Five-Star

JFK's former 34th-floor apartment anchors this 1930 Art Deco landmark, where legend claims Marilyn Monroe once arrived via secret tunnels. Dorothy Draper's original interiors, refreshed by Tony Chi, frame 192 spacious rooms overlooking Central Park. Bemelmans Bar displays hand-painted murals by the Madeline illustrator, while Café Carlyle's 90-seat cabaret hosts live jazz nightly. Dowling's serves duck à l'orange and lobster Thermidor; Sisley spa treatments complete the Upper East Side ritual.

7. The Fifth Avenue Hotel

2 Michelin Keys· Forbes Five-Star

Martin Brudnizki's maximalist interiors fuse a 1907 Renaissance structure with a contemporary glass tower, delivering Rococo opulence through kaleidoscopic Murano chandeliers, mirrored ceilings, and zebra-hide rugs. Mansion guests receive velvet-suited butler service, including button-summoned martinis delivered en suite. Café Carmellini pairs Italian and French influences under Andrew Carmellini, while the Portrait Bar serves destination-inspired cocktails beneath hand-painted portraits and a carved stone fireplace.

8. The Mark Hotel

2 Michelin Keys· Forbes Five-Star

Jacques Grange's neo-Art Deco interiors define this Upper East Side institution, where zebra-patterned lobby carpet and original Karl Lagerfeld works set a fashion-forward tone favored by Met Gala attendees. Jean-Georges Vongerichten's restaurant and New York's first Caviar Kaspia anchor the dining program, while Frédéric Malle's custom scent perfumes black-and-white marble halls. The duplex penthouse—largest suite in the United States—spans five bedrooms and 230 m² of skyline terrace.

9. Hotel Barrière Fouquet's New York

2 Michelin Keys

Barrière's first American outpost fuses French Art Deco elegance with Tribeca's industrial heritage across 97 residential-style rooms featuring custom Toile de Jouy wallpaper illustrated with Birkin bags and croissant-toting pigeons. Pierre Gagnaire's three-star pedigree shapes the menu at Fouquet's brasserie, while Le Vaux rooftop channels Vaux-le-Vicomte's formal gardens above Manhattan. The subterranean Spa Diane Barrière and a private screening room called Cannes complete the Parisian transplant.

10. Nine Orchard

2 Michelin Keys

The Jarmulowsky Bank's twelve-story Beaux-Arts shell now houses 113 minimalist rooms equipped with custom-programmed sound systems and minibars stocked with local products. Meticulously restored vaulted ceilings and oversized windows define the bar, while the Swan Room shifts from daytime lounge to evening cocktail venue. Corner Bar serves bistro fare from breakfast through dinner. Pets welcome, with adjoining rooms available for larger groups seeking Lower East Side energy.

Where to Eat

1. Eleven Madison Park

★★★ Michelin· Forbes Five-Star· Relais & Châteaux

Daniel Humm's three-Michelin-starred dining room occupies a former MetLife warehouse in Madison Square Park, its art deco architecture housing a radical vision of plant-based luxury. Hyper-seasonal tasting menus draw from an upstate farm dedicated entirely to the restaurant, yielding creations like tonburi mimicking caviar with horseradish cream and radish tostada. Custom details span handblown water vases to tailored staff uniforms, while optional animal protein supplements now complement the core vegan format.

2. Per Se

★★★ Michelin· Forbes Five-Star· Relais & Châteaux

Thomas Keller's commanding presence in the Time Warner Center delivers Japanese-inflected French cooking with surgical precision, anchored by the legendary "oysters and pearls"—Island Creek oysters bathed in tapioca and caviar. The kitchen sources peak-season ingredients and executes them with razor-sharp technique across a five-hour procession of foie gras, truffles, and nine varieties of salt, all served against sweeping Central Park views.

3. Jungsik New York

★★★ Michelin

Chef Yim Jung Sik and Executive Chef Daeik Kim orchestrate a Korean tasting menu that begins with inventively presented banchan and unfolds into dishes like raw striped jack with white kimchi in chilled fish bone broth, crisped octopus with gochujang aioli, and dry-aged Arctic char in kimchi-red curry sauce. The intimate downtown dining room pairs dark-and-light minimalism with three-Michelin-star precision, delivering highly original cooking that satisfies on every level.

4. Sushi Sho

★★★ Michelin

Chef Keiji Nakazawa's three-Michelin-starred omakase unfolds behind towering ice boxes with carved wood doors, a Hinoki counter the stage for his mastery. The progression moves through fish, shellfish, and vegetables transformed by fermentation techniques rooted in Japanese tradition, each course a study in precision and evolution. The pace alone—relentless, varied, technically flawless—will challenge even the most traveled sushi enthusiasts.

