Editorial score of 9.1 of 10, the composite average of the three factors above (Rooms, Service, Location). Method at our methodology page. Affiliate disclosure: booking links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you, and never change our verdict.
Why does Mandarin Oriental rank among the top New York hotels?
Mandarin Oriental ranks where it does because it owns the one thing Manhattan's low-built luxury hotels cannot offer at scale: altitude with a view of Central Park. The hotel occupies floors 35 to 54 of the Deutsche Bank Center at Columbus Circle, roughly 300 feet above the street, so the park reads as a model of itself and the grid runs to the horizon. Every one of the 244 rooms faces the park, the Manhattan skyline or the Hudson River, which means there is no inferior room here, only a choice of which piece of the city you want to watch. For a wellness stay, a milestone weekend or a business trip where the room itself is part of the pitch, that outlook is the reason to book.
The service and the wellness floor hold the rest of the score up. Mandarin Oriental runs the front of house at the level the brand is known for, and the 35th-floor spa is one of the strongest in the city, a Forbes Five-Star spa with a 75-foot pool set against Central Park glass. The honest deduction, and the reason the score is not higher, is dining: Asiate, the destination restaurant that anchored the hotel's culinary reputation for years, closed during the pandemic and never reopened. What operates now, MO Lounge and the reopened 35th-floor Bar, gives you the finest view-with-a-drink in the city but not a serious in-house dinner, so plan the big meal elsewhere and treat this as a view, spa and service hotel rather than a food destination.
What are the best rooms to request?
Request a high-floor room or suite on the park side and let the view drive the choice, because the outlook is the product here. All 244 rooms use floor-to-ceiling glass, and the higher you go through floors 35 to 54, the more Central Park reads as a single green rectangle framed by the skyline. The rooms are contemporary with restrained Asian-influenced materials, low furniture, deep soaking tubs oriented toward the window and generous proportions that feel larger than the square footage because nothing competes with the glass. Premier categories and suites on the upper floors open the park view widest, and for an anniversary or a wellness weekend the park-facing suites are worth the step up.
The honest caveat is that you are paying a Columbus Circle premium and the rack rates are among the steepest in the neighbourhood, climbing hard over holidays. Rooms that face the skyline or the Hudson rather than the park are still excellent but are the ones to book when value matters, since the park-facing inventory carries the highest rates. Compare the view categories carefully before you commit, because the difference between a good Mandarin room and a great one is almost entirely which direction the window points.
Book a morning spa slot and a lane in the 75-foot pool for the day after arrival, and ask for a park-facing table at MO Lounge at sunset. If you want a serious dinner, the concierge can walk you to Lincoln Center and the restaurants around Columbus Circle in minutes.
What is the dining and the bar scene like?
This is the one area where honesty matters most. MO Lounge, on the 35th floor, is the all-day restaurant and afternoon tea room, and it serves contemporary American plates against the same park-facing glass as the rooms. The Bar, also on the 35th floor, reopened in September 2025 and handles cocktails with what is arguably the finest view in the city, Central Park from altitude on a clear evening being a genuine spectacle. What the hotel no longer has is a destination restaurant: Asiate, which anchored the culinary reputation for nearly two decades, closed during the pandemic and did not reopen. The view-with-a-drink situation remains unmatched, but a serious dinner should be booked outside the building, which is easy given the Lincoln Center and Columbus Circle restaurants a few minutes away.
Does it have a spa and pool?
Yes, and this is where the hotel is at its strongest. The 35th-floor spa is a Forbes Five-Star spa of about 14,500 square feet, with treatment rooms staffed by therapists drawn from the group's Asian properties, an amethyst crystal steam room, a vitality pool and relaxation lounges. The centrepiece is a 75-foot indoor lap pool with Central Park visible through its own floor-to-ceiling windows, which makes it one of the most atmospheric wellness floors in Manhattan and a genuine reason to book rather than a token facility. For a wellness weekend in the city, the spa and pool carry the stay.
Signature amenities
At the southwest corner of Central Park
Columbus Circle, southwest corner of Central Park
What's nearby
- Central Park
Across the street1 min walk - Columbus Circle subway
A, B, C, D, 1 lines1 min walk - The Shops at Columbus Circle
In the building2 min walk - Lincoln Center
Opera & ballet6 min walk - Carnegie Hall
Concert hall10 min walk
The views, the rooms, the sky pool
Park view
Guest room
Sky pool
SpaHow does Mandarin Oriental compare with New York's other five-star hotels?
Against the field, Mandarin Oriental is the view-and-wellness pick, and the choice comes down to what you want the stay to centre on. Aman New York is the most private and most expensive option, built around a three-floor spa and oversized Crown Building suites. Baccarat Hotel is the crystal-clad Midtown West alternative with an indoor pool and a livelier scene. The Lowell is the small, discreet Upper East Side counterpoint with wood-burning fireplaces. Mandarin's own trade-off is dining: it gives you the finest views and one of the best spas in the city, but no destination restaurant of its own.
| Hotel | Style | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandarin Oriental, New York | Columbus Circle tower | Views, spa, wellness weekends | No in-house destination restaurant |
| Aman New York | Crown Building, Fifth Avenue | Privacy, spa, oversized suites | Highest rates in the city |
| Baccarat Hotel New York | Crystal-clad Midtown West | Pool, scene, Fifth Avenue proximity | Smaller rooms, busier public spaces |
| The Lowell | Boutique Upper East Side | Discretion, fireplaces, residential calm | No pool; fewer facilities |
Frequently asked questions
Where is Mandarin Oriental, New York located?
The hotel occupies floors 35 to 54 of the Deutsche Bank Center at 80 Columbus Circle, at the southwest corner of Central Park, roughly 300 feet above street level. Columbus Circle subway lines, Lincoln Center and the shops in the building are all within a few minutes.
How many rooms does Mandarin Oriental, New York have and do they all have views?
There are 244 rooms and suites, and every one faces Central Park, the Manhattan skyline or the Hudson River. There is no inferior view. The rooms are contemporary with Asian-influenced materials, floor-to-ceiling glass and deep soaking tubs oriented toward the window.
What are the restaurants and bars at Mandarin Oriental, New York?
MO Lounge is the all-day restaurant and afternoon tea room on the 35th floor, with park-facing glass. The Bar, a 35th-floor cocktail room, reopened in September 2025. Asiate, the destination restaurant that anchored the hotel for years, closed during the pandemic and did not reopen, so a serious dinner should be booked outside the building.
Does Mandarin Oriental, New York have a pool and spa?
Yes. The spa on the 35th floor is a Forbes Five-Star spa of about 14,500 square feet, with a 75-foot indoor lap pool, an amethyst crystal steam room, a vitality pool and treatment rooms. Central Park is visible from the pool, which makes it one of the most atmospheric wellness floors in Manhattan.
Is Mandarin Oriental, New York good for business?
Yes. The Columbus Circle position, the meeting rooms with Central Park views and the transit at the door make it one of the strongest business addresses in the city, particularly for meetings where the room and the view do real work. The one caveat is that the hotel no longer holds a destination restaurant, so plan client dinners elsewhere.
Other luxury stays in New York
#1 · Fifth AvenueAman New York
#4 · Midtown WestBaccarat Hotel New York
#8 · Upper East Side