New York City



The Experience

Although it is just 13 years old, this 52-story, I.M. Pei-designed limestone hotel -- the city's tallest -- has already taken its place as a midtown landmark. Located amid Manhattan's best shopping and corporate headquarters, the hotel is popular with deep-pocketed visitors as well as locals looking for a midtown respite. Marble-floored from its soaring columned lobby onward, it is a lesson in dramatic interiors. And staying there is a lesson in superlatives; the Four Seasons leaves even the most luxurious competitors still playing catch up.

The Rooms

Averaging 600 square feet, the Four Seasons' soundproof rooms are the city's largest, most with prime Central Park views, including more than 20 with covetable outdoor terraces. All include marble bathrooms with signature soaking tubs that fill up in less than 60 seconds, with spacious separate seating areas, Frette robes, black leather armchairs and cream-colored couches. Executive Suites with terraces include fully furnished outdoor areas large enough for small soirees, while the two new 1,500-square-feet Presidential Suites -- New York's costliest -- include private elevators, walls of windows, baby grand piano and marble glass fireplaces, all designed by Pei himself.

The Service

Welcoming the world's most demanding guests, New York is where the Four Seasons' reputation for precision paired with panache is put to the ultimate test. From the always-ready doormen -- who somehow remember your name and always find a cab -- to the complimentary Rolls-Royce and Maybach service, to the thankfully know-it-all concierges, the Four Seasons manages to justify its often stratospheric room rates.

The Highlights

The 2003 redesign and expansion of its spa was merely the beginning of a clutch of upgrades that continue to propel the Four Seasons to the top of the Manhattan heap. While yet another über-luxe penthouse suite prepares to debut, the summer of 2006 brought L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, the highlight of a trio of new restaurants on the hotel's lobby level. Like the hotel itself, L'Atelier was designed by I.M. Pei and is overseen by Executive Chef Yosuke Suga, formerly of L'Atelier's Tokyo branch. Grab a seat at the pearwood counter to peer into the open kitchen and witness the creation of Robuchon's French-Asian culinary superlatives to match all the others that surround you.

-- David Kaufman

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