Peninsula New York Site Inspection

The Peninsula brand only has 11 hotels under their umbrella and every single one is a true 5-star property. Six of the 11 hotels are located in Asia, with three in the US (New York, Chicago and Beverly Hills) and a few in Europe. Their latest Peninsula just opened in Istanbul and London is slated next.

There are a total of 233 rooms, including roughly 47 suites. There are connecting rooms, but in the sense that they are two corner rooms with a private foyer. ADA rooms are also available. There’s roughly three different room categories, but overall about 14 different categories. 

I got to see a King Deluxe Room, a Premier Junior Suite, a Deluxe Suite (a true one bedroom), and The Peninsula Suite, their top room and was incredible! 

King Deluxe Room - standard, the only difference with their entry level King Superior Room is that Superior does not have a standalone shower. The vibe when you walk in is very calm and luxurious, and the decor is timeless and muted.

Premier Junior Suite - has a beautiful corner bedroom and a sitting area. The light from the windows on two sides of the room really showcases the regality of the room.

Deluxe Suite - around 1,000 sq ft, a true one bedroom suite, with a hallway connecting to a living room, a full bathroom and a guest powder room. This is great for a family with one or two small children. During the holiday season, they will actually have an in-room Christmas tree on the living room of each Deluxe Suite for the entire month of December.

Peninsula Suite - the top suite in the line-up, 3,000 sq ft, with a grand piano in the living room of the suite, and two en-suite bedrooms, plus an office, formal dining room, and a kitchenette.  Truly incredible and very grand. You can tell this suite has been updated more recently. Can be connected to a Deluxe Suite to make it a three bedroom Suite. 

While the decor in the guest rooms may feel a little dated, everything is spotless and maintained supremely well. There is none of that old hotel smell when you walk into the room. In fact, it smells very fresh and clean. They have these all in one control pads in each bedroom on the nightstand that controls everything from the lighting to the TV in the room, and they are in the process of upgrading that device to all iPads. Many of the higher tiered rooms also have TVs in the bathroom right in front of the the bathtub. 24 hour room service is available. 

The Peninsula is known for its spa and fitness facilities, which take up the entire top few floors at the very top of the hotel. The gym has floor to ceiling windows looking out in all directions, includes Peloton bikes and they also offer yoga classes in a partnership with Physique 57.

The spa is truly incredible. It is apparently one of three 5-star certified spas in New York, the other two being Mandarin Oriental and the Four Seasons Downtown. 

The spa uses Biologique Recherche products for its treatments, a luxury French brand that I personally use daily and can attest to how amazing the products are. There is also a full hair salon, the VU hair salon, on the 21st floor and great views looking out. There is also a gorgeous indoor swimming pool, with cafe style seating around it where guests can come grab a bite to eat and enjoy the views. They really prioritize their amenities to have guests get the best views and experiences possible. After spa treatments, there is a relaxation room where guests can relax on individual lounge chairs/beds before returning to the real world.

Dining: There are four spaces for food/beverages. They have Clement, which is a full restaurant but only open for breakfast and lunch, as well as a Clement Bar where guests can lounge and grab drinks/coffee. Clement is not open for dinner given the plethora of great dining options in the area. There is Gotham Lounge, which is open Tues-Sat from 3p-10pm (and seasonally also offers afternoon tea), and the Salon de Ning, a beautiful indoor/outdoor rooftop bar that features 2 outdoor terraces. I’ve personally been here many times for drinks, and it has gorgeous views of Manhattan. Salon de Ning also has a section for cigar smokers. Their terrace can also be booked out for private events, and they actually have hosted weddings up there before.  They do not take reservations for Salon de Ning, except for bottle service or for groups of eight or more with a minimum guarantee.

The Peninsula Hotel lives up to its 5* rating and more. Currently there is an offer from now until September 4, 2023 for a third night free option!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to New York City. In need of further inspiration? Check out Erica Gould’s guide, How to Spend 1 Week in NYC with Tweens.