Review: Park Hyatt New York

I stayed at the Park Hyatt New York, one of the city’s best hotels, as the last stop of a Midtown hotel-hopping circuit after checking out the JW Marriott Essex House and the St. Regis.

The Park Hyatt is a serene retreat in the middle of Midtown New York, and is located within the first 25 floors of the iconic 90-story One57 skyscraper.

With 210 guest rooms and 92 suites housed in one of Manhattan’s tallest buildings, the Park Hyatt New York is considered one of the flagship hotels of the Park Hyatt brand, and I was beyond excited for my stay as a Hyatt Globalist member.

Park Hyatt New York – Booking

As one of the top properties in Hyatt’s worldwide portfolio, the hotel’s nightly rates can range from US$795 to well over US$1,295. At the time of my booking, the Park Hyatt New York was a Category 7 property under the World of Hyatt loyalty program, and I was therefore able to redeem a free night stay for 30,000 World of Hyatt points.

We value Hyatt points at 1.5 cents/point (USD), which makes 30,000 Hyatt points equivalent to a cash value of US$450. The current cash rate this evening was US$1,000+, so my points redemption handily beat out our target valuations. 

As of March 2022, the hotel will be rising to a Category 8 World of Hyatt property and will require 40,000 World of Hyatt points per night, equivalent to a cash value of US$600 under our valuations. At this rate, redeeming points for a free night can still be good value, though certainly not as good as before.

Park Hyatt New York – Location

The Park Hyatt New York has a prime location on “Billionaire’s Row” at 153 West 57th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues.

The exterior of the hotel was designed by prize-winning architect Christian de Portzamparc, and features a full glass exterior spanning its full 90 stories. The hotel has a unique contemporary entrance with waved light fixtures above, as you enter from below.

Just around the corner, you can find boutiques and big-name brands situated on 5th Avenue and throughout the Midtown district. Furthermore, located just a short stroll from Park Hyatt New York is the Upper East Side, a mecca for high-end dining and entertainment. 

Carnegie Hall is just across the street from the hotel, while other major attractions such as the Lincoln Center and the New York Historical Society are just a 10-minute taxi or Uber ride away. 

The closest New York Subway station is 57th St on the E, N, Q, R, and W lines at the corner of 57th & 7th. Grand Central Terminal is located approximately 15 minutes from the hotel by public transit or 10 minutes by car. 

Exploring New York’s sights and attractions from your home base at the Park Hyatt can be elevated by taking a private in-house Cadillac or Mercedes Benz, organized by the hotel’s concierge team. Private cars can be arranged hourly, with a two-hour minimum and billed from when the vehicles leave to when they return to the hotel.

During the warmer months, guests receive a complimentary two-hour bike rental to discover nearby attractions such as Central Park, located just two blocks to the north. 

Park Hyatt New York – Check-In

Entering the building, you first arrive at a striking ground-floor lobby with gleaming marble surfaces on all sides. 

A set of elevators whisks you up to the third-floor, where the check-in desks are wrapped around the hallway.

The lobby consists of grey hues on both the flooring and walls and has a small seating area across from the check-in desk. Additionally, there are computers in the lobby that are available for guests to use.

Upon arriving, I continued my attempts to “suite-talk” my way to an upgrade as a Hyatt Globalist member. I hadn’t been able to confirm an upgrade before my stay, but upon check-in, I was successfully granted the One-Bedroom City View Suite on account of my elite status and the fact that I was only staying for one night.

I also successfully secured a 4pm late checkout as part of my Globalist benefits, ensuring that I could enjoy the suite to its fullest. 

Park Hyatt New York – One-Bedroom City View Suite

My One-Bedroom City View Suite is located on the 10th floor of the hotel. The Park Hyatt New York’s suites are the handiwork of design firm Yabu Pushelbe; they’re modelled after some of the city’s best luxury residences and are some of the largest suites you’ll find at any New York hotel.

