Carnegie Suite
Size: 43m2
Price per night: from US$1299 (about AU$1867)
Why stay here
The Wall Street Hotel is an elegant union of art, design, and history, all in a grand Beaux-Arts building that once housed the New York Stock Exchange. The lavish 180-room newcomer, in the heart of the Financial District, is the first hotel from the Australian Paspaley pearling family, and a good base from which to explore Lower Manhattan. The September 11 Memorial & Museum, Charging Bull statue, and New York Stock Exchange, all local landmarks, are within easy reach. Battery Park, the free Staten Island ferry, and redeveloped South Street Seaport, a vibrant hub of good food, fine wine, and live music, are a short five-minute stroll away.
Design and sustainability
Designer Liubasha Rose has captured the golden age of New York in her gorgeous interiors: the moment I step into the lobby, I’m enchanted by its grandeur and Art Deco glamour. The district’s pearling past (the hotel is on Wall and Pearl Streets and once traded in mother of pearl) is another lustrous thread. Photos of pearl luggers adorn the corridors and there is mother-of-pearl inlay in guest bathrooms.
The Carnegie Suite is my home away from home, a light-filled corner suite with a soothing palette of oyster white, grey, and blue, and iconic Manhattan views. It’s a place I want to linger, replete with a flickering faux fireplace, bespoke drinks cart, cashmere throw, curated library, houseplants, heated bathroom floor, and a blissfully deep claw foot tub. Original Indigenous artworks from APY Art Centre, a collective of First Nation artists from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands in Central Australia, grace the hotel. The intricate, bright yellow Wawiriya Burton in my room is an evocative reminder of home.
In line with Paspaley’s commitment to sustainability, the hotel has teamed up with Billion Oyster Project, a non-profit working to restore the oyster reefs in New York Harbor. Reusable water bottles and custom oyster-inspired gifts are available for purchase, with proceeds going to the project, or there is the option to donate at check-out.
Dining
Lounge on Pearl is a glorious high-ceilinged bar and lounge with pops of gemstone colour, velvet-draped windows, animal print lounges, and an open fireplace. It’s a buzzy spot, day and night, to read the morning papers over coffee, lounge by the fire, or sit up at the polished mahogany bar and sip artisan cocktails (botanicals are a specialty) paired with excellent bar food.
Breakfast is taken in La Marchande, a modern French brasserie with decor to match. Michelin-starred chef John Fraser is at the helm, dishing up oysters shucked to order, seafood towers, summer rolls, and French classics with an Asian twist. In-room dining is extensive and includes à la carte dishes from La Marchande. In summer, the hotel will unveil the 15th-floor rooftop bar with a wraparound outdoor terrace overlooking the East River.
The special touches
The hotel can arrange in-room massages, express facials, and other beauty treatments as part of its curated concierge, a bespoke service that includes nannies, private yoga or Pilates, and a hot shave. The personalised service extends beyond the hotel to private shopping, pet grooming, and tickets to Broadway shows. For those wanting to explore the city on two wheels, there are complimentary Velosophy bikes.
Want to upgrade?
With its separate living room and additional half bathroom, the Otto Suite (74m2) is ideal for longer stays or workcations.