First Look: Four Seasons New York City, Downtown

For more than 50 years, the Four Seasons has been synonymous with luxury. From Paris to Hawaii, the brand has set the standard for five-star accommodations—combining elegance and grandeur with a bit of decadence—with its hotels in more than 40 countries.

In 2016, however, a new type of luxury was introduced with the group’s New York City Downtown property. Opened in September, the hotel represents both a continuation and a contrast of the Four Seasons’ previous eras; a departure from the old-world, traditional identity of the brand, the new property brings a fresh and modern element to the portfolio.

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On the border of Tribeca and the Financial District, the 189–room property is a stone’s throw from SoHo and only blocks from Wall Street and the waterfront. The location is a hub of activity thanks to the newly opened Brookfield Place and a slew of hot new restaurants, but the property feels surprisingly tucked away. Guests are welcomed into a sleek and understated lobby (noticeably different from the grand, chandelier-adorned entrances of other Four Seasons) that feels delightfully intimate, as the front desk and concierge area have been combined to create one streamlined, seamless experience at check-in.

In keeping with this theme, the hotel’s interiors, designed by Yabu Pushelberg (the group behind numerous hotels including the London EDITION) are über-contemporary. The elegant, minimal design emphasizes different textures and materials, as public spaces incorporate soft fabrics like wool carpeting with industrial-style woven metal accents and metallic-printed wallpaper.

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Accommodations are similarly appointed with a warm, inviting décor and are filled with sleek furnishings in muted colors of grey and light blue. One-third of the guest rooms are corner-facing, welcoming lots of natural light. The gorgeous bathrooms are a highlight, each with a deep soaking tub, luxurious walk-in showers and mosaic marble surfaces. Each room, including the property’s 28 suites, is also outfitted with an iPad Mini, high-tech lighting and control fixtures, plus Bose stereos and entertainment systems that allow guests to access their own Netflix and Airplay with ease. For spectacular views of the city, the Tribeca, Gotham and Royal Suites offer the best lookouts from the 23^rd and 24^th floors.

Guest rooms (and, in fact, the entire building) are insulated with material that blocks outside noise, so the hotel feels surprisingly serene, and guests are meant to feel like they are coming home to an intimate, comfortable space. The new restaurant, CUT by Wolfgang Puck, is sure to add an element of buzz to the downtown scene. The celebrity chef’s signature steakhouse (he previously headed the Michelin-starred CUT at the Beverly Wilshire) comes highly anticipated as Puck’s first restaurant in New York City that will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner to Four Seasons guests (dinner is open to all). With menu specialties like Japanese Wagyu beef and pastries from acclaimed chef Zairah Molina, the 86-seat restaurant also has a sultry bar area and private dining room, which are guaranteed to be hot-ticket seats.

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Among the property’s amenities is the luxurious seven-room spa, an utter oasis, that offers custom treatments from the Switzerland-based wellness expert Dr. Burgener. Guests can enjoy signature therapies with special products like detox purifying mud and hydrating milk. There is also a 24-hour, 6,000-sq.-ft. fitness center with a steam room and yoga studio that offer views of the Oculus and World Trade Center, plus a stunning 75-ft. indoor lap pool (with high-tech underwater speakers) and outdoor terrace.

Outside the hotel’s haven, the surrounding business district is quickly becoming a vibrant downtown destination. The Financial District is the oldest neighborhood in Manhattan but in many ways, it is the most exciting—with its vibrant culture and dramatic skyline—as it represents the intersection between the old and new New York. At the center of it all, the Four Seasons Downtown, with its cool atmosphere and sleek design, is no different: the new property gives a nod to the brand’s past while making way for its future, honoring its legacy but introducing a new identity, and paving the way for a new generation of luxury.

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