When the Four Seasons New York on 57th Street closed its doors in March 2020, along with so many other hotels due to the COVID pandemic, no one expected it to be closed for almost five years. But on November 14, 2024, one of the city’s most iconic luxury hotels finally reopened its doors—following investments in hotel-wide enhancements—once again welcoming guests.
“The reopening of Four Seasons Hotel New York is a truly exciting moment, not only for us but for the entire city,” says Chris Shiel, director of marketing at Four Seasons Hotel New York. “We’ve taken this time to elevate the guest experience to new heights.” The hotel has 219 accommodations, including 138 junior suites, 59 standard suites, and 5 signature suites. Rooms have either skyline or Central Park views and range in size from 500 square feet to 4,300 square feet for the largest suites.
Suites feature either city skyline or Central Park views.
Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotels
When the hotel did not reopen at the same time as others did during the pandemic, rumors swirled about a disagreement between Four Seasons and billionaire Ty Warner, who owns the property. In June, the hotel wrote on its website that an agreement had been reached and the hotel would reopen this fall. Although there had been talk that the Ty Warner Penthouse on the 52nd floor might be sold off as a residence, it is still part of the hotel offerings, and remains one of the swankiest suites in New York City.
The hotel’s legendary I.M. Pei building, which stands out in Midtown’s skyline thanks to its 52 stories (it’s the second tallest hotel in the city) block-wide expanse, and setback design, houses a striking art deco lobby that’s abuzz with visitors again. With its honey marble floors and columns, 33-foot-high glass ceiling, and sculptural fresh florals, the grand lobby is both opulent and welcoming. Two food and beverage venues flank the lobby, and both have new menu concepts and chefs. The Garden Restaurant and TY Bar are led by executive chef Maria Tampakis (previously of Jean-Georges and Estiatorio Milos Restaurant Group in New York), executive pastry chef Jonathan Pereira, and director of food and beverage Iwona Luksza. Reservations for the Garden Restaurant can be made online.
With soaring potted acacia trees, the Garden offers breakfasts and lunches with views of the grand lobby and 57th Street. Tampakis presents a new Northern Italian–inspired menu, with highlights including French toast with vanilla chantilly and espresso reduction, a smoked and cured tower, including salmon, sablefish, trout roe, and whipped whitefish crème fraîche at breakfast. Lunch options include braised beef and onion-filled agnolotti, branzino with clams and cherry tomatoes, and a dry-aged burger with taleggio cheese.
Head to the hotel’s Garden Restaurant for a brand-new Northern Italian–inspired menu.
Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotels
Across the lobby, TY Bar has a revamped menu that draws on the city’s rich cocktail history. Toby Maloney of Chicago’s award-winning the Violet Hour consulted on the cocktails, creating a menu that travels through a century of New York City: the Gilded Age’s cocktail inspirations, the swank supper clubs of the ’40s, the cocktail renaissance of the ’50s and ’60s, and the excess of the ’80s. The Ty Manhattan blends Widow Jane Rye, Highland Park 25-year Single Malt, Carpano Antica, Oloroso, and house bitters; the Three Martini Lunch features a flight of three miniature martinis: dry, dirty, and espresso.
Bar snacks are curated by Tampakis and include dishes such as Crab Louie and Steak Diane Tartare, with wild mushrooms and cognac. In a tribute to the Big Apple, the Foie Gras Parfait is molded in the shape of an apple with a center of quince and apple chutney and covered in a bright red glaze, for a picture-perfect presentation.
A new spa is set to debut in 2025.
“For visitors, the hotel’s return brings a unique opportunity to experience a blend of timeless luxury and modern sophistication,” says Shiel. “For locals, the Four Seasons has always been an iconic part of the city, and with our reopening, we’re once again a destination that reflects the vibrancy and energy of New York.”
