Inside The Chic New York Hotel Where Meghan Hosted Her Baby Shower

Before the paparazzi discovered the Duchess of Sussex's location, it was a regular weekend at The Mark Hotel. The snow was falling and rose bouquets were lined up on the flower cart at the entrance alongside Bergdorf Goodman rickshaws. Guests flowed in and out of the lobby donning red-soled shoes and Chanel bags – markers of Manhattan’s glossy Upper East Side. The standard celebrity hustle was nowhere to be seen, and that’s part of the charm of this iconic New York destination, discreetly positioned on Madison Avenue and 77^th Street.

Since opening in 2009, The Mark has become a Met Gala prep-centre and has hosted high-profile guests arriving in the city for everything from New York Fashion Week to United Nations Summits. The hotel’s owner, Izak Senbahar, told The New York Times in 2015 that it’s a place where “fashion people and celebrities feel liberated” - and it’s easy to see why, thanks to its impressive list of collaborators. There’s a Michelin-starred restaurant by Jean-Georges Vongerichten; a salon by Frédéric Fekkai; and interior design led by Jacques Granges, with bespoke creations from the likes of Todd Eberle and the late Karl Lagerfeld.

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A best-in-class theme runs throughout the hotel, so it’s unsurprising that it contains the largest and most expensive penthouse in North America, which is where Meghan is believed to have hosted her baby shower - with guests including Serena Williams and Amal Clooney.

The palatial penthouse is set on the top two floors of the hotel, spanning 12,000 square-feet, including a sprawling rooftop terrace overlooking Central Park. It has five bedrooms, six bathrooms, two powder rooms, a chef’s kitchen, four fireplaces, a library lounge, a private elevator, and a living room with a grand piano that can be converted into a ballroom. All of that could be yours for $75,000 USD (about £58,000) per night.

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Regular rooms, however, are also notable, and are more spacious than most in the city. There are luxurious marble bathrooms, Italian linens by Quagliotti, and multiple wardrobes, making it perfect for those who like to travel with a solid number of outfit options (à la Victoria Beckham, who is often seen checking in - though, one can assume that she would opt for a suite). Ladurée macarons are left on the beside tables at night and guests can have everything from caviar to chocolate chip soufflé delivered to their rooms around the clock.

Downstairs at the bar, the chic atmosphere resembles a scene from Gossip Girl, where well-suited guests and uptown locals can be found sipping martinis.

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It seems to be exactly the vibe that Senbahar envisaged for The Mark, which he described as “elegance infused with some hip factor,” when speaking to him this week. “We want to create a glamorous atmosphere that people feel good to be a part of,” he adds.

There’s no doubt that it would have been a fabulous experience for the Duchess and her girlfriends.

The Mark Hotel, Madison Avenue at 77th Street, New York, NY 10075; themarkhotel.com

This article originally appeared  in Harper's BAZAAR UK