First light

One of this year’s most eagerly anticipated hotel openings in New York, the Baccarat Hotel & Residences is the first hotel and global flagship for the 251-year-old French crystal brand. With an abundance of crystal at its disposal, the hotel could have easily gone the route of blindingly garish. But when placed in the hands of the French and New Yorkers, the result is a lust-worthy property dripping with elegance and refinement – befitting of its prestigious address.

Seamlessly blending the classic elegance of a grand Parisian townhouse with the contemporary aesthetic of its midtown New York City location, the hotel marries the creative juices of talented Paris-based design duo Gilles & Boissier with those of leading American architectural firm Skidmore, Ownings & Merrill.

Excerpt from the June 2015 issue of epicure.