“In the contemporary, culturally diverse city of New York, Mandarin Oriental, New York is a respite from the hustle and bustle, a hotel where Oriental East meets East Coast.  The hotel is stylish and elegant yet not intimidating – the sleek lines used throughout speak of New York, while artwork and textile accents whisper of the Orient.”

– Sandra Cortner, Senior Project Designer, HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates

When Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group opened its flagship property in the Americas in December 2003, the odyssey of planning and design was immediately evident to local New Yorkers and hotel guests. Working within the framework posed by internationally renowned architect David M. Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, who designed Time Warner Center, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (MOHG) called upon Brennan Beer Gorman (BBG) Architects and Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) to design its new flagship hotel, Mandarin Oriental, New York.

The overall structure of the center includes a stone and glass base housing a four-story retail complex, as well as Time Warner’s world headquarters and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Rising from the stone base are two crystalline buildings housing the hotel and The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, New York. The hotel resides in the center’s north building, spanning floors 35 through 54, with entry from West 60th Street between Broadway and Columbus Avenue.

The unusual parallelogram shape of the buildings provided the biggest challenge for HBA and BBG architects who were presented with the task of designing a hotel with 248 spacious rooms and suites, while creating room for housekeeping and food & beverage facilities. Plans also included extraordinary public areas such as the entrance lobby on the ground floor, the hotel reception and concierge desk located on the 35th floor sky lobby, and restaurant Asiate, the Lobby Lounge and MObar all overlooking Central Park. The 6,000 square-foot ballroom and meetings spaces on floor 36 and the 14,500-square-foot spa and fitness center spanning floors 35 and 36 (including a 75-foot lap pool with sweeping views of the Hudson River) are also prominent features of the design.

The result is a striking and luxurious hotel with stunning views overlooking Manhattan from every direction. The design of the Five-Star Mandarin Oriental, New York reflects the Group’s exotic oriental heritage as seen in the use of artifacts and small details, adding to the overall luxurious feel of the hotel. Also reflected in the design are more contemporary elements revealing its New York City location. Situated at Columbus Circle, the point from which all distances from Manhattan are measured, the hotel could not be more ideally located. It stands at a cornerstone of Central Park and serves as the perfect meeting point, bridging east and west, north and south. 

Lobby and Public Areas
The unique guest experience at Mandarin Oriental, New York begins the moment guests step off the busy, noisy streets of Manhattan and into the hotel’s subdued ground floor entry. Located facing West 60th Street between Broadway and Columbus Avenue, guests are welcomed into a gracious space that sets the design standard and quality of experience for the floors above.

The focal point of the entrance lobby is the ceiling structure, a collaborative work featuring a mix of sculptor Dale Chihuly’s contemporary glass with Waterford crystal, set against the backdrop of a honey-toned wood and limestone wall. Italian marble and granite flooring provide the first impression of New York elegance.

Express elevators then whisk guests upwards to the 35th floor sky lobby and reception area, where visitors are greeted by commanding views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline from the Lobby Lounge, Asiate and MObar, the hotel’s signature restaurant and bar. Another Dale Chihuly sculpture rises out of an oriental moss garden set into a custom-carved wood and silver vessel set on the lobby’s elliptical-shaped marble and granite floor.  Accents of silver are incorporated into the lobby’s floor, the Lalique-inspired ceiling detail, and the tooled silver inserts on the granite reception desk and silver-plated stair railings. In addition to the Chihuly sculpture, artwork consists of a combination of New York artists and Chinese textiles.

With walls of windows greeting the guests, the Lobby Lounge’s most prominent feature is its view – a dramatic panorama of Central Park and Manhattan. The furniture is classic, contemporary and residential with a color palette of pale golds and chocolate browns. The rich, chocolate brown carpet features an oriental pattern, adding a subtle touch of Asia. The cocktail bar, MObar, is classic, contemporary and residential, designed with the feel of a chic New York living room. A tooled nickel and silver bar is inspired by 1930s residential pieces and is one of several throughout the hotel that is influenced by the graceful lines and attention to detail that were part of design in the 1930s and 1940s.

On the dark wood walls flanking the Lobby Lounge are two immense paintings by internationally acclaimed artist Valerio Adami.  ften controversial, Adami was commissioned to create these contemporary, yet approachable paintings inspired by his vision of New York and Broadway.

One floor above, the hotel’s Mandarin Ballroom features its own spectacular views through three full walls of floor-to-ceiling windows. The dramatic views are softened by chocolate brown velvet drapery lined in luscious aubergine satin, inspired by formal wear. The carpet provides a punch of color with details and motifs based on traditional oriental textile designs. The ballroom also boasts three immense oval chandeliers, providing a sea of crystal sparkling across the ceiling.

From the ballroom, guests can descend the grand staircase to the Lobby Lounge, providing an elegant transition with French marble steps, limestone walls, and a railing accented with Ginko-inspired tooled silver.

