Baccarat Hotel New York is a delicate dance of light and crystal in Midtown Manhattan

I hate the word “best”. It always feels so… tacky and insincere, ruined by SEO agencies and influencers alike with an incessant need for engagement. And yet, “best” is all I can say when I take my first sip of each high-concept cocktail in The Bar at The Baccarat Hotel.

The beautiful, lavish, grand, unforgettable bar at The Baccarat Hotel, with its black-and-white checkboard floors, overabundance of expensive artwork and showstopping chandeliers.

The cocktails are on par with the likes of Angel’s Share and Dante in the West Village. Heads and tails above anything I’ve had Fresh Kills Bar in Williamsburg. And as impressive as anything at Attaboy. They most certainly are the best. At least that I’ve found in New York City so far.

Adjacent to the beautiful Grand Salon eatery, The Bar is a major play for The Baccarat Hotel, shrouded in mystery for visitors who don’t feel fancy enough to step foot inside the five-star, and a reliable incentive for well-heeled locals who want to impress their out-of-towners.

Molded by the iconic French glassmakers, the property is flecked with expensive Baccarat Crystal and plays with light in some extraordinary ways.

Refractive light catches the eye in public areas like the Grand Salon, making the simple act of looking out of the window at the passing cars below a fun little game. I play it while I’ve got the richest lobster roll I’ve ever had (outside of Maine) in one hand, watching as yellow cabs zip down W 53rd Street and magically split into three as soon as they pass the Baccarat crystal I’m staring so joyfully out of.

And the hotel itself is a dream. From the bright red spherical flower arrangements to the highly polished guest rooms. There’s no trace of that offbeat, bohemian-like boutique-ness that hoteliers scramble for nowadays. It’s simple, postured, and incredibly well-located almost directly opposite the main entrance for MoMa.

Location

This unashamedly opulent Forbes five-star is in the same area as the St Regis and The Whitby, which are generally considered some of the best-located hotels in New York City. So yes, the location is a big part of the value here. Perhaps even more so, seeing as dipping into the dynamic MoMa collection is a matter of crossing the road.

This also means you’re within shimmying distance of Rockefeller Centre, Central Park, the Diamond District, Carnegie Hall, Times Square and The Port Authority Bus Terminal. First-timers to this great city will absolutely love the location, as well veterans given the well-connected Subway stations nearby.

Design

Baccarat is the most reputable crystal maker in the world, so it’s only right that the brand’s flagship hotel is absolutely plastered in the stuff. It creates a dreamlike quality best expressed in the common areas, as well as the awe-inspiring gift shop with its bespoke chandeliers and objets d’art. Even if you can’t stomach the price tags, it’s worth taking a quick look at the shop to see what the 0.1% have access to.

Sitting in the lounge area and taking it all, I can’t help but think of the A-listers that have ordered custom pieces directly from the hotel. One particular piece, looking like a perfect sphere of avant-garde crystal lampshades, is not a sight I’ll soon forget.

Across the hotel you’ll spy around 15,000 pieces of the brand’s highly sought crystal, from the bedside lamps to each piece of glassware. Almost all of the hotel’s character reflects off these pieces, so there’s very few quirks or points of interest beyond high-end amenities and superlative design. But that’s completely fine. If you want something more youthful, stay at one of the two 1 Hotels in the city – 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge is especially exciting – you’re here for the type of classic luxury that sits on a level unseen by most.

That said, clever pops of colour from the well-placed artwork and unique sheres of crimson red roses scattered across the Grand Salon add a tremendou amount of character. And the snow-white guest rooms are a beautiful contrast, welcoming you into a sanctum of serenity that feels cut off from Manhattan’s UNESCO-worthy hustle.

Walk outside and just look at the Skidmore Owings & Merrill-designed building. While MoMa has contemporary art covered, Baccarat Hotel gives W 53rd its most stunning architectural feature. The hotel’s prism-like glass facade is intimidating but compelling, catching light and attention in equal measure.

