The Four Seasons in Midtown Manhattan finally reopens on Friday after a four-year pandemic-induced closure — and is poised to regain its position as New York City's most expensive hotel, the Post reports. Ta.
The swanky tower on East 57th Street reportedly extended its closure for years over competing luxury hotels after billionaire owner Ty Warner got into a tangle with the Four Seasons management company over fees. has revealed the pricing for its luxurious rooms. Until now.
Since first opening in the 1990s, the Four Seasons became the first hotel to charge $1,000 per night, earning it a reputation as the city's most expensive hotel. Today, the cheapest rooms cost more than double that.
For example, a Park Avenue Junior Suite with a king-sized bed and separate living area costs $2,295 per night. That's $650 more than the Mandarin Oriental charges for a comparable entry-level suite. That's $550 more than the St. Regis' Nov. 22 reservation rate, according to the hotel's website.
In a statement to the Post, Four Seasons claimed its entry-level rooms are “some of the largest in Manhattan,” measuring 550 square feet. That's at least 150 square feet more than its competitors, the hotel told the Post in a written statement.
The 368 guest rooms in the IM Pei-designed marble-clad Art Deco tower boast “more space (as well as privacy and unparalleled views of Central Park),” the hotel added.
Industry experts say Four Seasons' main competitors in Midtown include nearby Mandarin Oriental, St. Regis, Lotte New York Palace, The Mark and Baccarat.
“Four Seasons has long enjoyed a position as New York's most exclusive hotel, and they want to regain that status and generate new buzz,'' said Sean Hennessy, a professor at New York University's Jonathan School. spoke. M. Tisch Hospitality Center.
Historically, the company's room rates have been about 10% higher than those of its competitors, Hennessy said.
The most notable price increase was for the Ty Warner Penthouse on the 52nd floor, which went from $50,000 to $80,000 a night. So the hotel appears poised to become the most expensive hotel room in the Big Apple, overtaking the $75,000 Mark Hotel penthouse. According to quartz.
Asked about the high premium for the stunning 4,300-square-foot suite, management said they believe luxury travelers are “increasingly willing to pay a premium for privacy, space, and bespoke, unique accommodations.” He said there was.
Four Seasons added: “Our hotel has decided to increase our nightly rates in response to growing demand from high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth travelers.”
Room rates at luxury hotels in New York City rose 2.6% in the year through September to $904 per room per night, according to a Coster survey of seven elite Four Seasons competitors. . An extensive CoStar survey of the city's luxury hotels found that the average nightly rate from the beginning of the year through September was $507, compared to $401 during the same period in 2019.
Still, some industry experts are skeptical about Ty Warner's penthouse pricing.
“There might be a conspiracy because it's been closed for so long, but let's see if we can get $80,000,” said Arthur Bakkal, a New York-based hospitality consultant. “They want to test the market, and I don't know of any other suites at that price point in New York.”
The Aman Hotel's largest suite, which opens in 2022 at 730 Fifth Avenue, will be a bit larger at 4,468 square feet and cost $40,000 per night, a representative told the Post.
Owned by Soviet-born billionaire Vladislav Doronin, Aman's most expensive room has three bedrooms, a media lounge, fireplace, balcony and views of Central Park. Includes “butler service, round-trip airport transportation, private vehicle access within a 20-block radius, and a complimentary private bar,” according to a hotel spokesperson.
The 31-year-old Four Seasons had previously promised to reopen in 2022 and 2023, but each time the delays were blamed on renovations that were taking longer than expected.
Four Seasons did not elaborate on the upgrades completed during the property's closure, other than to say that the rooms have been enhanced with “lighting, technology and other modernized guest room enhancements.”
The company told The Post's “Gimme Shelter” that renovated luxury rooms will be located on floors 20 to 52, while new “extended stay” rental housing will be unveiled on floors 5 to 19.
As the Post first reported, about 50 rooms have been converted into rental units.
