Inside The Sleek New Downtown Four Seasons Hotel In New York
A slim unassuming 82-storey facade in Lower Manhattan, the true wow factor of the new Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtownoccurs when you walk through the glass-plated doors. The contemporary architecture is the work of Robert A.M. Stern, while the interiors are by the award-winning designers Glenn Pushelberg and George Yabu. Working on everything from landscapes to furnishing, light fixtures to graphics, they have built a reputation for their immersive and considered spaces. Here, the hotel stretches to the 38th floor, with Four Seasons Residences continuing above into the skyline.
An earshot from the thrum of Wall Street and the financial district, a moments walk from One World Trade Center, the 9-11 Memorial Museum, and a short stroll from upscale shopping centre Brookfield Place, or mosey over to Fulton Street and the cobbled quarters of South Street Seaport – it’s ideal for those looking to slink away from Midtown Manhattan.
Offering endless views of the downtown skyline, the 189-room property is inviting with its Italian marble accents and warm auburn-coloured walls. Take time to visit Studio Sawada’s ‘Cascade’, an iridescent sculpture combining black, gold and mirror rods suspended perilously over the central staircase.
Rooms and suites have all the comforts we’ve come to expect from the Four Seasons brand – exquisite bed linens, custom Simmons mattresses (with toppers to choose – ranging from plus to signature to firm). All controls in the room are steered via a central iPad, and a personal favourite, the fully stocked mini-bar is presented in its own custom-made cabinet, which also includes a Nespresso machine and a chic selection of crystal glassware. The decor is fresh and urban-luxe with fittings in gold and brass and soft furnishing in soothing creams and caramels. Designed from grey and white marble, all the bathrooms are lovely and modern with oversized soaking tubs, TVs set built into the large mirrors, mother-of-pearl walk-in showers and bath products from Florentine perfumer Lorenzo Villoresi. And if you’re looking for outdoor space, book one of the Gotham Suites with a terrace.
Back downstairs,CUT by Wolfgang Puck serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week. Known best for their steaks and seafood, the Japanese Wagyu beef always gets top marks and for good reason. A with its cherry-coloured crushed-velvet furnishings and towering gold bar, the interiors move seamlessly from day to night.
The most unexpected amenity at the hotel is its spa and wellness spaces. There’s no shortage on offer here, and the robust facilities are such you might expect at a bucolic country hotel, as opposed to a city hideaway. Bring your trainers and visit the 24-hour 2,000 square-foot fitness centre, as well, there’s a 75-foot indoor lap pool, one of the city’s largest and a brilliant eucalyptus steam room. The pool is heated to a temperature of 82 degrees, and there’s always a lifeguard on duty. The interiors are bright and airy, suffuse with natural light. Products and treatments have been chosen with care and include treatments by Switzerland-based Dr. Pauline Burgener, a first for the American market.
Realising that health and wellness are about far more than a visit to the spa or gym, the hotel has launched a dedicated health and wellness menu championing vitamin-, antioxidant- and mineral-rich ingredients and recipes. The menu features superfoods smoothies, such as the energising beet, blueberries, ginger, apple and agave juice, which has been a household favourite since the hotel opened in 2016. More recent additions to the menu include a yellowfin tuna poke bowl with soy, sesame, sweet onions and scallions; a roasted beet salad with smoked goats cheese, radish, Brooklyn Lager vinaigrette and roasted sunflower seeds; and seared tuna with bok choy, furikake and brown-butter miso. There are also a handful of flavoursome vegan options, such as the quinoa tofu cake with sautéed corn, red pepper coulis and cannellini beans; vermicelli noodles with market vegetables and laksa curry; and falafel with pita bread, cucumbers, tomatoes, harissa and tzatziki sauce. All of these are more are available through in-room dining, or guests can order a pared-down version at the spa, on the sun deck or in the relaxation room.
In fact, in-room dining is the ace in the hotel’s hand. Say goodbye to limp French fries and tepid spaghetti bolognese. Chef Shaun Acosta, who oversees both in-room dining and meetings and events at the hotel has recently launched the clever “Restaurant In Your Room” concept. In his own words, as Chef Acosta explained when the programme was announced: “I really wanted to think creatively about what in-room dining is and what it could be. We wanted to challenge ourselves and ask, what is luxury? Luxury is getting what you want when you want it! With that in mind, I set out to create a menu that could be prepared and served table-side that was also restaurant quality. This means that the fact that the dish is being delivered to your room, does not dictate what the food should be. In fact, it’s the opposite – I thought of dishes that I wanted to include on the menu and then thought about how we could do these differently and how they could be served and presented as though dining in a restaurant.
Across the board, from its world-class interior design to its spa nonpareil to its pitch-perfect menu, the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown hits all the right notes.
Double rooms at the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown start from £491 in low season and from £557 in high season.
in Press