Originally set to open last year, Aman New York is a hotel we've had our eyes on for a long while. In fact, it's one of the most highly anticipated hotel openings in the city this year, and that's saying a lot. New York City is in the midst of a hotel boom and there's a long list of buzzy openings set to add hundreds of luxury rooms to the landscape. But this one is just different.
Aman New York will be the hyperluxe brand's first hotel in New York City and the second of a "new, pioneering generation" of properties in truly urban destinations, following the opening of Aman Tokyo.
In the historic Crown Building (originally built in 1921 by the same architect who designed Grand Central Station), the hotel will have 83 suites and 22 private residences. The building, which sits on Fifth Avenue near Central Park, underwent a "significant" restoration that combines its original architecture with "Aman's harmonious design language," according to Aman.
The brand owns "a collection of intimate retreats" that are big on design — and big on price. Aman properties intend to transport guests to an atmosphere of pure serenity. The goal in New York City, it seems, is to recreate this same tranquility for travelers looking to escape the honking horns and busy streets below.
Inspired by the design of Aman's properties in Southeast Asia, all 83 suites feature working fireplaces, marble showers and free-standing soaking tubs. A standout design feature in each guest room is a mural by Ryoko Adachi, inspired by the 15th-century Japanese masterpiece "Pine Trees" by Hasegawa Tōhaku, printed on rice paper. Large windows offer views of surrounding skyscrapers and the city outside, but I doubt guests will want to leave their lavish rooms (especially those gorgeous bathtubs).
There's more to the hotel than the rooms, though. A Jean Michel Gathy-designed atrium on the 14th floor is sure to be one of the city's most in-demand social spaces. On-site dining options include Italian restaurant Arva and Japanese restaurant Napa, where you'll find a hinoki wood counter for omakase. There's also the Jazz Club, which will offer live performances, and the year-round Garden Terrace which showcases a retracting glass roof and fire pits.
Wellness is a key aspect of the Aman brand, as showcased by this property's three-story, nearly 25,000-square-foot spa. Inside, guests will find treatment rooms, banya and hammam rooms, and private outdoor terraces with hot and cold plunge pools, daybeds and fireplaces. There's even a 65-foot indoor swimming pool surrounded by fire pits and daybeds. In a city famous for its spas, this will be a game changer for the New York City spa scene.
Surely you want to book your stay at Aman New York ASAP, but unfortunately, you'll have to wait a little bit longer. Reservations don't open until July 25, about a week before the scheduled opening. This midsummer date likely offers some buffer room in case the property is hit by any unexpected setbacks.
Prices aren't available yet, but you can expect to pay a premium for a stay here. Nightly rates at Amangani in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, come in around $1,500 while nightly rates at Amangiri, the Kardashian/Jenner-loved resort in the desert of Utah, start at $4,000. Add in the fact that hotel demand is sky-high right now and even budget hotels are not so budget-friendly at the moment, and you know that this hotel will likely be one of the most expensive in the city. Worth it? We'll let you know once it opens.
After New York City, the next Aman property in the U.S. is set to open in Miami in 2024.
