When I heard my wife had booked a room at the prestigious Ritz Carlton Central Park, it didn’t take much arm-twisting for her to get me to tag along on her business trip. NYC is one of my favorite cities and the opportunity to stay at this super-lux hotel was too much to pass up.

Due to a couple of delays we finally arrived at the hotel around Midnight and were greeted by a cheery doorman who showed us the way in to the lobby while simultaneously grabbing our luggage. The check in process was quick and we were in our room within a couple of minutes of arriving at the curb. As we entered the room the Barbara Streisand CD “A Happening In Central Park”, was playing, and our bags were already set in place. We quickly grabbed the room service menu and took stock of the late-night selections, which had quite a few tempting choices. We settled on the Club Sandwich and Pasta Bolognese. Both were quick, fresh and most importantly delicious!

The room was very well equipped with the basics you expect from a hotel of this stature, robes, slippers and complimentary over night shoe shine service. As well there were some high end extras like toiletries by Italian designer Etro, bath salts by la prairie spa and for the traveling business man they even had a selection of collar stays. There was a vast array of both sweet and salty in the snack tray and the mini bar was stocked with premium liquor and even a $150 bottle of Opus One. The tv was connected to a great Bose sound system that was however, lacking any obvious ipod connection. That meant the only music you could listen to was the radio or the ahem, aforementioned Streisand CD. The lack of ipod dock was probably the only knock on the room other then the size, but it was still spacious by New York standards. The bed was by far the best part of the stay. The linens were silky smooth and the pillows were soft and abundant. The luxurious down duvet was a welcome feathery cocoon at the end of a busy Big Apple day.

One of the more unique experiences about our stay was the access to the Club level lounge. Where for an extra $100-$200 a night, depending on the season, you have access to a private club over looking Central Park. Here, you can enjoy all of the 5 daily food presentations. Be warned, these are not full meals, but never the less, very good. The breakfast was a European style cold buffet with a selection of fine deli meats, cheeses and pastries as well as granola, oatmeal and hardboiled eggs. Lunch was an abundant selection of sandwiches and salads and a few tempting desserts. The food was very good and well presented. I had a hard time deciding whether the extra charge is really worth it, especially in a city where you’ll probably be out and about either sightseeing or in meetings most of the day. In addition to the food, you also get access to a private concierge, who informed me that shortly they would be getting a few new ipads for use by the Club Level guests. The Club Level is a real draw for guests at the hotel who are looking for a little extra

Probably, the biggest draw for most guests however, has to be the amazing location. Located right on Central Park South at the corner of 6th Avenue, everything is right outside the door. Whether you’re looking to shop at all the high-end boutiques on 5th Ave, dine in any of the infinite amazing restaurants in the area or take a horse drawn carriage ride through Central Park, it’s all right there.

If your desire is to stay in absolute luxury in a great traditional location, and price is no object or you have an amazing expense account, then The Ritz Carlton Central Park is right for you.

-Alex Auld

50 Central Park South, New York, NY 212.308.9100