Our Crystal Ball Predicts This NYC Hotel Will Wow You

While the world has its eyes on the New York runways, we’re looking to the Big Apple for a very different reason – a hotel. But this isn’t just any old hotel, it’s Baccarat Hotel, a luxurious five-star property that feels like your very own private crystal palace in the heart of a concrete jungle, especially as it just happens to be the first ever hotel created by Baccarat.

The hotel’s mission is simple: offer a level of service and perfection synonymous with the French crystal brand’s beautiful creations. To say it has achieved that (and more) would be an understatement. This is a property like no other, offering a one-of-a-kind experience you won’t find anywhere in the world. And speaking of one-of-a-kind experiences, the hotel’s ‘Accès Exclusif’ service gives you access to everything from backstage tours at the latest award-winning show to immersive dining experiences with celebrity chefs and front-row seats at the biggest concerts in town.

Not only will you find over 15,000 iridescent crystal pieces throughout the hotel, but it’s also the next best thing to staying in an art museum. Parisian art connoisseur Frédéric Chambre spent 18 months in the auction houses of Paris, securing extraordinary works for Baccarat Hotel and commissioning new work from 11 leading French artists. Oh, there’s also a casual $60 million penthouse at the top. Will this be your new favorite hotel in New York? Based on these four reasons, we think so – and we don’t even need a (Baccarat) crystal ball to confirm.

Nestled in the heart of Midtown, Baccarat Hotel is just a stone’s throw away from Central Park, the boutiques on 5th and Madison Avenue, and the twinkling lights of Broadway. Art buffs will love that the MoMA and Museum Mile are across the street, while fans of architecture can discover some of the city’s most iconic buildings (including the Rockefeller Center, which is just around the corner).

Foodies, meanwhile, will find themselves in fine dining heaven with two Michelin-starred chef Gabriel Kreuther serving as the hotel’s Culinary Director. There are also Michelin-starred restaurants (Le Bernardin and The Modern included) just minutes away. As for those in need of some R&R? They need never walk out of Baccarat’s doors – but more on that in a moment.

Speaking of the hotel’s doors, the entrance here definitely deserves a special mention. Inspired by the radiance and refracting light emitted from a Baccarat crystal, its soaring glass façade sparkles and shines under the New York sun. Step inside, and you’re greeted by a dazzling light show thanks to a wall of 2,000 ‘Harcourt’ glasses attached to LED bulbs. It’s safe to say you’ll be wowed from the off.

Once the elevator whisks you up to the lobby, you’ll officially enter the beautiful, Baccarat Hotel world. Designed by French interior design duo Gilles & Boissier, it’s all about classic Parisian elegance with modern Manhattan touches and lots of bling – but in a chic way.

Every single thing here exudes luxury, from the sun-strewn Grand Salon with its elegant cream color palette and crystal chandeliers to the sumptuous fabrics, herringbone wood floors, Jouffre silk-covered walls, and – of course – the arrangements of fresh red roses that reflect the fiery crimson shade of Baccarat red. It’s clear that no expense was spared when creating this stunning space.

From the glamorous lobby, you’ll be whisked up once more to the guestroom floors, where chic gray and glass corridors lead you to your door, which is marked by numbers etched into the marble floor. You’ll also find exquisite Baccarat crystal sculptures housed in glass cases that sparkle and shine outside each room.

Even your room key is chic (read: an old-school key complete with a red leather tag), and it opens the door to your very own pied-à-terre. The rooms are sleek and stylish, all ivory and platinum with hints of red and chocolate brown. A huge four-poster bed sits pride of place (complete with custom Mascioni jacquard bedding and sumptuous cashmere throws), while Baccarat crystal sconces adorn the walls and a flat-screen TV ingeniously hides within a smoked mirror.

Inside your magnificent all-white marble bathroom, you’ll find a red leather gift box of dreams (full of custom Francis Kurkdjian amenities), Baccarat crystal tumblers, and a roomy shower that will put yours to shame. There’s even a plush seating area where you can kick back and relax after a day exploring the city’s sights.

Home to the first and only La Mer spa in the United States, Baccarat Hotel is the place to indulge in a luxurious anti-aging facial, a hydrating ‘Cashmere Quench’ body wrap, or a decadent four-handed massage (four words: out of this world). With an array of custom treatments on offer, all taking place inside intimate treatment rooms to the sound of the sea, it’s hard to believe that just below you are the bustling streets of NYC.

But whether you book in for a treatment or not, a visit to Baccarat’s heated pool is non-negotiable. Its warm water and the Côte d’Azur-inspired cabanas that surround it are just the ticket after a long flight or even longer day of retail therapy – because when in New York…

For more details or to book a stay at Baccarat Hotel New York, click here.