Indeed, my living quarters for the night were especially spacious at 1,000 square feet in size, and reminded me of a dream NYC apartment. 

The living room is situated at the far end of the long walkway following the entrance. It features custom-made luxe fabrics and sleek furnishings, set against floor-to-ceiling views of W 57th St, including Carnegie Hall directly opposite.

There’s an elongated sofa and two chairs, with the flat-screen TV mounted on the opposite wall. The stone floors and wooden finishes created a comfortable and contemporary feel within the room.

The living room also features an impressive desk, which was great to work from throughout the evening.

The living room and bedroom have an open-design concept, which contributes further to the spaciousness of the suite.

However, it does mean that this particular suite has less privacy than some of the Park Hyatt’s other One-Bedroom Suites, which are arranged in a more traditional residential layout with separate bedrooms and living rooms. If you have a preference between the open-concept and traditional floor plans, be sure to indicate as such during the booking or suite-talking process.

The primary bathroom is located at the near end of the suite, with a walk-in closet linking back to the foyer. 

The bathroom features a tub and walk-in rainfall shower with luxurious Le Labo bath products, along with a unique fog-free mirror.

The suite includes a pantry housed in the cabinet with snacks, beverages, and a Nespresso machine.

Lastly, there’s also a half-bathroom via a hidden door along the hallway, which I didn’t notice until halfway through the stay.

Overall, I loved every minute I spent in the suite. After earlier upgrades at the JW Marriott Essex House‘s Manhattan Suite and the St. Regis New York‘s Fifth Avenue Suite, the Park Hyatt felt less ostentatious but much more of a comfortable home for the evening.

Park Hyatt New York – Breakfast

Breakfast at the Park Hyatt New York typically takes place every morning from 7am to 11:30am; however, restaurant dining was closed during my stay in September 2021, so the Globalist breakfast benefit was via in-room dining only. 

I could select any breakfast entrée on the in-room dining menu, so naturally, I went with the steak and eggs, which would’ve otherwise cost me US$56 if I had to pay for it.

The meal was presented very nicely on a sliding table via room service, and I enjoyed every bite of the 6-ounce filet mignon and sunny-side-up eggs alongside a coffee and orange juice.

Park Hyatt New York – Other Facilities

The five-star Spa Nalai is located on the 25th floor and operates Wednesday–Sunday from 10am to 7pm. The spa is accessible to hotel guests and building residents, and features a variety of treatments, such as essential oil aromatherapy and warm stone therapy.

Hotel guests can relax in the saltwater lap pool and whirlpool, soak up the eucalyptus steam rooms, listen to the sounds of curated underwater playlists, or relax on the spa terrace.

The saltwater pool was incredible and is considered one of the most beautiful in Manhattan, as it’s quite rare to find a lap pool in the heart of the city.

The 25th floor also features a state-of-the-art fitness centres with a wide range of modern fitness equipment, including Technogym, Peloton bikes, the Fitness Mirror, and Bosu balls.

As far as other facilities go, The Living Room is the only dining venue on the property and is located on the lobby floor, with cocktails and light bites on its menu.

Similar to the hotel’s rooms and suites, the space emulates the lofted lobbies of a luxury New York City apartment that you might find just down the street here in the Midtown skyscraper cluster.

Conclusion

The Park Hyatt New York is a very impressive property and is one of the world’s great city hotels. With a prime Midtown location, luxurious rooms and suites, and a beautiful indoor pool, it’s one of the finest addresses if you’re in the mood for a splurge on your next New York City trip.

While you’ll find old-world luxury in spades at the nearby St. Regis, the Park Hyatt is unbeatable if you’re looking for contemporary luxury living quarters as you go about your work and play in the Big Apple.

The hotel is mightily expensive on both cash and points, especially when it rises to World of Hyatt Category 8 in March 2022. Therefore, I’m not necessarily in a hurry to return unless it was for a very special occasion, but I’m very happy that I gave this property a try when I had Hyatt Globalist status and could score a nice upgrade.