It can take many decades for a hotel to become a myth. The Greenwich in New York’s Tribeca was a myth even before it opened its understated front door. Hardly surprising, as The Greenwich is the brainchild of that mythical star of the silver screen, Robert de Niro; who, as it turns out, has quite a flair as an hotelier – and extremely good taste, as in all 88 rooms and suites (no two of which are identical) and in the public areas, he has assembled an eclectic range of styles that are neither banal nor flamboyant. You could describe the general feeling as one of classy sobriety.
The Greenwich is a seven-storey red-brick building (the bricks coming from the only kiln in the US still producing bricks by hand) in trendy Tribeca, on a corner of New York’s most expensive block of real estate. Tribeca also has the city’s highest density of resident celebrities, old cobble-stone streets and is only minutes from Soho, with its fashionable boutiques, and from the Meat Packing District with the Big Apple’s newest celebrity-chef eateries and clubs. Once past the doormen, who screen anyone walking in – the hotel is residents only although the adjoining Ago restaurant is open to the public – the discreet reception in no way impinges on the softly-lit lobby lounge, with its plush armchairs, potted palms and sketches by de Niro’s father. You get the feeling you are in an exclusive men’s club, or the comfortably casual and elegant home of a very wealthy family. The grand drawing room has a fireplace and leads to the enclosed Tuscan courtyard garden.
The 75 rooms and 13 suites have custom-made furniture and über-comfortable Dux beds, and are all liberally sprinkled with tasteful antiques, Tibetan silk rugs, recycled oak or marble floors, and homey touches like art books and novels are on shelves and lying on desks. They are also hi-tech enabled with flatscreen TVs, Bose iPod docking stations and WiFi.
What the bedrooms and suites may lack in colour and panache is to be found in many of the bathrooms, which have hand-laid mosaic tiles in vibrant Moroccan colours on the walls and in the showers. Not all bathrooms have bath tubs but they all have organic Red Flower toiletries and super-soft bath robes. Guests can also opt for in-room check-in and have newspapers from their hometowns delivered daily.
For those who want to experience the best, the choice has to be one of the six corner suites with river views. The Montmartre Suite offers a Turkish steam room, a fireplace in the master bedroom and a picture window between the bathroom and master bedroom, while the top-floor loft-style duplex suites have chestnut board floors, walk-in closets, chef’s kitchens and soaring atelier windows.
The lantern-lit basement pool and Shibui Spa area is the ultimate retreat. A 250-year-old wood and bamboo farmhouse, which de Niro had transported from Kyoto and reconstructed in the hotel by skilled Japanese craftsmen, now adorns the swimming pool where the water is a toasty 80 degrees.
The fitness area has workout equipment and personal trainers, and guests can either join the daily yoga classes, chill out on Tatami mats, or perhaps enjoy a glass of sake.
The important bit
Cost: The price ranges from US$625 to US$5,000
Location: 377 Greenwich Street, New York, NY, USA