Mandarin Oriental, New York

24 January 2016

Words: Mark Evans / Images: Mandarin Oriental

The conventional route with hotels – as with most buildings – is to start from the bottom up. The ground floor. Zero. This well-established wisdom is, thankfully, eschewed at the Mandarin Oriental New York, which occupies floors 35 to 54 of the North Tower of the Time Warner Center.

Thankfully, because their lofty perch brings with it views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline that can only be described as breath-taking. Rooms, while not huge (well, ours wasn’t), are nevertheless impressive, with Art Deco touches mixing nicely with hints of Asia; subtle creams and beiges alongside the occasional splash of colour of Asian artwork. Marble bathrooms further the luxurious feel, as do the 1940s-inspired desks, while flat-screen TVs – with the usual myriad of frenetic US channels – bring a touch of homely familiarity.

The star of the show, however, is undoubtedly that incredible view, and with floor-to-ceilings windows flooding the vista in, it’s hard not to spend your entire stay simply stood, staring out.

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