Mandarin Oriental — New York, USA

With over 22 million people looking for a place to bed down in New York City each year, competition between hoteliers has turned into all out warfare. The Mandarin Oriental though, has mastered the art of standing out from the crowd. Occupying the 230 metre high Time Warner building since its launch over a decade ago, the hotel continues to push the boundaries of service and live up to its five-star expectations while keeping things fresh with a series of ongoing refurbishments.  As with previous updates, the launch of the property’s 42 one and two bedroom suites has introduced a contemporary aspect with an exceptional attention to detail that has become a definitive feature of the luxury brand. Assembled by global architecture firm HOK, the suites – which have been designed to emphasise the all-encompassing vistas of the Manhattan skyline that the hotel is known for – feature bespoke furnishings and a selection of original works by local artists. After a day spent getting pampered in the spa, head to the Lobby Lounge for a preprandial cocktail before tucking into a range of modern American dishes in Asiate.