Rooms

My Grand King Room measures around 43-square-metres which places it on the larger side of Manhattan rooms. Not quite as big as the capacious suites the Langham, as squeaky with history as the ones at the Peninsula, nor as full of heritage details like the Plaza. It’s got its own identity, again best described as your own snow-white sanctuary with a cloud-like king bed and a frame of Champagne, ivory, platinum and rich chocolate brown tones.

Baccarat’s signature bright red is kept subtle throughout the room, like the Baccarat box above the mini bar that opens to reveal sparkly crystal glassware begging for a pour of Remy Martin.

The stately four-poster bed is dressed in Mascioni jacquard linens and topped with a cashmere throw. It’s exceedingly comfortable of course, especially after a day in the world’s most exhausting city.

A wall mirror standing opposite the bed doubles as a smart TV, which is a notable design trick to keep the room looking seamless and elegant. A standard hotel TV would have felt jarring given the no-expense-sparred look and feel.

A jaw-dropping marble bathroom is expected, but what’s not is just how good it all smells. Credit that to 540 Bis, which was created as an homage to the more expensive Baccarat Rouge 540 – one of the most sought after parfums in the world and something I’ve desperately wanted to add to my collection for years. The distinctly vanilla-like scent acts as an important ambient detail for the room, welcoming you each time you pop back in.

Food & Drink

While the Grand Salon is dazzling in its own right, almost all of your attention will be directed by those black-and-white floorboards at The Bar. Fine, high-concept cocktails and world-class Champagne swirl around the space while guests enjoy elaborate cheese boards and excellent bar snacks.

The list changes almost too regularly. I visited The Bar twice in one month, with two weeks apart, and already some of the cocktails I was excited to try again had vanished from the menu. Not to worry, however, you simply just ask the staff to make it. As such, there’s plenty of off-menu brilliance to be found at The Bar. You just have to be with a regular who knows what to ask for.

Some of these cocktails rest of visual trickery to add a playful element to the experience, while others are technique-forward and theatrical like an incredibly whisky cocktail that’s smoked on the table. The glassware, so uniquely pure and polished, let’s you see this process right down to the billows of smoke dipping into the liquid.

Not everything coming from the kitchen has that twist of perfection to it. The signature wagyu burger, as expensive as it is, is great but there are much better nearby (like Au Cheval). The lobster roll, however, is easily the best I’ve found outside of New England. And those vegetable fritters are to die for.

Amenities

For such an impressive hotel, the indoor swimming pool buried beneath the hotel is unexpectedly simple. Privacy is key, so cosy up on one the day beds or get active at the opposite fitness centre. However, the biggest point of interest on this lower level is the La Mar’s only US spa. The cult beauty brand – based out of France, of course – has built this spa in its own vision, so treatments are appropriately expensive.

Service

A financially bereft travel journalist walks into a place he almost certainly doesn’t belong. And yet he’s treated like family all the same. Stuffy service is common in luxury hotels like this, but there’s no trace of that at the Baccarat Hotel.

Of course, I’m there as a guest of the brand, so being treated well is par for course. But when I have experiences like this, I also take note of how other guests are treated. As travel writers who are hosted in places like this, it’s all we can do to try and gauge what kind of service our readers can expect. Expect to be treated well, especially if you strike up a lively conversation with any of the staff members who are more than happy to chat.

Value

And now we come to the price. According to Google, a night at The Baccarat Hotel could cost anywhere from $1900 to $2500. That places it in the realm of well-to-do celebrities and rich-listers. As for the rest, what you’d need to know is if it’s worth saving up a bit extra to spend a night or two at this hotel.

Yes, it is. But only if you’re actually spending time in the hotel. If you’re out zipping around Manhattan and just need a place to stay, of course this would chip away at the value. But if you’re booking this for the experience of staying in one of Manhattan’s most highly sought hotels, you’ll stomach that price tag much easier.

FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)