Welcome to The Mark – where luxury has been reinvented. Following the recent opening of its outlandish five-bedroom penthouse suite, its status as the starriest hotel in New York is now official. But while this, the largest suite in the whole of the US and the most expensive at $75,000 a night, will no doubt pull in the uber-wealthy (it’s already fully booked for the next three months), The Mark has not been short of celebrity endorsement. Take the recent Met Gala (the annual themed fundraising event for the Metropolitan Musuem of Art’s Costume Institute, overseen by Anna Wintour), as an example. The hotel on the chi chi Upper East Side was the starting point of choice (and end point due to its after-party) for a ranch of A-listers. Mario Testino, Usher, Michael Kors, Kate Hudson, Emily Blunt and Kendall Jenner – the guest book was a roll call of the most influential across fashion, film and music.
Jacques Grange’s bold interior design is no doubt the draw for many. He was first called in to revamp the iconic 20s hotel in 2009 and his dramatic interiors are still the talk of the town. Zebra-striped black-and-white floors, Paul Mathieu orange velvet sofas and a Ron Arad sphere chandelier set the scene in the lobby.
In the buzzy bar, there are cow-hide chairs and a neon-pink-lit bar. It’s a fun, modern-day take on haute-pop couture.
To the back of the bar is Jean-George Vongerichten’s The Mark restaurant. It’s a people-watching paradise, but better still is the menu. It’s an eclectic gathering of what seems like the world’s best dishes: tune tartare, crispy sushi, Maine lobster, veal chops and black truffle pizza.
The lavish fine-tuning continues in the guest bedrooms. Marble bathrooms give a nod to the hotel’s Art Deco past, with sea-green vanity units, a monochrome palette and elegant lighting. Rooms are streamlined and pared-back but effortlessly chic: think fine Italian bed-linens, glimmering sea-grass wallpaper and deep carpets. Compared to the public spaces of the hotel, rooms shout quiet luxury. The attention to detail is also second-to-none with Ladurée macaroons left on your bedside, whimsically-illustrated toiletries (so covetable) and 24-access to Bergdorf Goodman (take one of the custom-designed pedicabs for a novel arrival). The literal head-to-toe care continues with the in-house Frédéric Fekkai salon (for the perfect blow-dry) and a John Lobb Kiosk (for the ultimate shiny shoes). The hotel even has its own custom scent, ‘Jurassic Flower’, created by master perfumer, Frédéric Malle.
Sitting on top of all this is Jacques Grange’s latest accomplishment – the 12,000 square-foot super-suite. It includes five bedrooms, six bathrooms, a steam room, walk-in wardrobes, a chef’s kitchen, dining room, library lounge and conservatory. Best of all, perhaps, is the expansive private roof terrace with its jaw-dropping views across Manhattan, taking in Central Park and the top of the Chrysler Building.
The lounge, with its 26ft-high ceilings, has an oversized fireplace and grand piano and, should you need it, can transform into a grand ballroom. As well as a number of high-profile names who can be called on to meet guest’s needs – personal trainers, a driver with your choice of car and private shopping and tailoring – Jean-Georges Vongerichten himself can be booked to create a bespoke menut for private dinners. As expected, interior details are opulent and unique with every piece of furniture purposely designed by Jacques Grange.
“This majestic penthouse is really like a castle in the sky,” Jacques Grange says. It’s dreamy stuff.
The Mark Hotel, 25 E 77th St, New York, NY 10075; +1 212 744 4300. From $650 per night, excluding taxes, staying in a Superior Courtyard Queen room. For more information, visit www.themarkhotel.com.
