Hotel Snapshot
1 Hotel Central Park is the pinnacle of eco-luxury, situated steps from Central Park. Its exterior is wrapped in 40,000 living ivy plants cascading down 18 floors, a vertical garden that produces oxygen, insulates the building in winter, and looks, from the right angle, like the park itself decided to annex the building. Inside, everything is reclaimed or recycled: antique barn wood floors, a reclaimed oak ceiling, salvaged brick, materials pulled from local water towers and warehouses. The hotel runs on the same eco-luxe philosophy as its sister properties around the world.
Design & Character
Two oversized wooden doors—made from 1,600 reclaimed locust branches woven together by a Queens artist—open onto a lobby that smells faintly of cedar and looks like a treehouse, just smack dab in the middle of New York City. Reclaimed oak ceilings, Belgian bluestone floors, 5,000 living plants distributed throughout the interior, nature-inspired commissioned art on the walls. The biophilic design has both an aesthetic and a psychological function—the hotel strips away Midtown's particular brand of ambient stress.
The Rooms
1 Hotel Central Park’s got 229 rooms and suites built around reclaimed wood, organic cotton bedding, filtered water taps, HEPA air filters, and windows that pull in as much natural light as the floor plan allows. The glass-enclosed shower sits in the middle of the room—not a decision every guest will love, but it does open up the space quite a bit and you can partition that part of the room off with a curtain if necessary. Window nook daybeds in many rooms look out over the street toward the park; suites on the upper floors have proper Central Park views. The five-minute hourglass shower timer, made from reclaimed water tower wood, is either a design detail or a gentle environmental nudge depending on how long you generally spend in the shower. The in-room yoga mat is available for use on the floor, by the window, or carried across the street into the park.
Food & Drink
The ground-floor restaurant, Jams, is helmed by Jonathan Waxman—pioneer of the farm-to-table movement and OG New York restaurateur. Dishes are meant for sharing; I was able to sample the eggplant dip, the flatbread pizette, the cacio e pepe, and the fish of the day (sea bass). Everything was lovely.
Breakfast is also served here should you desire to eat in the morning. Room service is also available, or you could explore a bacon egg and cheese from a deli nearby.
Amenities
The 24-hour Field House gym is well-equipped and naturally lit. Complimentary yoga and HIIT classes run throughout the week. A HigherDose sauna blanket and PEMF mat are available in-room for those who want to push the wellness offering further. There isn’t a spa on-site, which is worth knowing in advance, though in-room treatments can be arranged. The $45 amenity fee covers wellness experiences, house car use, and in-room extras; it is what it is, and the hotel is upfront about it.
Location & Neighborhood Recs
Central Park is one block north. Columbus Circle subway station, serving five train lines, is a ten-minute walk. The Theatre District is nearby. Fifth Avenue shopping—Bergdorf Goodman, Saks, the whole shebang—is one avenue east. MoMA is close. Times Square is close in the way that Times Square is always close in Midtown, which is to say available when you want it and easy enough to avoid when you don't.
The proximity to the park is what makes this hotel its own argument: a morning run through Central Park, a picnic on the lawn in the afternoon, drinks at Jams in the evening, and a room that manages to feel like the calmest place in Manhattan when you get back to it. If it’s your first time visiting New York, or if you’re visiting and otherwise want to be right in the thick of it, this is the right address.
Fast Facts
Location: Manhattan, New York, USA
Address: 1414 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10019
Vibe: Eco-luxury a stone’s throw away from Central Park
Rooms: 229
Pricing: From $853 a night
Dining & Cocktails: Jams by Jonathan Waxman (farm-to-table, all-day dining)
Amenities & Services: 24-hour Field House gym, complimentary yoga and fitness classes, in-room yoga mats, HigherDose sauna blanket and PEMF mat, Bamford bath products, free Wi-Fi
Nearest Airport: JFK International Airport (JFK) or LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
New York City, New York, United States