5. Le Bernardin

★★★ Michelin· Forbes Five-Star

Eric Ripert's Midtown flagship delivers quietly sophisticated French seafood technique inflected with global flavors: yuzu-marinated fluke, salmon paired with jalapeño emulsion, and the signature yellowfin tuna pounded thin over foie gras-smeared baguette. Daily-sourced fish appears raw or cooked on an à la carte menu that spares diners lengthy tasting formats, while the kinetic dining room draws well-heeled patrons in diamond necklaces and pressed suits night after night.

6. Gabriel Kreuther

★★ Michelin· Forbes Five-Star· Relais & Châteaux

Alsatian-born Chef Gabriel Kreuther brings eastern French haute cuisine to the base of the Grace Building, where 42 crystal storks fly ceiling-ward toward Strasbourg amid reclaimed timber beams. Two Michelin stars recognize dishes like smoked sturgeon and sauerkraut tart, foie gras terrine with Marcona almond praline, and tableside-grated wasabi presentations. The stainless-steel bar welcomes walk-ins for à la carte selections and cocktails inspired by Bryant Park's history, while the dining room unfolds multicourse feasts paired with Alsatian rieslings and gewürztraminers.

7. Jean-Georges

★★ Michelin· Forbes Five-Star· Relais & Châteaux

Jean-Georges Vongerichten's flagship overlooking Central Park showcases French technique interwoven with Asian and global influences, earning two Michelin stars under Chef de Cuisine Joseph Rhee. The signature egg toast with caviar opens menus rich in precision—black truffle with za'atar, tomatillo-lemon verbena jus, sunflower seed ajo blanco—while seasonal local produce anchors vegetarian tasting options. The minimalist dining room inside Trump International demands jackets for men and rewards with soaring ceilings, Central Park views, and mastery of layered flavor.

8. The Modern

★★ Michelin· Forbes Five-Star· Relais & Châteaux

Housed within MoMA, this two-Michelin-starred restaurant by chef Thomas Allan serves Italian Contemporary cuisine in a Bauhaus-influenced dining room with views of the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller sculpture garden. Signature 'eggs on eggs'—soft-boiled with sturgeon caviar—and turbot roasted on the bone showcase Allan's nuanced technique, while tableside decanting, carving, cheese and chocolate carts evoke classic New York service traditions. Vegetarian and vegan options available.

9. Aquavit

★★ Michelin

Chef Emma Bengtsson commands the open kitchen at this contemporary Swedish restaurant, distinguished by two Michelin stars and a signature torched North Sea cod medallion paired with mussel foam and roasted red endive. Duck breast arrives with compressed leg meat, finished tableside in a beet sauce enriched with duck jus, while the eponymous aquavit infusions accompany two dinner tasting menus served on glazed earthenware and slate.

10. Aska

★★ Michelin

Fredrik Berselius channels Nordic minimalism into a South Williamsburg dining room where every course arrives introduced by the kitchen team itself—often the chef himself. The seasonal tasting menu shifts weekly: dry-aged quail with truffle jus, slow-cooked hake beneath aged beluga caviar and dark beer cream. Seven courses midweek, ten on weekends. Two Michelin stars and reservations weeks ahead confirm the appeal.

What to Do

1. Guerlain Wellness Spa at Waldorf Astoria New York

Forbes Five-Star

This 22,000-square-foot sanctuary unites Parisian savoir-faire with art deco grandeur across sixteen treatment rooms and an expansive all-gender lounge outfitted with infrared sauna, Himalayan salt wall, hammam table heated to ninety degrees, and arctic snow cave for cold therapy. Women's quarters feature Dyson styling tools and Guerlain hair masks, while customized three-day wellness retreats guide guests through nutrition, movement, sleep and mindfulness protocols tailored to individual needs.

2. La Prairie at The Ritz-Carlton Spa

Forbes Five-Star

The only outpost of Swiss luxury brand La Prairie in America's northeast brings anti-aging expertise to Central Park South through treatments like the Platinum Rare and White Caviar Illuminating facials. The Maximum Indulgence package pairs a 90-minute signature facial with manicure and pedicure, while specialized nail services incorporate caviar formulations. Men gravitate toward the oversized steam room, occasionally repurposed for impromptu business discussions amid the marble-and-neutral décor.

3. The Peninsula Spa New York

Forbes Five-Star

Perched across the 21st and 22nd floors with skyline views, this sanctuary channels The Peninsula's Hong Kong heritage through Eastern-influenced treatments and a striking 24-karat gold mosaic wall. Arrival begins with an organic tea ceremony in the Asian Tea Lounge before therapists guide guests through marine-mud scalp massages, algae foot masks, and enzyme facials. Twelve treatment rooms, a couples' suite, and thermal facilities—steam, sauna, aromatherapy showers—complete the restorative ritual.

