Aman is a name that often – okay, always – sends shivers down the spines of hotel enthusiasts. I’m one of those, and if it wasn’t for COVID-19 I would this year have had a big, green, proud, enthusiastic tick next to the “stay at Aman Tokyo, finally” underlined a million times on my mental bucketlist. Known as the most exclusive hotel brand in the world, Aman has such command in hospitality that any forthcoming new property is always going to met with feverish demand. Soon, that’s going to be Aman New York.
The new hotel, positioned in the heart of Manhattan, will be one of the biggest openings New York seen in years. When it finally opens to the public in just a few months, the property can easily expect a rush of celebrities, luxury travellers (at least the ones who can get there right now), and penny-pinchers who have tried to save for years for just one night in pure Aman bliss (AKA people like me).
READ: ‘Looking Past the Pandemic’ with That Brunette from Brooklyn, New York
Right when Central Park is in cherry blossom season, Aman New York will breathe new life in Manhattan’s historic Crown Building, shaping 57th & 5th with unparalleled service, world-class dining, the signature Aman Spa, and – as a first for the brand – the exclusive Aman Residences program.
World-renowned architect Jean-Michel Gathy has kept Aman New York tethered to the Crown Building’s century-deep history, lovingly restoring the striking architecture and blending that with Aman’s soulful expression of peak luxury. And that crossroads approach to design will touch everywhere in the Aman New York, from the 83 elegant guest rooms and suites (which start at 70sqm, each with a functioning fireplace), and the 22 private branded residences, to the on-site jazz club and all three dining venues. Not to mention the massive 2,300sqm Aman Spa, which will also be home to an Aman Club for members.
Don’t act surprised when you read the list of dining being planned for the hotel: first, Aman’s signature fine-dining Japanese restaurant, Nama, which will offer an omakase menu built with exquisite sushi and sashimi sliced at a live-cooking counter on an outdoor terrace. Next is an ode to the finer drops in life with The Wine Library, the hotel’s wine cellar which will sit adjacent to Nama and will primarily host private tastings and events. Then you’ve got Arva, Aman’s signature Italian restaurant, aiming for all-day dining with the prime spot being on the wraparound garden terrace overlooking Central Park.
Also on the cards is a Cigar Bar with an al fresco terrace, within the aptly named The Bar, where award-winning mixologists will work alongside a selection of craft beers and fin from leading local breweries and distilleries.
The brand’s Aman Urban Wellness concept will be felt in every corner of the three-storey Aman Spa, which when opened will be the brand’s new flagship Wellness Centre for the western hemisphere. Being promised are seven spa treatment suites and two unique Banya and Hamman Spa Houses, each with their own private outdoor relaxation terrace with hot and cold plunge pools. Also in the spa will be a 20m indoor swimming pool lined with double beds around cosy fire pits, while nearby a 200sqm fitness centre offers the latest Technogym training equipment with a few new technologies and other concepts like a yoga studio and a full-service hydrotherapy facility with ice fountains and sensory showers. Rounding out the big focus on wellness will be a gentlemen’s barber and ladies’ hair and nail salon.
For more information on the hotel, which opens in Spring 2021 (American Spring, that is), click here.
