Just opened in 2015, the Baccarat Hotel & Residences New York emits a vibe that’s at once modern and vintage. Its crisp, clean lines and dark-leaning aesthetic (of course with ample pops of the brand’s signature red) serve to highlight the facility’s eponymous crystal collection—including 15,000 pieces of stemware and 17 chandeliers. The hotel is the legacy brand’s first, and it doubles as a museum of sorts to the company, which King Louis XV of France founded in 1764. In short, if Marie Antoinette were a millennial, she’d stay at the Baccarat, where opulence reigns supreme.
The 114 guest rooms (which range from 400 to 1,780 square feet) include sprawling windows, a luxe four-poster bed, a glass-walled shower and an extravagant take on the hotel minibar, which isn’t so “mini” here: The in-room red-enamel bar includes full-size bottles of many premium spirits and, unsurprisingly, Baccarat crystal glassware out of which guests can drink. And forget standard minibar snacks like peanuts and potato chips—this rendition is stocked with goodies from French bakery Laudurée. Hankering for some bubbles rather than what the contents of the minibar offer? Grab the bedside smart tablet and press the “champagne” button, which instructs you to pick a bottle from the hotel’s menu; after you do that, a chilled bottle is delivered to your room, alongside two crystal flutes, with expedience. The smart tablet also controls the room’s temperature, lighting, drapes, and it serves as the telephone, which you can use to make reservations for a meal at the Grand Salon, drinks at the Bar, spa services at the subterranean La Mer or personal-training sessions at the 24-hour gym (before subsequently taking a dip in 55-foot indoor pool). If you’re staying in a suite, you can also call concierge to book a gratis in-room blowout (daily between 5 and 7pm), courtesy of Paul Labrecque Salon.
Outside the room, enjoy the whimsy of the chandelier-strewn Petit Salon, where you can enjoy a champagne welcome drink upon checking into the hotel. Stroll through to the glass-walled Grand Salon and bask in the shimmering setting as you enjoy breakfast, with house-made viennoiserie treats served on crystal tiers. Finally, head to the Bar—where only guests are able to secure reservations—fitted with high ceilings, black-and-white checkered floor tiles, and order from a large selection of hand-crafted cocktails served in varying designs of the brand’s crystal glassware, each piece expertly cleaned after use by the hotel’s team of dedicated glass attendants.
Before you check out, sign the Baccarat’s unique guest book: It takes the form of 253 encyclopedia-size white leather-bound books, each numbered from 1764 to 2016 as an homage to the brand’s storied history (2015 is red, rather than white, to acknowledge the hotel’s opening year). Pick a year of significance to you, and leave a note to immortalize your visit at the Baccarat.
TIME OUT TIP: Granted, the Baccarat boasts its own impressive art collection, but if you’re jonesing for even more, head directly across the street to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). After you’ve worked up an appetite by drinking in all that culture, do yourself a New York solid and head to the corner of 53rd Street and Sixth Avenue where the original Halal Guys cart still resides. Trust us: The line is worth the wait.