Located directly at the start (or end… depending on how you look at it) of Central Park, The Ritz-CarltonNew York, Central Park is an iconic definition and synonymous reference to luxury. Former home to icons like Coco Chanel and Betty Grafstein, The Ritz-Carlton has maintained such an elite class of sophistication and style that it remains in a league of its own.
This 33-story building houses 259 guest rooms and 47 suites lined with some of the finest in-room amenities anyone could ask for. The 400 thread-count French sateen linens, feather duvets and beds, marble bathroom with deep soaking tubs, Asprey bath toiletries, HD flat screen televisions, lighted vanity mirror designed for putting on make-up are only a few things that make keep The Ritz-Carlton, Central Park at its level of exclusivity.
During my day at The Ritz, I was taken on grand tour of what many call home, when away from home. In winter months, directly across the property, horse carriages line the street for tourists to enjoy. With such prime local, The Ritz Carlton guests, with young children, are taken, with a pail filled with apples, to feed the horses. Or for guests who have a couple of hours to burn before a show or dinner reservations, can wait in the Club Lounge and nosh on snacks or read the latest periodicals, and still receive the same hi-end service they would receive in their room.
Like most hotels, The Ritz Carlton is equipped with a lavish spa. La Prairie Spa to be exact. Offering comforts from in-room massages and nail treatments to in-spa White Caviar Facials using only La Prairie products. Developed in Montreux, Switzerland, La Prairie is renowned for creations that work with the natural rhythms of your skin and body, rather than against.
But with a fabulous spa must come a fabulous restaurant, mais non? The Auden Bistro and Bar, which debuted in September 2012 with a complete architectural redesign by Rockwell Group features some of the best gastronomy one could dream. Created by Chef Mark Arnao, his wide knowledge of cuisine is so tastefully displayed with every dish. From the French Onion Soup to the Lobster Niçoise to the Slow Braised Short Rib Flatbread, every plate is not only beautifully showcased, but done to such perfection.
And for the growing number of families who call this extraordinary life, “a permanent residence,” the hotel still caters to ones’ desires providing all the same services of temporary guests including on-site fitness center, 24 hour in-room dining, five block radius from a shopaholics fantasy (with Bergdorf’s being just a block away), to multilingual concierge ensuring no request is misunderstood. The Ritz-Carlton, Central Park may not be for all, but for the ones who choose it, it’s a pleasantry every time.