New York City's most expensive apartment, which went on the market Thursday, is surprisingly ugly for $165,000 a month. The Astor Suite at the Plaza includes all kinds of uncomfortable-looking furniture such as a velour sofa in the living room, chairs covered in fleur de lys-type pattern, and a tufted love seat in the bedroom. Of course, that's just our personal taste. Architect S.R. Gambrel Inc. used the same people who designed Windsor Castle, Curbed reports via Elliman realty, so clearly it's got panache. The 5,087-square-foot apartment at 768 Fifth Ave. edged out Cole Porter's old place for the most expensive rental in the city. The place belongs to Esprit founder Jurgen Friedrich, according to the New York Post. He bought it for $25 million in 2007 but couldn't resell for $55 million, so he put it up for rent. While we disagree with the furniture choices, the whole smart-home thing sounds pretty great. Elliman describes the "new HVAC system with a humidifier for artwork and a Savant system that allows the tenant to control the temperature, lights, music, and television…all from an I-pad [sic]."

Some photos, via Elliman:

The living room:

The master bedroom:

The kitchen:

The (admittedly awesome) patio:

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Adam Martin