Mandarin Oriental New York

BACKGROUND Hong Kong-based Mandarin Oriental opened its New York property – one of 33 worldwide – almost two decades ago. It features 244 rooms, including 46 suites and with a prime location on Columbus Circle, boasts some of the best views in Manhattan – of Central Park, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the Hudson River.

WHAT’S IT LIKE? As you enter via Columbus Circle you take an elevator to the large circular lobby on the 35th floor for check in. At the end of lobby is MO Lounge, an all-day dining venue open from 7am to 11pm and serving drinks and light snacks until midnight, Thursday to Saturday. The lobby’s dark brown and gold colour scheme creates an inviting and cosy space, especially in the winter. Sta are professional, courteous and have mastered the art of hospitality. ROOMS Every room and suite o ers Manhattan skyline views and five-star elegance, from the furniture and flooring to the sumptuous bathrooms kitted out with robes, luxury soaps and lotions and large baths. The high-quality bed promises a five-star snooze. The Hudson River rooms and suites overlook the famous river. As you enter, a hallway with hardwood flooring leads you to the living room with two sofas and a large TV and dining table. The bedroom boasts a large bed, lounge chair, and more city skyline views. The granite and marble bathroom features a bathtub, glass-enclosed shower, and the signature high-tech MO toilet with its warm seat and many controls. BEST FOR Location, views, ambience, service

DON’T MISS A treatment at The Spa

PRICE From US$1,595 per night

CONTACT 80 Columbus Circle, New York; mandarinoriental.com

Every room and suite o er Manhattan skyline views

WHERE IS IT? In Columbus Circle’s Deutsche Bank Center, a prime location in the heart of America’s largest city. The hotel provides direct access to the retail, dining and entertainment o ering at Columbus Circle via the third floor, is a 10-minute walk to Times Square and the Broadway Theatre District and is 15 minutes from Fifth and Madison Avenues for designer shopping. FOOD AND DRINK The MO Lounge serves contemporary American cuisine and sophisticated cocktails, with views of Columbus Circle, Central Park, and the city as the backdrop. Set in a semi-circular room with large windows, the dining space is intimate for an evening meal and o ers an optimistic light-filled setting for breakfast.

BUSINESS High-rise meeting and function rooms, complemented by MO’s signature Mindful Meetings concept, incorporating wellness elements designed to inspire, engage and deliver results.

LEISURE A gym, indoor pool and The Spa, a five-star facility with a reputation as one of the best spas on the U.S East Coast. It o ers six treatment rooms, a VIP Spa Suite, a Yoga Suite, separate male and female heat experiences, including a vitality pool and amethyst crystal steam room, and an Oriental Tea Lounge. If you love the arts, this is the hotel for you; with the Lincoln Center close by, you can watch the ballet or catch a jazz or orchestral performance. The concierge at the Mandarin Oriental can arrange performance visits and other experiences like a horse-drawn carriage ride through Central Park, private guided city tours, helicopter rides, and more.

VERDICT Immaculate service, cosy accommodation, luxury facilities, a prime location and value for money; the MO New York suits discerning travellers who expect the best. Allyson Portee