What is it: A hotel brand so iconic it even has a song in its honor—"Puttin’ on the Ritz," if you remember the 1980s hit.
Why we love it: The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, provides a stay that feels like you’ve checked something off your bucket list. From the moment you enter, you’re aware of the history and elegance of this Forbes five star and AAA five diamond hotel, starting with its brick facade stretching 22 stories high and the entry with a formal vintage canopy.
Inside, the hallways are a bright gloss white with coffered ceilings holding glass chandeliers and marble tables with bright orchids. It even looks a bit like the interior of the first class passageways on the Titanic...and in fact, I had been so excited to stay here thinking that this is where Margaret “Molly” Brown stayed upon landing in New York after the ship sank. However, that turned out to be another Ritz-Carlton located on Madison and 46th, opened in 1911 as the first Ritz-Carlton in the U.S. It was demolished in 1951 to build an office building, so I’ll never have the chance! This hotel dates to 1929 and became a Ritz-Carlton in 1999.
One of its best aspects is the fact that Central Park is across the street. With my sister, I stayed in a Park View Room that overlooked the park, and we had fun sitting on the generously sized windowsills for people-watching out the window. There’s also a telescope in each room.
With such a fantastic home base, we took several rambles through the park, entering by the Center Drive entrance on West 59th Street and checking out the Pond at Central Lake and enjoying the bridges. If you’re a hardy walker, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a half-hour walk away.
The room was elegant but surprisingly low-key. Along with our king bed, there was a sitting area with a vase of fresh flowers. The earth tones of the furnishings were muted, but there was also an abstract rug reminiscent of a zebra’s hide to add a bit of wildness. Not too much, though! The marble bathroom was palatial in size and feel. Downstairs, the La Prairie spa offers a beautiful and tranquil space to get a facial or a massage or do yoga. There’s also a steam room and separate lounges for men and women.
When you get hungry, the Club Lounge is a spectacular spot with window views of Central Park, offering breakfast, lunch, afternoon light snacks, evening hors d’oeuvres & cocktails and even a late night offering of desserts & cordials—if you’re a light eater, you can easily get by on the offerings throughout the day. For instance, the evening hors d’oeuvres during our visit included chicken satay on a stick resting in a cocktail glass half full of peanut sauce and embellished with bright flowers, a vegetarian version of the same dish with celery and carrot spears instead of satay, and Greek dolmas wrapped in grape leaves. Everything was beautifully plated.
If you are looking for a more significant meal, Contour just off the lobby is a handsome restaurant with dark wood and low lighting. Rather than sitting at a table, you may be seated in a plush armchair with a small marble cocktail table for your meal. We enjoyed a dinner of lobster roll (me) and a hummus and grilled pita plate (my sister). We really weren’t hungry after the spectacular grazings at the lounge! I had the Thyme for Tea mocktail, and my sister had the Central Park Spice, which she remembers as, “very sweet and perfect for cold weather with the cider in it.” There’s also a healthy dose of Casamigos Blanco tequila in it too, so she was as fortified as if she was wearing a parka.
We checked out the next day and headed to our separate flights out of JFK, thrilled to have spent time together in such a timeless hotel.
Time Out tip: If you’re here with kids, you’ll want to do the Ritz Kids Check-in for them, with a uniformed teddy bear manning a tiny desk in a balloon-filled alcove near the real check-in.