Virgin Hotels’ latest North America offers stunning views of the city, says Laura Millar
Click here to download and save as a PDF
Accommodation: Arranged over 37 of the building’s 39 floors, there are 460 rooms – or chambers, as Virgin calls them. These include Kings, Double Queens, one-bed suites and two Penthouse Suites. Their USP is the view.
After walking through the signature lipstick-red door of my 16th floor King, and into the entry area (which encompasses a walk-in shower, sink, wardrobe and dressing table), the floor‑to‑ceiling windows in the bedroom beyond frame none other than the Empire State building.
The decor is calmingly neutral, with white walls and blond-wood flooring and shelving; the only other pops of Virgin red are found in the small Smeg fridge, which comprises the minibar, and the shower unit. The vast, custom‑made bed has a headboard which extends out into a comfortable seating area, and you can control the lighting, order room service and check out via the hotel’s app, Lucy.
Activities: The fifth-floor fitness centre is home to the latest Technogym equipment, with an outdoor deck holding yoga classes in warmer months. Also seasonal is the decent-sized fourth floor outdoor pool; you could do laps but you might prefer to sprawl on the chic striped loungers and take in views of the towering skyscrapers.
A spa will follow this summer. There’s a regular programme of live music at third floor restaurant, Everdene, and the hotel’s website features a Step Outside section, with recommendations for fun, hip activities – from the dazzling mirrored viewing platform 93 floors up at Summit One Vanderbilt to the High Line park that retraces the route of a disused railway track.
Food and Drink: Everdene is open all day; sink into one of its patterned tub chairs or onto a blue velvet banquette and order anything from a hearty breakfast sandwich – I customised mine with avo instead of bacon – to a dry-aged cheeseburger.
The leafy plants, curved bronze details and arched shelves containing colour-themed books add up to a lively, 1920s vibe. There’s also a separate bar. Up one level is the stylish Pool Bar, decorated in teal with wall panels featuring sea-inspired illustrations, while a forthcoming, yet-to-be-named, fine-dining restaurant will offer Italian cuisine ‘with Latin flair’.
The facts: This latest property, which opened in February hot on the heels of Edinburgh and Glasgow, joining its North American sisters in destinations such as New Orleans and Chicago, takes the total number in the stylish Virgin Hotels portfolio to eight.
Occupying a prime corner of real estate on Broadway and W29th, in fashionable NoMad, the cool, purpose‑built steel‑and‑glass building soars up 39 floors. There’s a bespoke, Virgin-themed ‘Where’s Waldo?’ mural in the concrete-clad lobby (see if you can spot the tiny Richard Branson), plus a host of bold, contemporary artworks scattered throughout the hotel.
Book it: Rooms at the Virgin Hotel New York cost from $595 per night. Virgin Atlantic flies six times a day direct from Heathrow to New York JFK, with return fares from £363.
virginhotels.com/nycvirginatlantic.com
PICTURES: Michael Mundy
Read more
The best US road trips: Beach, desert and mountain routes
Hotel review: Hard Rock Hotel New York
A multisensory experience in one of New York’s newest skyscrapers
