And just like that, all 10,800 Airbnb listings were no more in New York City (legally speaking, of course). City officials have begun enforcing a host of short-rental rules that act as a de facto ban for companies like Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com.
That leaves residential buildings that also possess a hotel license — which allows the condominium portion to rent out private residences like massive suites for mere nights at a time — in a pretty sweet spot.
Last month, Aman New York, the splashy 83-room hotel in the Crown Building on Fifth Avenue and 57th Street was the first to take advantage of the change with the announcement of Homes at Aman.
The new offering allows the owners of the building’s 22 private units on the upper floors of the hotel — they sold out for between $4.6 million and $75.9 million — to rent their pricey pads on a per-night basis.
“By offering our guests a new accommodation type, which are from within our 22 private branded residences, we have elevated the experience for those traveling in larger groups, staying with us for longer, or who are seeking the utmost privacy,” Vlad Doronin, chairman and CEO of Aman, tells Alexa.
So far, just two homes, a one- and a three-bedroom, are in the rental pool, with additional pads to be added next year.
The one-bedroom comes stacked with floor-to-ceiling windows and 1,150 square feet of space, while the three-bedroom has Central Park views and 3,710 square feet.
You’ll also get butler service, daily breakfast, airport transfers, access to all the hotel amenities and the house car. But this isn’t exactly a discount solution: The three-bed is $30,000 per night. For comparison, hotel rooms start at just $1,950 per night.
But Aman isn’t alone. More and more NYC condos now come with hotels attached — meaning that they have the ability to roll out the same style of ultra-tony short-term rentals.
The Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons Downtown, Ritz-Carlton Residences in NoMad and the forthcoming reimagined Waldorf-Astoria all have residences as well as hotel rooms. Have money, will travel.