4. The Ritz-Carlton Spa New York, NoMad

Forbes Five-Star

Six floors beneath NoMad's streetscape, 6,800 square feet of dark Italian marble and rich wood paneling form a subterranean sanctuary built around therapist-led meditation and crystal healing. The Art of Wellness treatment pairs guided meditation with salt stone and rose quartz massage, while the Method facial applies LED and micro-current technology alongside Augustinus Bader's TFC8 complex to accelerate cellular regeneration. Dim lighting and Zen-temple proportions create total sensory separation from Manhattan above.

5. The Sisley Spa at The Dominick

Forbes Five-Star

New York's sole Sisley-branded sanctuary spans 11,000 square feet across two floors at The Dominick, anchored by separate Turkish hammams with traditional Moroccan exfoliation rituals. The signature Honeybee treatment applies a body mask crafted from the hotel's rooftop hive honey, while three wellness suites pair private hammams with Peloton bikes and soaking tubs. A Core Meditation device in the relaxation lounge calibrates vibrations to each guest's heart rate.

6. The Spa at Equinox Hotel New York

Forbes Five-Star

The Spa by Equinox Hotels occupies 27,000 square feet within Hudson Yards, designed by Joyce Wang Studio with six treatment rooms, a heated indoor saltwater pool, and hot and cold plunge pools. Services span traditional facials and body work alongside cryotherapy, infrared sauna, and quantum harmonics, all emphasizing personal recovery. Private E.scape Pods overlook the district, while the rooftop deck offers barrel saunas, a heated outdoor pool, and private cabanas equipped with mini refrigerators.

7. The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown

Forbes Five-Star

An entire floor devoted to wellness anchors this downtown Manhattan sanctuary, where a 75-foot indoor pool framed by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooks the Lower Manhattan skyline. The facility serves as the American debut for Swiss skincare line Dr. Burgener and remains New York's sole destination for Omorovicza facials from Budapest. Resident healers—a crystal expert and herbalist—complement the treatment menu, while the light-filled interiors by Yabu Pushelberg feature white tay wood walls and travertine floors.

8. The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, New York

Forbes Five-Star

Perched on the 35th floor with floor-to-ceiling windows framing Central Park and the Hudson River, this Manhattan spa centers its approach on Asian healing traditions. A 23-meter indoor pool flooded with natural light anchors the facilities, alongside two hammams with an amethyst-crystal steam chamber and a VIP suite featuring its own fireplace. Treatments like Oriental Qi meridian work and Ama Releasing Abhyanga detoxifying massage deliver results through precise technique rather than trend-chasing innovations.

9. The Trump Spa New York

Forbes Five-Star

Exclusive to hotel guests and tower residents, this Columbus Circle sanctuary pairs warm walnut paneling and Italian marble with a rigorously personalized approach to wellness. Locker rooms dressed in soothing grays open to steam chambers and saunas, while treatments draw on luxury lines like Sonya Dakar and Deborah Lippmann. The Moroccan Ritual combines dry-brush exfoliation, deep hydration, and hot stone massage into a single restorative session.

10. ila Only Spa at Lotte New York Palace

Forbes Five-Star

Overlooking St. Patrick's Cathedral from Lotte New York Palace, this Midtown wellness sanctuary deploys handmade Cotswolds skincare—ila, Sanskrit for Mother Earth—across seven treatment rooms where signature sound bowls balance energy through acoustic therapy. The 1,950-square-foot space pairs marble-lined steam facilities with a private 280-square-foot yoga studio, while organic serums and farm-grown botanicals favored by Natalie Portman anchor treatments rooted in minimal processing and countryside rituals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Manhattan neighborhoods offer the best restaurant concentration?

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The West Village and Lower East Side pack acclaimed restaurants into walkable blocks, while Tribeca and SoHo attract established chefs opening ambitious new concepts. NoMad and Flatiron offer convenient Midtown-adjacent dining without the tourist density of Times Square.

What areas should visitors consider beyond Manhattan?

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Williamsburg and DUMBO in Brooklyn provide waterfront hotels with Manhattan skyline views and strong local dining scenes. Long Island City in Queens offers newer hotels at lower rates with easy subway access to Midtown. For serious food exploration, Flushing and Jackson Heights in Queens rival any international destination.

When do New York restaurants require advance reservations?

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High-demand restaurants often release reservations 30 days ahead and fill within minutes. Weeknight dining generally proves easier than Friday or Saturday. Many acclaimed spots keep bar seating for walk-ins, and late reservations after 9:30pm are frequently available when prime slots are booked.