The Lowell hotel review: an Upper East Side pad offering elegance from a bygone era
If you remember the TV series Mad Men — about a fictional advertising firm in New York in the 1960s — it portrayed, among other things, a time of sophisticated charm. And there's a reminiscence of that sentiment at the Lowell, on quiet East 63rd Street. It's intimate, personal and charming. Rooms hark back to a less frenetic age. Step outside and you're only a short walk away from restaurants, stores, museums and galleries. Amenities include a sophisticated guests-only lounge, as well as a bar and restaurant, both of which attract a glamorous local crowd. Service is pleasantly old-school, with guests treated like returning friends.
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Score 9/10The 74 rooms and suites are thoughtfully decorated and channel a chic, timeless quality — fresh-cut flowers on an antique dresser, for example — which is not to say they lack the modern essentials of air conditioning, an oversize TV, minibar and the like. Some have terraces, mini-kitchens and even real log fires that can be lit during the cooler months for which there is a small additional charge. Bathrooms are a decent size, decorated in marble, some with a large tub (with a TV at the end so you don't miss your favourite show while soaking) and a separate shower. Frette robes are changed for the summer and winter seasons. Views differ depending on which side of the building you're on, with some rooms offering great vistas of Manhattan's skyscrapers.
Score 8/10Majorelle offers French fine dining and attracts a sophisticated crowd of locals. A two-course prix fixe menu might include grilled octopus with smoked harissa, followed by salmon with peas and mint. Afternoon tea of assorted sweets and savouries — perhaps mini lobster rolls followed by puffed pistachio choux buns — is served here too, in collaboration with Dior Maison (the home furnishing arm of the French fashion house). Jacques Bar next door is equally refined and a nice spot to ease into the weekend — the Vesper martini, for example, is deliciously refreshing after a long day. Breakfast is taken upstairs in the Pembroke Room and features an à la carte choice of dishes such as buttermilk pancakes with mixed berries and three-egg omelettes.
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Score 8/10There is a small gym with modern Italian equipment including treadmills and elliptical machines, although as a visitor it would be hard to turn down the opportunity to run in nearby Central Park. The guests-only Club Room has an old-world gentlemen's club vibe and is a lovely spot in which to settle down with a book and a drink, or plan sightseeing excursions.
Score 9/10The hotel is on East 63rd Street, which is a block and a half away from Central Park and one block from Park Avenue. A local would describe it as being at the bottom of the Upper East Side neighbourhood, which is a pretty upscale mix of residential and retail. By Manhattan standards it's quiet and reserved, and things such as shops and restaurants are walkable, as are several museums and galleries. The nearest subway station (Lexington Avenue and 63rd St) is two blocks away.
Price Room-only doubles from £1,020Restaurant Two-course set menu £107Family-friendly NAccessible Y
Will Hide was a guest of the Lowell hotel (lowellhotel.com)
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