Yahoo Lifestyle What It’s Like to Stay at the Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad, a Luxe Hotel That Bridges Uptown and Downtown
Welcome to Checking In, a review series in which our editors and contributors rate the best new (and revamped) luxury hotels based on a rigorous—and occasionally tongue-in-cheek—10-point system: Each question answered “yes” gets one point. Will room service bring you caviar? Does your suite have its own butler? Does the bathroom have a bidet? Find out below.
The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad
In three words: It’s serenity now!
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The basics:
The war of the five-stars is on. Over the last few years, a bevy of high-hat hotels have begun competing for the Big Apple’s best guests. There’s the Surrey uptown and downtown’s Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s. In Midtown’s southeasterly quadrant, the Fifth Avenue Hotel is the jewel of 28th St. And, hardly a block away, towering high above those aforementioned inns, is the Ritz-Carlton NoMad. Opened in 2022, on the site of a parking garage on Broadway and 28th St., it’s a rare fully new construction hotel in a city where repurposing often makes better economic sense. But while those other hotels are constrained by their shells, in NoMad the Ritz was able to execute its vision without compromise. No wonder than that this is the Ritz-Carlton that will serve as a model for all the brand’s future builds.
The best room:
The very aptly named Ritz-Carlton Suite is the stunner here. It’s tricked out with better everything in a hotel where rooms are already kitted with the best. It’s located on the 37th floor and is all about views, views, views—the kind only N.Y.C. can offer (oh look, there’s the Empire State Building!). It’s laid out as a one-bedroom spread over a generous 2,100 square feet. That means there’s room for a separate living area, a full dining table set for six guests, a private media room, a powder room, a dressing area and a sexy rain shower for two. Don’t worry, it’ll be easy making friends with a suite this good.
The Rundown
Did they greet you by name at check-in?
Not quite. The lobby here is bustling with a mix of guests, locals coming to meet those guests for coffee in the lobby, and outsiders heading for the restaurant and bar (more on that later). There are two check-in counters opposite the concierge desks, and once you’ve said hello, everyone should know you from there on out.
Welcome drink ready and waiting when you arrived? Bonus point if it wasn’t just fruit juice.
More like water if you want it. I arrived in the morning and while my room was being readied, I was whisked off to the Club, that most Ritz-Carlton of amenities, for breakfast. There, the Champagne is flowing and the views are epic. It’s always very much worth the add on.
Does the hotel have a standout perk?
The late, great starchitect Rafael Viñoly designed the hotel, and it’s a real looker (a rarity for new-build anything, if we’re honest). But it’s the location that makes this hotel a perfect stay. That corner of 28th and Broadway was—and, to a degree, still is—lined with fairly sketch wholesale shops selling mass-market perfume and whatever else. The nearby flower district is on its last legs (although the hotel nods to it’s legacy with a fresh flower cart). It’s an area that was ignored as insufficiently upmarket for far too long. These days it’s rightly recognized for its utter convenience and has attracted plenty of shops and restaurants you’ll love. The great joy of Manhattan is walking, and from here you are steps from Madison Square Park, Union Square, and Gramercy Park—or from that meeting you have in the glittering new offices surrounding Grand Central. I walked all the way to Soho for dinner during my stay and it was time well spent.
Private butler for every room?
No. But call the 24/7 concierge, or head to the club if you want anything at all.
Is there a heated floor in the bathroom? What about a bidet?
No, and you just aren’t going to find a bidet in the city (at least outside a Japanese restaurant). The compact-but-not-cramped bathroom in my room had a lovely full tub (a non-negotiable essential to a good hotel stay) and old-school cool terrazzo floors.
Are the toiletries full sized?
Oh, yeah. Diptyque’s Philosykos collection is in your shower.
Is there a private pool for the room’s exclusive use? How are the spa and gym?
To our knowledge, only one building in all of N.Y.C. has plunge pools for each room and residence—and it’s a condo tower in Chelsea. There isn’t a pool in the hotel, but there is a spa that shouldn’t be missed. It’s a subterranean sanctuary with eight treatment rooms, relaxation lounges, experience showers, saunas, and steam rooms. If you’re doing New York right, you’ll have had a late night. Show up in the morning for a massage and then sweat it out in the sauna. There’s also, of course, a full-on gym with top-of-the-line equipment—it seems to get a fair amount of use.
Are the restaurants worth their salt?
Its restaurants are by star chef José Andrés and are unmissable. There’s a casual ground-floor restaurant showcasing a Turkish, Greek, and Lebanese approach to the Med called Zaytinya. The top-floor bar is a masterpiece. But the Bazaar is where you really want to be. It’s a sexy (really, it’s sexy), atmospheric, Spanish-Japanese-fusion fine-dining restaurant with flair. Cubes of foie gras are served in the center of sticks of pink cotton candy. The jamoneros are flown in straight from Spain to cut legs of cured ham with laser precision. They serve it by the ounce or, better still, as ham tacos topped with caviar and gold leaf. Stuff it in your mouth all at once.
Is there caviar on the room service menu? If so, what kind?
Want more caviar? We’re sure the concierge could have the restaurant send you some, but it’s not on the menu, which focuses on unpretentious comfort food. Chilled cheese ($22). Nomad burger ($32). Caesar salad ($24). Or why not order a big slice of New York cheesecake at 3 a.m ($28)?
Do you want to spend Friday night in the lobby bar?
Yes, and apparently everyone does. The Lobby Lounge transitions from coffee to cocktails in the evening and is a good place to meet. But, the Bazaar Bar on the lower level below the restaurant is even more elegant with inviting banquettes, a feature curved staircase, and a library setting.
Would you buy the hotel if you could?
Flag Luxury Group CEO Paul Kanavos—also responsible for the South Beach Ritz—isn’t likely to give it up easily. This is the Ritz-Carlton that all the other Ritz-Carltons want to be. Even in the knives-out brawl for supremacy that has become Manhattan’s five-star scene, this is a winner worth betting on.
The Verdict
You can have whatever type of hotel experience you want in New York. You can stay in a palace like the St. Regis or Plaza. You can kiss cheeks uptown at the Pierre, Carlyle, or Mark. You can stay in a cozy neighborhood boutique in Greenwich Village like the Marlton. You can make it a party at the Edition or the Standard. But for something well-rounded, ideally appointment and perfectly located, this is easily the best stay in the city.
Rates: from $895
Score: 7
What Our Score Means:
1-3: Fire your travel agent if they suggest you stay here.
4-6: Solid if you’re in a pinch—but only if you’re in a pinch.
7-8: Very good. We’d stay here again and recommend it without qualms.
9-10: Forget booking a week. When can we move in permanently?
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