American Express Unveils an Exclusive New Lounge in Midtown Manhattan

Coldwell Banker March 25, 2023

Lifestyle

American Express Unveils an Exclusive New Lounge in Midtown Manhattan

New York City, home to the statue of liberty, towering skyscrapers, and some of the nation’s most notoriously difficult-to-snag dinner reservations. The Big Apple’s longstanding reputation for dining exclusivity continues with a new lounge opening this month, courtesy of American Express.

Taking over the entire 55th floor of the One Vanderbilt building and dubbed “Centurion New York,” the 11,500-square-foot club will be exclusive to Amex black Centurion cardholders. The lounge will feature a diverse range of dining options, ranging from casual to fine dining, all curated by Michelin-starred chef, Daniel Boulud. Moreover, sommeliers will be present to assist patrons with their wine selections, and there will be a private dining area and much more. Epic views span from the Chrysler Building to the Empire State Building and One World Trade Center in the distance, and every memorable NYC landmark in between.

Centurion card members will be welcomed to simply walk into the Centurion New York and will be able to bring guests with them. Limited reservations may be available to the public through Resy, but will depend on availability. In addition to dining experiences, the lounge will feature programming focused on art, culinary, culture, and more that are exclusive to Centurion card members.

The ultra-chic interiors were imagined by George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg of Yabu Pushelberg, who have an international design practice with headquarters in Toronto and New York. Their previous hospitality experience, which includes The Miami Beach Edition and The London Edition, the Four Seasons New York Downtown, The Londoner, and Park Hyatt Shenzhen, is expressed throughout the sweeping space as muted blush pink tones mix with petite velvet sofas and hand-knotted rugs designed by the firm. Encompassing the space are: a lounge area, several multipurpose rooms, a large event space, two restaurants with menus designed by Boulud (a casual à la carte and a fixed-menu fine-dining experience), a wine room stocked with vintages curated by Daniel Johnnes, a cocktail bar, and even a secret bar (done by ‘invite only’ at the management’s discretion).

The Centurion card is available by invitation only, but interested customers can request to be considered online. New card holders must pay a $10,000 initiation fee and a $5,000 annual fee, according to CNBC.