What is it?
This is American Express’ first foray into a club/lounge outside of an airport, and I am excited to report it opens this week, Thursday March 9th. American Express has partnered with Michelin-star chef Daniel Boulud to create various restaurants and spaces open for lunch and dinner. My husband and I secured a reservation for opening week, and I can’t wait review it.
The lounge is open to American Express Centurion card (aka “Black Card”) holders and with a few select sections available to Platinum Card holders and the public.
According the website, Centurion Members enjoy special perks at Centurion New York:
- Private Rooms & Events: Redefine the experience you foster for your community by booking one of our private rooms to host special events, meetings, or life celebrations and more.
- Concierge Services: Experience premier specialized service spanning travel, entertainment, and more at Centurion New York.
- Exclusive Programming and Entertainment: Enjoy a thoughtfully designed calendar of culinary, art, culture, and lifestyle programming with exclusive access for Centurion Members.
Sam Smith performed at the launch party, so I think they’re off to a great start from an entertainment perspective. As for the concierge services, I’m curious to see what kind of requests the team will be able to handle in person.
How to book
The lounge is bookable through the Centurion team or the American Express Platinum concierge. Bookings may also be available to American Express cardholders on the “Centurion New York” mobile app. If you don’t have a qualifying card, you can also make a reservation via Resy (the booking platform that American Express owns).
The American Express Centurion card, informally known as the black card, has gotten a lot of publicity lately. There is relatively little information publicly available, including little information on all the benefits the card affords.
I plan to write a longer post on the benefits of this card soon.
Location and space
Centurion New York occupies the entire 55th floor of One Vanderbilt, and has several spaces available for members to use such as the restaurants, common spaces, private dining, and bar.
Food and beverage
Michelin-star chef Daniel Boulud created the menu for the restaurant. There is not much more information yet about the menus or pricing, but I’d expect the fine dining to be French and expensive. Fine wines and specialty cocktails will also be available.
Design
Yabu Pushelberg designed the space, which I am excited to see in person because they have designed some pretty stellar hotels like the Miami Beach Edition, Four Seasons New York Downtown and Park Hyatt Shenzhen.
Rules and considerations
Dress code: Smart casual and members are expected to be “respectful in their choice of attire to reflect the ethos of Centurion New York.”
Guest policy: Advance reservations allow centurion members to bring up to five guests with them. Members that choose to walk in can bring up to 3 guests.
Payment policy: cash or American Express cards are accepted.
American Express Centurion Lounges are some of my favorite airport lounges, but it remains to be seen if the company can create a club/restaurant outside of an airport that is worth visiting in one of the best culinary cities in the world. My husband Jason is planning to visit during their opening week, and I will share a review of the experience soon after his visit. We aren’t quite ready to travel with our 4-month old twins or else I’d be joining!
2 Responses
On what platform is the “Centurion New York” mobile app? I cannot find it in the Apple Mobile App site.
I think it used to be on the Apple app store, but I also don’t see it listed there now. Perhaps, it is downloaded via a private link now.