Inside Aman New York, a temple of happiness for the “Zen” generation

A small room covered from floor to ceiling in black marble with a lit fireplace in the centre, devoid of any noise that could come from the traffic of one of the most congested areas of New York. This is the only party that anyone who is not a guest of the hotel or a member of the prestigious super-exclusive membership club which has an entry fee of $200,000 plus an annual fee of $15,000, will ever see of the Asia-based ultra-exclusive luxury chain’s third-largest U.S. outpost, and which also includes Amangiri in Utah and Amangiri in Wyoming.

A quick wait and if your name is on the guest list, you are ushered into the contemporary designed lobbythe stylistic hallmark of all the interiors, created by Jean Michel-Gathy of Denniston Architects (he also created Aman in Venice), where stone and oak and walnut wood are enhanced by the many floral compositions inspired by the art of ikebana and by rattan baskets, as if to recall the Asian origins of the brand.

The Garden Terrace is already a cult place in Manhattan

A muffled silence, an intense and elegant scent that envelops the interior spaces and that will remain imprinted in the mind, are the prelude to the Lounge bar, characterized by a central fireplace wrapped in sheets of glass and a floating installation of paper and bamboo by the artist Peter Gentenaar, where the atmosphere suddenly becomes more relaxed. A few steps and here is the place to be in Manhattan: the Garden Terrace, with a retractable glass roof, the ever-present fireplace – there are more than 200 inside the property – and overlooking the most exclusive area of ​​the city. The sense of elegance, exclusivity and privacy also pervades Arva, an Italian restaurant led by chef Dario Ossola, and Nama, a traditional Japanese washoku restaurant where the long hinoki wooden counter and a ceiling inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright are the parterre of the celebrity chef Takuma Yonemaru.

From home of the MoMa to the most glamorous hotel in Manhattan

At the corner of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, just a few blocks from Central Park and the Museum of Modern Artin the golden triangle where some of the most sensational hotels and brands in the city are located, such as Tiffany & Co. and Bergdorf Goodman, Love New York it is enclosed within the historic walls of the Crown Building, a neoclassical building that bears the signature of Warren and Wetmore, those who designed the iconic Grand Central Station. A real work of art, the building, from 1929 to 1932, it was the first headquarters of the Moma which today is just a few steps away.

Built as an urban sanctuary and opened in August 2022, the hotel, which occupies floors 7 to 14, is already sold out for the next few months. Sure, Aman counts among its regulars George and Amal Clooney, Bill Gates and the Kardashians but also a large crowd of fans who travel around the world to personally experience the new entries of the group, whose properties are usually far from the big ones cities and in scenic natural landscapes, such as Bhutan and Greece. Exceptions are Aman Tokyo, set in the Otemachi Tower, Aman Kyoto, in a forest near the Kinkaku temple and Aman Venice, inside Palazzo Papadopoli, a cult place for high society evenings since the 16th century. And today Aman New York. Refuge, urban, contemporary sanctuary: whatever name you want to give it, here it seems to be in a temple, with discreet elegance, in the virgin forest.

The suites

Inspired by Japanese life, the 83 suites, of different sizes and configurations, between 150 and 200 m²all have, as a distinctive feature, a mural, the size of a wall, in washi paper and ink inspired by the fifteenth-century masterpiece pine trees by Hasegawa Tohaku, one of Japan’s most famous works, owned by the Tokyo National Museum. Magically soundproofed, designed to be as silent as a recording studio, equipped with a spectacular working fireplace – the only hotel in New York to have one – they have soft crème-colored sofas, stone tables on which Phaidon’s books dominate to leaf through while holding a flute of champagne, revolving louvered doors that can tilt to open or seal the space, king beds with $15,000 mattresses, spa-like bathrooms with heated floors, and a bathtub that fits two perfectly.

The Spa

On three floors, the Aman Spa, 2,300 m², is the last bastion of happiness, with strict access for guests only. The swimming pool is impressive and highly scenographic, where deck chairs and padded sunbeds give way to glass fireplaces with copper hoods, reaching up to the ceiling, and also to traditional fireplaces. The cocoon effect is guaranteed, especially when, beyond the high windows, a romantic snowy New York is staged. But if you want to go further in the wow effect, you can allow yourself the luxury of booking a private Spa House, a double treatment room with a living area, a large bed, an outdoor terrace with hot and cold pools and hammam or banya. On the treatment floor Dr. Robert Graham formulates well-being solutions and tailor-made programmes, while the Spa menu includes a Fotona4D facial massage, which is basically a non-surgical facelift, an Aman Signature Facial, PRP facials but also of rapid regeneration, including personalized vitamin therapy, peptide therapy, IV and IM NAD+ longevity injections.

The Aman Jazz Club

For those who want a taste of the Aman world, the Jazz Club, also designed by Jean-Michel Gathy, is open to the public. Minimalist, with a clear speakeasy inspiration, it can be reached via a service lift that takes you to an underground level. Circular sofas and overstuffed loveseats frame the intimate stage with a Steinway piano for the performers. Here, glamor blends perfectly with underground glitz as DJ sessions and jazz music take center stage. All supervised by the creative director, Brian Newman, Lady Gaga’s trumpeter.

Deluxe flights with La Compagnie

Staying in a hotel like this requires a flight that is an equally unforgettable experience. The Company, which has been operating on the non-stop Milan – New York route for a few months, is the perfect choice also because inside there are only 76 seats that can recline to the point of becoming real beds. Completely business class, but at affordable prices, the French company also thinks of shopaholics, given that two bags of 32 kg each can be checked in for free. Baggage checked, it’s time to fully enjoy the flight experience, which obviously includes a gourmet menu. Especially until the end of December thanks to a special recipe signed by chef Floriano Pellegrino of the starred restaurant Bros’ of Lecce and of the restaurant of Scorrano Trattoria dei Fratelli.