TY Bar: A Chic New Lounge Inside Four Seasons Hotel New York

When architect IM Pei designed a new hotel on East 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan, he imagined the grand lobby as a busy public space in which to see and be seen.  Twenty-one years after Four Seasons Hotel New York first opened its doors to the world, Pei’s vision and the striking architecture he created has inspired Gotham’s chicest gathering place, the new TY Bar.

A collaboration between the Hotel’s owner Ty Warner and renowned designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, the elevated area on the west side of the towering lobby overlooking 57th Street recalls the Art Deco period with its modernist themes, gleaming surfaces and glamorous vibe.  At its heart is the eight-seat, 19-foot (5.75 metre) long Imperador marble-topped bar.  Above, a glass etching of a woman dancing among clouds glows golden above the oversized red lacquer bar cabinet.

“Red was chosen for its warm and dramatic impact. The space needed a more festive and elegant feel,” says Rochon of the former Ty Lounge. All furnishings were commissioned exclusively for the 88-seat TY Bar, including the plush red velvet banquette that at the back of the space beneath a 19-foot (5.75 metre) beveled mirror, and the tables of period-authentic Makassar ebony with brass details. Rochon himself designed the carpeting as an interpretation of Pei’s coffered 33-foot (10 metre) ceilings.

Above the working fireplace is a distinctly 21st century touch: a spectacular custom-made 12 by 12 foot (3.66 by 3.66 metre) LED video wall.  This is the largest video wall with the highest resolution of more than 1.8 million pixels in a New York City luxury hotel.  It is designed to showcase changing views of New York's famous skyline and broadcast major sporting and entertainment events to the delight of TY Bar patrons.

Quickly earning a place of preference among the city’s power elite, TY Bar is perhaps at its most magnificent in the evening light, when polished surfaces shimmer and the bar and Pei’s soaring lobby are abuzz with laughter and conversation.

On the Menu at TY Bar

The drinks menu is also inspired by the classic cocktail era of the 1930s, as well as today’s fashion of bespoke creations using local ingredients, all served in stunning glassware with edible garnishes.  Ask the bartender for a taste of the special barrel-aged spirit made exclusively for Four Seasons Hotel New York by Hudson Bourbon from the Tuthilltown Distillery in Gardiner, New York. Also featured is a custom brewed Kölsch-style beer available on tap from Captain Lawrence, created especially for the Hotel by the Elmsford, New York brewery and another locally brewed beer also on tap, 212 Flatiron Ale, an American pale ale.  

TY Bar’s mixologists have partnered with local craft distillers to complete a bar fully stocked with the world’s finest liquor brands, including a significant selection of high end whiskies.  The wine list includes international labels by the glass and bottle, including Champagnes and sparkling wine for those in a celebratory mood, or who simply prefer a little bubbly in their glass.

Whether enjoying the cocktail hour prior to dinner, dropping in for a nightcap after the theatre, taking an afternoon meeting or a savouring a welcome break with friends, TY Bar takes its place in the continuing story of Four Seasons Hotel New York, and in the social fabric of one of the world’s greatest cities.

TY Bar: Details

• Located inside Four Seasons Hotel New York at 57 East 57th Street between Madison and Park Avenues, and also accessed through the Hotel’s north entrance on 58th Street
• Open Monday to Saturday from 12:00 noon to 1:00 am, and on Sundays from 12:00 noon to 12:00 midnight
• The Bar Menu is available daily from 2:30 to 11:30 pm
• TY Bar does not take reservations