Private members’ clubs are having somewhat of a revamp. What once catered to aristocratic bubbles of society – where extravagant service would meet prissy, unbending attire – is now in its slightly younger, definitely cooler era. No better spot embodies this progression than The Twenty Two, doubling up as both hotel and social club – with overnight guests accessing the private spaces a member enjoys.
Hotel of the Week: The Twenty Two, New York
Words by
Izzy Schaw Miller
26th March 2026
SPHERE spends a night at The Twenty Two, the New York Hotel, one of the trendiest luxury addresses in Manhattan, and sister to the flagship hotel in London's Grosvenor Square.
The stylish lobby at The Twenty Two.
The discreetly suave boutique hotel group first charmed Grosvenor Square in 2022, in a suitably striking Edwardian manor – before stretching across the pond to Union Square in Manhattan last year. Here, the hotel encapsulates art-deco nostalgia, modern-day hedonism and a relaxed self-assurance that this is the place to be, in one fell swoop.
THE TWENTY TWO, NEW YORK
The entrance of the hotel.
Stepping inside the hotel’s porte-cochère entrance, porters boldly greet my guest and I, whisking our luggage away and welcoming us inside. We might have visited on a blustery day in January, but any frostiness on the streets immediately dissipates into thin air within the hotel's walls. Instead, we're met with a subdued scene of voguishly dressed, young professional types conversing against a moody, low-lit backdrop, where the concierge sits between dramatic, draping curtains. While the chummy hostess doesn't comment on our shoddy appearance fresh off the overnight plane, I immediately feel distinguished from those we share the lobby with.
Coffee tables in the rooms at The Twenty Two
While a clear sibling to Grosvenor Square, in New York, there's a warmer, more snug atmosphere, with eclectic mixes of woody-reds and golden yellows splashing the walls, instead of London's distinctively jet black and blue, grandly marbled entrance. Built in 1891, the townhouse previously belonged to heiress Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt as a residence for women establishing their careers in the city. The design builds on this legacy, with its own modern character. We wind through two more small lobbies to reach the nine-storey lift, where a grand tapestry, dainty artwork, vast glittering mirrors, mosaic flooring, a couple of antique chairs and burning candles somehow evoke the feeling there's no other choice but their presence.
THE ROOMS
The hotel rooms at The Twenty Two New York.
Hosting 78 keys as opposed to a careful 31 in London, there's certainly an upgrade to the property when it comes to size – but we expect nothing less in the Big Apple. Opening our room – and desperate to spruce up our tiresome attire to better match the fast-paced, exuberant streets outside – we are taken in by a calming carpeted suite, with bold colours and delicate furnishings making for a cheerfully luxurious finish. Clunky lampshades, funky framed drawings and a vintage dial phone look as neat as can be, while both a plush, deeply hued armchair and bed sit ready to be devoured.
The marble bathroom at The Twenty Two.
Rather than getting tucked in, as this is not the city for that, we opt for a shower in our newly appointed marble bathroom, with indulgent, urban touches in the form of glistening Italian Calacatta tiles and sink pipes on display, embellished in gold. To the right side of the bedroom, a polished offering of liquor relaxedly sits on a bar – a miniature preview of what's to come later downstairs.
THE DINING
The Living Room bar.
Freshened up and ready to take on the city near dusk, we head downstairs for drinks in the sultry Living Room bar – a members and guests only space, serving unique cocktails with equally unique names like “lost weekend in Zahé” or “tangerine dream”. Designed by London's Child Studio, remnants of Britain are scattered throughout; we spot both Dickens and Wilde on the shelf. We're also told The Industry crew are having their after-party at Café Zaffri later that evening – they are creatives rather than financiers, after all.
As we visit the rest of the spaces, including the grand Skylight Lounge – dotted with hanging disco balls and leopard-patterned, skirted armchairs – that spills onto a foliaged terrace overlooking the city, I can imagine the space filling up with revellers who come to let their hair down over any evenings of civilised canapés. I might be wrong, but if even The Industry crowd don't take it to their onscreen levels at times, I'd be disappointed.
The food on offer at Café Zaffri.
While the after-party means we can't dine at ground-floor Café Zaffri that evening, the restaurant quite literally dazzles regardless – its decadent scarlet carpet, seating and curtains setting the scene, while a stained-glass roof allows natural light to flood in. The menu, devised by the culinary quartet behind beloved Noho spots Raf's and the Musket Room, is modern Levantine, served across breakfast, lunch and dinner.
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
A decorative statue in the hotel.
The hotel has plans for a gym and further outdoor spaces, building out a more holistic guest experience. The cosmopolitan cool is set to expand further still, with talks of a third outpost in Paris already underway.
WHO’S WHO
Christopher Bozzini, as Membership Manager, is the man to know if you're considering joining. Relaxed, warm, knowledgeable and far from stuffy, he epitomises the atmosphere the hotel seeks to create.
TOP TIPS FOR A STAY AT THE TWENTY TWO, NEW YORK
- Like most restaurants in New York, book ahead at Café Zaffri rather than scrambling for a table on the day
- Make use of the members-only spaces – linger at the Living Room bar and take your time. You never know who you might find yourself sitting next to.
Book at thetwentytwo.com/newyork/
