Nightlife Excess
By Lucy Cohen Blatter, New York
L.A. may be the celebrity capital of the world, but in New York anyone with enough cash can party like a rock star. Discover a world of excess beyond belief, where money can buy virtually anything. Still think you're a baller because you buy bottles at Marquee and know the doorman at Cain? Think again.
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40/40
6 W 25th St, New York, NY
Jay-Z’s club is perfect for Ritalin-lovers awash with cash. Private rooms are outfitted with their own sound systems and personalized waitstaff for $1,000-$3,000 per night (plus a minimum bar tab of equal value). Upstairs, five lounges feature amenities like plasma TVs, pool tables, arcade and video games; the Cognac Lounge even sells high-end cigars. Or, you can drop $7,000 and reserve the downstairs space--it has all of the above plus a private entrance. -
DUVET
45 W 21st St, New York, NY
While relaxing on the 400-count sheets atop of one of the main dining room's 30 king-size beds, well-heeled patrons can sip a Duvet Passion--an off-the-menu mixture of aged cognacs and vintage champagnes garnished with a vanilla orchid petal–for $1,500. Try not to spill it. -
Gansevoort Spa & Lounge
18 9th Ave, New York, NY
Located through a private entrance into the Meatpacking District’s Hotel Gansevoort, this 75-person capacity spa-by-day, lounge-by-night offers the ultimate pool party experience. The $5,000 package includes a private VIP cabana for up to 12 guests, two bottles of Cristal, a bottle of Patron Gran Platinum, two bottles of Belvedere, a platter of sashimi and sushi (from Ono, the hotel's stylish restaurant), a personal waitstaff, and exclusive use of one of the spa’s pools. -
49 Grove
49 Grove Street, New York, NY
A lockable door shields the rich from the riffraff at 49 Grove’s ultra VIP room, The Den. The exclusive 30-capacity room has its own entertainment system, bar, air conditioning and heating, a private bartender and room service buzzer. Perhaps more appealing to patrons is what it doesn't have--a video camera--making it the perfect spot for celebrities to party discreetly. Patrons must buy a minimum of 10 bottles (roughly $2,500) to use the room, and a host typically drops about $8,000 for the night. With event planners, entertainers and limo services on hand, the sky’s the limit. -
Blue Bar
59 W 44th St, New York, NY
In perhaps the greatest symbol of New York excess, the famed Algonquin Hotel’s Blue Bar scoffs at Duvet's $1,500 cocktail with its phenomenally expensive $10,000 so-called Martini on the Rock. A mixture of Belvedere vodka and Martini & Rossi vermouth are accompanied by a real diamond selected by the hotel’s in-house jeweler. It may just be the only drink in town that has to be ordered 72 hours in advance.
