Baccarat: it’s a card game, a jewellery brand, and the name of a luxury hotel in Midtown Manhattan. In fact, the latter two are one and the same, with the Baccarat Hotel being part of the same high-heritage crystal company founded by King Louis XV a handful of centuries ago. The hotel lives up to its glittering history quite literally – much of the Baccarat Hotel sparkles, from the guests (high-wattage stars or high-wattage jewellery, take your pick, they get both) to the crystal fixtures in the guest rooms.

Rooms at the Baccarat Hotel are decadent to the max, with soft Italian robes and white marble as far as the eye can see. In fact, white abounds, with the odd monochrome accent here and there. And as you’d expect, darling, the amenities are state-of-the-art. Those in the mood for spa treatments have the run of an entire Spa de La Mer, for example, with all manner of treatments, including the famous facials, on offer. And when it comes to dining there’s a Grand and a Petit Salon, serving French-inspired meals throughout the day. The Baccarat Hotel has more than a little Parisian flair, which makes sense, so it seems only right to pop the Champagne and order the foie gras during your stay.

Afternoon tea, meanwhile, is an event, thanks to the Baccarat Hotel’s exclusive partnership with Mariage Frères, the gourmet French tea company. The tea sommelier will be on hand to help you make your selections and then you can sit back, listening to the pleasant tinkling of teaspoons on china, and wait for the first petit fours to arrive.