How many hotels in the world grab your attention while you walk past them? I would have to say very few, and especially in a city like New York, where there are hundreds of them. Well as I walked past 1 Hotel Central Park and looked up at the ivy covered facade, I just had to walk into the hotel and see what it was all about.
As the bellman opened two large steel doors, covered with thousands of fallen twigs I entered the lobby and was immediately wowed by the use of natural materials including the wooden floor and the cork ceiling. The first thing I perceived was the delicious aroma in the lobby, it brought me back in time to the early 2000’s to when I was a kid and shopped at Abercrombie, the minute you walked into the store you were welcomed with a strong yet wonderful scent. As I headed to what I thought was the restaurant one of the concierge’s looked up and yelled my name. Nicole Longchamp the concierge at the hotel, used to work with me in a hotel downtown, it is a small world indeed!
1 Hotel Central Park is the second hotel to open of the new chain founded by Barry Sternlicht (founder and former CEO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide), the first property is located in Miami. 1 Hotel was designed to transform the typical experience of luxury hospitality to something meaningful and impactful that leaves guests feeling good.
Guests who choose to stay at the hotel will have a unique hotel experience and will find that every single detail inside the room has been placed with a purpose and story behind it. You will find mini chalkboards instead of notepads, cardboard hangers instead of plastic ones and socks instead of slippers. The walk-in glass shower has an hourglass so people can be conscious on how long they have been inside the shower.
My two favorite details in the room were the drinking cups made out of recycled wine bottles and a “do not disturb” stone you leave outside the room instead of the typical sign made from paper or plastic. Some rooms have window seats overlooking Central Park, NYC largest green space and a real beauty that changes color depending on the season.
Apart from the 229 spectacular and environmentally friendly rooms, clients can get a feel of 1 Hotel Central Park green concept by dining at Jams the signature restaurant by Chef Jonathan Waxman. Jams offers local and seasonal cuisine featuring market-fresh local and organic ingredients.
As a sat down for dinner with a dear friend, I was greeted with a glass of champagne and some marinated olives. Our table had a great view of the open kitchen in the restaurant; the place was packed despite the snowstorm that was due to hit NYC that evening.
Some of the dishes one must try when visiting Jams are the big eye Tuna Poke, the Kale salad (that was recommended to me by a fellow blogger), the gnocchi and the jams chicken one of the restaurants signature dishes. For dessert I would recommend sharing the baked Alaska a rich merengue with vanilla ice cream and brownie on the bottom. Not only is the restaurant delicious and friendly, it has a big advantage since I can’t really find a restaurant of its kind (local, organic ingredients) around this area of Manhattan, without having to go down to Soho or the West Village.
As the hotel’s designer’s mention, “It is sometimes said that green design and luxury cannot co-exist”, well this is the perfect example of how they can coincide in the most amazing way ever. I strongly recommend visiting 1 Hotel Central Park, either for an enjoyable meal with friends at Jams or for a unique and unforgettable stay, this new property is the place to be next time you visit New York City.
*Room rates start from $365 USD per night and the average check at Jams is around $30 USD
