Unmatched elegance meets the iconic charm of Central Park.
For those seeking an unforgettable experience in the heart of Manhattan, The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park delivers luxury at every turn, making it one of the city’s most prestigious addresses. Located steps from the world’s most famous park, this five-star hotel invites guests to indulge in an opulent experience while enjoying spectacular city and park views.
Location
Guests are treated to expansive views of the Big Apple’s iconic park.
Nestled directly on Central Park South, The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park places guests at the heart of Manhattan. This prime location offers easy access to iconic New York City attractions, including Fifth Avenue shopping, Carnegie Hall and the Museum of Modern Art. Whether you’re interested in leisurely park strolls or immersing yourself in the city’s cultural landmarks, everything is just moments away.
Style and character
The interiors are inspired by Central Park’s sights and sounds.
The hotel exudes timeless elegance with a nod to old-world charm. Lavish furnishings, sumptuous fabrics and classic artwork combine to create a sophisticated yet welcoming atmosphere. From the grand lobby to the intimate nooks in the lounge, every detail reflects an air of understated luxury. The Ritz-Carlton’s design mirrors its Central Park surroundings, incorporating rich textures and colours that evoke the changing seasons of the park.
Facilities
Indulge your senses in the onsite luxury spa.
Guests at The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park can enjoy an array of top-tier amenities. The onsite La Prairie Spa offers indulgent treatments, including the signature caviar firming facial, while the fitness centre is well-equipped for any workout.
There is an option to upgrade to Club Lounge access, where guests can unwind and enjoy complimentary breakfast, lunch, hors d’oeuvres and a selection of beers, wines and cocktails every day from 7am to 10pm. On Friday between 5pm and 7pm, the lounge serves Champagne and caviar. Club Lounge access also allows guests to have two pieces of clothing per stay pressed.
Rooms
The rooms are packed with brilliant design details.
Elegance defines the guest rooms and suites, many of which feature breathtaking views of Central Park. I stayed in a Park View Room with Club Lounge access, which was spacious and meticulously designed. The room is outfitted with plush bedding, a marble bathroom and luxurious amenities. This room type is exclusively on the lower floors, so while it had a view of the park, it was at tree level so don’t expect the panoramic views some of the rooms up higher have.
Food and drink
Contour boasts an elegant ambience and unmissable gastronomic delights.
The Ritz-Carlton’s dining experience is as refined as the hotel itself. Contour, the hotel’s sophisticated gastro lounge and bar, offers a modern American menu with dishes made from locally sourced ingredients. Enjoy craft cocktails and small plates in an intimate setting that is as luxurious as the rest of the property. In-room dining is available 24 hours a day, perfect for those looking to savour a private meal with Central Park views.
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Access for guests with disabilities?
The hotel is fully accessible, with wheelchair-friendly entrances, elevators and accessible rooms that include features like roll-in showers and lowered countertops. The staff is highly attentive to the needs of guests with disabilities, ensuring a seamless and comfortable stay.
Family-friendly?
The Club Lounge is the best spot to relax and unwind with your loved ones.
While known for its refined ambience, The Ritz-Carlton also caters to families. The Ritz Kids program provides little ones with special amenities, from welcome treats and a dedicated check-in area to games in the Club Lounge.
Details
Best for: Luxurious stays with unparalleled Central Park views in a prime location Address: 50 Central Park South, New York Cost: From approximately $1500 per night, depending on room type and season
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Discover North America’s epic adventures — from Route 66 and Alaska cruises to Hawai‘i road trips, NYC culture, Mexico trails and more.
1. Route 66, the Main Street of America
Travelling with: Ricky French
Hit the open road and trace America’s legendary highway. (Image: Getty/Der_Thomasa)
Dubbed the Main Street of America, Route 66 radiates serious main character energy, cemented into popular culture through everything from John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath to the Disney Pixar film Cars. Spanning nearly 4000 kilometres from Chicago to Los Angeles, the historic highway celebrates its centenary next year, a timely invitation to take the mother of all road trips along the Mother Road. Allow two to three weeks to tackle the full length, or bite off a smaller chunk at either end, cruising the dramatic deserts of California or the more pastoral landscapes of Illinois, lined with neon-lit diners, retro gas stations and quirky roadside attractions.
2. Mexico’s Día de los Muertos
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
Celebrate life and honour loved ones in vibrant style. (Image: Getty/Fabian Pacheco)
You might know Oaxaca as the birthplace of mole and mezcal. But the state in southern Mexico is also where the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) began. Time your visit to coincide with the colourful holiday, on 1–2 November, which honours and celebrates loved ones who have passed away. Oaxaca is also Mexico’s Michelin-starred culinary capital, with 18 restaurants and a humble taco stand listed in the 2025 guide.
3. Museum-hop in New York City
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
Step inside and marvel at bold, world-class art. (Image: Damiano Fiore)
Your map app will look like it’s been scattered with confetti after you’ve dropped pins on all the museums you want to visit in New York City. Must-sees are the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art aka the Met, and the Museum of Modern Art. The American Museum of Natural History is also a draw. It’s also worth venturing into the boroughs to browse institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum, which has a huge permanent collection categorised by culture.
4. The USA’s music scene
Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead
Soak up skyline views and dive into the city’s coffee culture. (Image: Abigail Boone)
If you’re a muso, chances are you’ve wanted to make a pilgrimage to the United States, the epicentre of so many beloved genres. Whether you’re head-banging your way around the Grunge Circuit in Seattle, chasing the twang of the pedal steel through Tennessee or bouncing between blues bars in the Mississippi Delta, the USA’s rich music culture has something that’ll strike a chord.
