Mandarin Oriental, New York

Sweating thirty-five floors up with Central Park laid out beneath you is a particular kind of New York flex, and the Mandarin Oriental delivers it without blinking. The spa occupies the top of the tower, and the heat experiences — including a glittering amethyst-crystal steam room — come with the kind of views most hotels charge extra just to glimpse. The pool runs alongside floor-to-ceiling glass; the whole floor is calm, polished, and quietly theatrical. The hotel itself is grand in the old Columbus Circle way — big rooms, big service, big windows. It leans formal rather than cosy, but if you want your heat session to come with a skyline, this is the address. Spa access typically carries a fee for the heat circuit, so confirm what's included with your room when you book.