UES Luxury Hotel Plans June Reopening Amid Coronavis Pandemic

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A ritzy, five-star Upper East Side hotel announced it will reopen in June as New York City attempts to meet the state's benchmarks for economic recovery from the new coronavirus outbreak.

The Mark Hotel on East 77th Street between Fifth and Madison avenues announced a reopening date of June 15 in a statement sent to press on Thursday.

"An oasis of peace, luxury and quiet elegance on Manhattan's Upper East Side, The Mark is back with the superlative services and amenities the property is known for, as well as a renewed focus on the safety of its guests, employees and friends," the statement reads.

Hotels are considered essential businesses according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's New York "PAUSE" executive order which shut down schools and non-essential businesses. Some hotels have been used to house New York City's homeless and first responders during the coronavirus crisis, but many were forced to close as the city's tourism industry collapsed.

The Mark Hotel will follow safety guidelines put in place by the American Hotel & Lodging Association after it reopens, according to the hotel statement. Some of these safety guidelines include special coronavirus training for staff, supplying staff with personal protective equipment, enforcing physical distancing among guests and immediately reporting any coronavirus cases at the hotel to local health officials.

New York City is the only region in the state that has not met Gov. Andrew Cuomo's benchmarks to begin reopening. The city is still short on hiring hundreds of contact tracers and has not yet met the required hospital capacity to begin "phase one" of the reopening.

Cuomo announced Friday that the city is expected to meet those benchmarks by June 8.

Despite the city being on track to meet reopening goals in early June, many of the Mark's trademark amenities may not be allowed to operate when the hotel reopens. Business activities such as in-person dining, spas, salons, large events and gyms are not included in the state's first phase of reopening. The first phase only includes industries such as manufacturing, curbside pickup and construction.