5. Road-tripping Hawai‘i
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
Catch the waves and ride Hawaii’s iconic swells. (Image: Ben Ono)
Hawai‘i is one of the most diverse US states to road trip around. Of the six major islands to visit, the Island of Hawai‘i packs in everything from the snowy summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa to black-sand beaches and lava fields frozen in the act of flowing forward. Change down a few gears on the island of O‘ahu, too, where you can find your own patch of sand on Waimanalo Beach. Visit poi and pineapple plantations. And hang ten on beginner-friendly waves on the North Shore.
6. Cruising Alaska
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
Sail past glaciers and spot whales in pristine waters.
Seeing Alaska from the sea allows you to cover a lot of distance quickly. This immersive frontier now beckons more than ever before with Explora Journeys adding the American state to its global destination portfolio. Best of all are the pre-and post-journey immersions that connect the luxury of a cruise onboard Explora III with the rugged grandeur of the Alaskan interior. UnCruise Adventures also weaves in access to remote national parks, legendary wildlife corridors and authentic cultural experiences on its Alaskan itineraries.
7. The Wixárika Route in Mexico
Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead
Journey deep into sacred Huichol traditions and art.
For generations, the Indigenous Wixárika People of Mexico have walked a sacred path known as Tatehuarí Huajuyé, or ‘The Path of Our Grandfather Fire’. The annual pilgrimage route spans 500 kilometres, taking in significant sites in Wixárika spirituality and cosmology. The route passes through the deserts, mountains and forests of northern Mexico before reaching Wirikuta, believed to be the place the sun first emerged. The route is a living cultural landscape of Indigenous culture pre-Columbian influence and, in July this year, was formally inscribed into UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
8. Drive the Iceberg Coast in Canada
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
Chase icebergs along Expedition 51 on Canada’s east coast. (Image: Canadian Tourism Commission/ Chris Hendrickson)
Download the icebergfinder.com map to better plan your road trip along Canada’s Iceberg Coast. The new highway, which has been nearly 25 years and CAD$1.1 billion in the making, threads through the country’s pleated coastlines around Quebec, Newfoundland, Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick before looping in the French islands of St Pierre and Miquelon. As well as chasing icebergs along Expedition 51, travellers will have the opportunity to engage with cultures that have thrived in the pristine provinces for thousands of years.
9. A foodie tour of Nova Scotia
Travelling with: Katie Carlin
Try lobster rolls in Lunenburg on the east coast of Canada in Nova Scotia. (Image: Natalia Kvitovska/ Unsplash)
World-famous for its lobster, Nova Scotia is a Canadian province best savoured through its culinary clout shaped by sea and terroir. Bite into lobster rolls at historic Lunenburg’s Salt Shaker Deli & Inn and sip maple rum at Ironworks Distillery. Winery-hop around Wolfville’s rising vineyards (don’t miss Lightfoot & Wolfville). Take a maple syrup tour at Sugar Moon Farm near Earltown. And pull up a seat at waterfront Bar Sofia in Halifax, where Nova Scotia oysters aguachile arrive bright with cucumber, lime and pickled onion.
10. Soak up the sun in the Caribbean
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
Experience the white-sand beaches and cerulean seas of the Caribbean on board a cruise.
The Caribbean is on the radar for seasoned cruisers. And it’s easy to see why, with white-sand beaches, cerulean seas and swaying palms so picture-perfect they look AI-generated. Cruise with Windstar, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity on its inaugural Xcel season to the Caribbean to enjoy action-packed excursions such as snorkelling coral reefs and shopping for local trinkets. And those sea days? Spectacular.
11. Red Chair Hikes of Canada
Travelling with: Kassia Byrnes
Take a seat at Lake Minnewanka, one of more than 400 red Adirondack chairs scattered across Canada’s hiking routes. (Image: Getty Images/ Autumn Sky Photography)
No one appreciates the great outdoors more than Canadians, emerging from snow-covered winters to tread glacial rivers and snowshoe through forests, or to hike mighty mountains and wildflower-strewn valleys come spring. Along popular hikes around the country, more than 400 red Adirondack chairs have been placed in peaceful, breathtaking locations. What started as a social media contest now sees hikers soaking in classic Canadian lake and mountain vistas, overlooking historic sites or gazing down on the mountainous path they just travelled.
12. Ride the Rocky Mountaineer from Denver to Moab, USA
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
The Rocky Mountaineer will continue as the Canyon Spirit in 2026, seen here carving through Ruby Canyon.
Sighting wild animals is one of many incredible thrills along the two-day luxury Rockies to the Red Rocks route onboard the Rocky Mountaineer across America’s Southwest between mid-April and mid-October. In addition to the lone bear, we spot bighorn sheep, elk, beavers, pronghorn antelope, bald eagles and ospreys. Riding the rails onboard the luxury train, which was founded in Canada in 1990 and has been awarded the prestigious World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train several times, has never been about just getting from A to B. Ride the train from Denver to Moab and you will see the scenery change from snow-capped peaks to meadows, red-rock canyons and soaring cliffs that resemble ornate Gaudí-esque cathedrals. But it’s not until you get off the train that you can produce the ultimate Venn diagram, with nature and adventure in the intersecting spheres.
