Forget everything you know about senior-living facilities. The standards have changed drastically throughout the industry in recent years, and evidence of the trend toward luxury accommodations and thoughtful, care-driven design is on full display at the newly opened The Club at Briarcliff Manor.
The facility bears an upscale-resort feel that echoes the location’s history as The Briarcliff Lodge, a weekend retreat for wealthy Gilded Age elites and celebrities. Two Tudor-style towers, Law (named for Walter Law, founder of Briarcliff Manor) and Astor (legendary philanthropist Brooke Astor lived in a Briarcliff estate for decades) comprise a mix of 167 independent-living, 87 assisted-living, and 33 memory-care apartments for residents aged 55 and up.
The Club at Briarcliff Manor is marked by standout community spaces, like the elegant lobby — complete with grand piano and fireplace — which connects to an outdoor terrace boasting firepits and Hudson River views; multiple dining venues, including full-service, restaurant-style seating, as well as a lounge area for light fare and cocktails and an all-day juice-and-coffee bar. There is also an eighth-floor observation area, known as The View, which offers unobstructed views of the Hudson River and Manhattan skyline.
Operated by Chicago-based Senior Lifestyle — the largest provider of senior care in the country — apartments at The Club at Briarcliff include one-bedroom, one-bedroom-plus-den, and two-bedroom options, all of which are spacious (605 to 1,040 square feet) and appointed with high-end touches, including granite countertops and ceramic-tiled baths with walk-in showers.
Monthly rents start at $7,350. The slate of impressive amenities includes a full-service salon, fitness-and-exercise area, creative-art studio, a private-screening room, 24-hour concierge, and valet parking.
Residents have access to specialized care (including on-site physical, occupational, and speech therapy), in-home help with cleaning and laundry, and programming provided by professional staff that is tailored to their needs, based on whether they are independent-living, assisted-living, or memory-care dwellers. Helping to keep seniors healthy, active, and engaged are programs like yoga and meditation classes, cooking demonstrations, gardening, and aromatherapy.
