Virtually unrecognizable from its buttoned-up past, New York’s Financial District has in recent years experienced a vibrant reincarnation. Formerly known merely as the business heart of the city - buzzing during traditional work week hours but a literal ghost town on weekends - post 9/11 development has broadened the area’s scope. Sites such as One World Observatory, the soaring Oculus/Westfield World Trade Center retail and transit hub, and Brookfield Place now make the area as dynamic and every bit as desirable as New York’s most popular tourist destinations. Providing a front row seat from which to experience the regeneration is Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown, the area’s only true five-star hotel.
Opened in 2016, the hotel is steps from these new landmark icons as well as some of New York’s tried and true destination favorites; Trinity Church, Battery Park, the Brooklyn Bridge are each easily accessed from the Four Seasons’ Tribeca locale at Barclay and Church Streets. A stroll along the nearby Rockefeller Park promenade provides picturesque views of the Hudson; the park not only is a welcome respite from the city’s urban energy, it also features grassy playgrounds signifying the area’s residential upsurge. Nearby restaurants and boutiques further illustrate the area’s vibrancy. But as any New Yorker or visitor knows, this renaissance came at a hefty cost, the remembrance of which is solemnly represented nearby at the dramatic 9/11 Memorial. Inconspicuous but also impactful is the crooked cross atop St. Paul’s Chapel of Trinity Church (‘the little chapel that stood’), visible from the Four Seasons’ south facing rooms. Damaged by 9/11 debris, the cross was left ‘as is’ in memoriam. These monuments merge with new, architecturally diverse buildings and a prevailing vitality to create a compelling atmosphere that is singular to this portion of the city that never sleeps.
The area’s venerable/contemporary duality is echoed in Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown’s casually elegant demeanor. Professional yet playful. Polished yet relaxed. Favored equally by those in town for business, by tourists, and by the occasional professional athlete, the hotel provides a graciously beautiful home-base for New York exploration. Located within the first 24 of 82 floors in one of Manhattan’s tallest residential towers, the hotel (one of two Four Seasons in New York – the other is in mid-town) features 189 spacious guest rooms, 28 of which are suites. Poshly appointed in soothing hues of grays and taupes, the classic Yabu Pushelberg symmetric design is echoed throughout the rooms and suites, the subtly fragranced lobby, and the second floor event spaces. Contrast is found within CUT, located off of the lobby and the first New York eatery by Celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck. A hit with the local work force who gather for crafted cocktails in the evening and power breakfasts in the morning, the space is designed by Jacques Garcia; neon red accents, burgundy velvet seating, and contemporary wall graphics provide an edgy incongruity to the hotel’s serene color scheme.
And though a meal or cocktail at CUT allows for a sampling of Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown’s hospitality, to fully revel in all the hotel offers, an overnight stay is imperative and allows access to the 75-foot long indoor heated lap pool, the largest in Manhattan. Music is piped underwater, providing lap swimmers with a bit of entertainment, and large picture windows allow for sunbathing on cushy chaise lounges. An overnight stay permits access to the hotel’s state-of-the-art fitness center overlooking the urban scene below. The signature plush and silky Four Seasons Bed is alone worthy of a reservation, as is the spaciousness of the rooms. At a minimum of 490 square feet, each is nearly double the size of many New York City hotel rooms. For ultimate expansiveness, book the 2,400 square foot Royal Suite and enjoy sweeping views of the downtown skyline. All rooms and suites features technologically advanced window and lighting controls, a Mad Men-esque cabinet bar featuring in-set lighting, cocktail shaker, cut crystal glasses, and Nespresso machine. Roomy stone bathrooms feature free standing soaking tubs. In-room iPads allows for service at the touch of a screen.
The hotel’s third floor is dedicated to the fabulous pool, fitness and yoga studios, and The Spa, a tranquil, cream colored haven featuring seven treatment rooms, an outdoor relaxation terrace and sundeck, and exclusive products from Omorovicza, Dr Burgener, and organic skincare line Soveral. This floor is also the site of the hotel’s stylish foyer boutique, featuring Senreve leather handbags, and jewelry by Ash & Ames, and Rowell Concepcion. This is also where you can sample and purchase the hotel’s new line of signature candles, the fragrance of which wafts gently throughout the main floor lobby. The line includes five distinctive scents, one for each season and an evergreen spa scent. Take one home to maintain the memory of your extraordinary Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown stay.
Finally, a hallmark of Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown’s hospitality is its innovative initiatives - creative celebrations of all things New York, such as The LocA-List Package offering guests authentically crafted cultural experiences, or the In-Room SOAK Service, an indulgent treat for guests wishing to take full advantage of the deep soaking tubs featured in every room and suite. The Resident Healers Program provides guests with mindful, one-on-one consultations with three of New York’s leading health and wellness experts. And the 48-Hour Food and Beverage Itinerary features a curated roadmap leading guests to Lower Manhattan’s decadent treats and local libations, of which there are a multitude. Further proof that this is no longer your grandparents’ FiDi.
Photos: Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown