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental
Discreetly tucked away on the building’s west side with a view of the Hudson River is the 14,500-square-foot, Five-Star Spa at Mandarin Oriental, New York. Honoring the hotel’s oriental culture, the spa offers holistic rejuvenation and relaxation in a tranquil, meditative setting, soothing mind, body, and spirit. Facilities are located on floors 35 and 36 with a private interconnecting elevator.

Facilities include six multifunctional rooms with personal shower facilities; vitality pools and amethyst crystal steam rooms in separate men’s and women’s areas; his and hers Relaxation Lounges; an Oriental Tea Lounge; and a private VIP Spa Suite and Thai Yoga Suite. The fitness center features multi-sensory equipment by TechnoGym and a 75-foot lap pool bathed in natural sunlight from floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase the Hudson River.

Design features of The Spa include bamboo flooring, water features, natural stone, specially commissioned three-dimensional artwork, color therapy, slate flooring in wet areas, gold leaf millwork, Chinese furniture and Japanese rice paper window treatments. 

Restaurants & Bars
Serving not only hotel guests, but also its Midtown neighbors and those of the Upper West Side, the hotel’s 90-seat restaurant serving contemporary cuisine with Asian influence, Asiate, and chic Lobby Lounge and MObar are located adjacent to the sky lobby on floor 35. At the entrance of the restaurant is a “wall of wine” featuring an impressive selection of bottles from Asiate’s award-winning wine list.

A large glittering metal and glass sculpture with its “tree branch” design hangs from the ceiling of the restaurant, emulating the trees of Central Park in winter. Ranked for its top décor in the 2009 Zagat Survey, Asiate features semi-private booths that envelop up to four people and are dotted throughout the restaurant, lending to the sense of comfort and elegance. A private dining area accommodates up to ten people and is separated from the main room by a stunning “wall of wine.”

Lobby Lounge is designed as an extension of nearby neighbors’ own living rooms, where guests can easily and comfortably entertain one-on-one or add to their party as the evening progresses. At MObar, an island bar in polished hammered nickel picks up the glitter of the night where guests can congregate and chat face to face, while tailored leather seating, partially enclosed by rich velvet drapes, allows for more intimate socializing.

Guest Rooms & Suites
Typical rooms feature two different room plans with one of two color schemes. The guest room layouts differ in the treatment of the baths, one in a more traditional style, while the other features a wrap-around bath. Color schemes are either in pale gold and jet black or in Chinese red and sterling silver. The furniture in both room types is inspired by pieces from the 1940s.

The art collections are eclectic, featuring Paul Ching-Bor, a Taiwanese artist who created a series of paintings featuring bridges of New York City, as well as another artist from China, formally trained by a Chinese watercolor master and now residing in NYC.

Work space to meet all the needs of today’s business traveler, especially electronic needs, was certainly taken into consideration in the meticulous design of the property.  Every guest room offers the latest in in-room entertainment and technology. 

The bathroom features a Spanish marble in soft beige, which is used throughout. A cherry vanity with an Italian granite top completes the vision of simple elegance. Many bathrooms feature soaking tubs situated at windows, allowing guests to enjoy the views of New York while relaxing in the bath.

Inspiration for the suites came from Manhattan apartments. All suites are located in the corners of the hotel, insuring spectacular park and river views. To mirror the concept of “the Manhattan apartment” all the suites are individual in their design, complete with distinctive artwork collections. Color schemes consist of pale silver and rose; pale gold, cream and black; and another that is based on a Mandarin robe in saffron and copper colors.

The Oriental Suite, which has a blue, gray and gold color scheme, features a large living and dining room accented by oriental-patterned silk damask draperies from Scalamandre and Brazilian Cherry hardwood floors covered with handcrafted oriental rugs. A separate, Mozambique wood-paneled library doubles as a study or a media room complete with the latest state-of-the-art Bang & Olufsen entertainment technology. Adjacent to the living & dining space is a kitchen with custom Italian cabinetry, granite countertops and flooring.

The suite has a large master bedroom and bath, and includes a separate walk-in closet. Artwork in the suite follows the direction throughout the hotel, using a mixture of New York and oriental influences.

The 53rd floor Presidential Suite features custom-designed furnishings in tones of chocolate brown, accented with luminous brushed gold and deep Chinese red accessories. The large Mozambique wood-paneled living and dining area lead to a private media room and study and fully equipped kitchen. Upholstered in pearl-toned silk, the master bedroom is adjacent to a sycamore-paneled walk-in closet and spectacular master bath, encased in honey onyx walls. A combination of New York and Asian art and artifacts is used throughout the suite, blending touches of the Orient with contemporary New York. One piece is a 250-year-old parchment calligraphy book featuring Chinese characters conveying a story of happiness and good fortune. Espresso-stained bamboo floors, neutral roman shades that rise and fall at the touch of a button to reveal spectacular views of Manhattan and rich textiles throughout the suite create a space that is elegant yet comfortable, soothing yet stylish.

Mandarin Oriental, New York is the city’s most stylish and sought-after hotel space. Not only does it standout for its unique and unusual design and decor, but also for its impeccable service and attention to detail.