Virgin Hotels New York

TRIED AND TESTED HOTEL

- Tamsin Cocks

BACKGROUND Virgin Hotels New York officially opened in April 2023. There are now a total of eight Virgin Hotels properties, all of which are located in the US except for two recent openings in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

WHERE IS IT? The property is located in the heart of Manhattan, in the city's NoMad neighbourhood. Nearby attractions include Madison Square Gardens, Times Square and the Empire State Building.

WHAT'S IT LIKE? Full of character, with attention to detail at every turn. The design language was spearheaded by Brooklyn-based MARKZEFF and architectural firm Stance to bring out Virgin's distinctive brand personality. This begins in the lobby, with a fun "Where's Richard" mural by Nigel Sussman.

After the lobby you head to a bank of six "smart lifts", though I found them to be noticeably slow.

ROOMS The hotel features 460 rooms, known as "Chambers", including 39 suites and two penthouses. I stayed in a Chamber King, which felt spacious for a New York hotel at 25 sqm, while floor-to-ceiling windows offered thrilling views of the city.