Review: Equinox Hotel New York

Why book?

If you want a five-star hotel experience that’s all about the modern and the seamless integration between work, leisure, decadence, health, and sleep. Here, the relaxation of the mind is just as much of a priority as the joy of indulgence, and spaces are tailored to ensure each has their moment to flourish.

Set the scene

Designer labels and fit bodies fill the lobby, where you might score a celebrity sighting. Yet the energy is less about being flashy and more about a calm and laid-back confidence. You’re in New York City and Hudson Yards, after all.

The rooms

From the second I walked into the Junior Suite, a corner room on the 36th floor, I felt like I had stepped into an oasis where tranquility met style. From one 10-foot, floor-to-ceiling corner window I was greeted by a stunning view of the Hudson River, and from the other, a classic downtown view of the Tetris that is the NYC skyline. A generous sitting area featuring a rich velvet blue couch flank built-in shelves displaying a gorgeous geode the size of my face. Equinox’s custom king-sized bed, made of all-natural fibers and topped with two individual goose down duvets —yes, just like you often find in Europe—signal a perfect night's sleep—as do blackout curtains and total soundproofing in every room (adjustable without needing to leave bed). All rooms also include a RoomBar, a mini-bar reimagined for the high-performance traveler featuring artisanal cocktails, functional superfoods, and wellness accessories for the property’s AM + PM Rituals Program. But most impressive of all is the spa-grade bathroom, featuring a shower that could fit five with room to spare. The design offers three adjustable shower heads with spray features that jet from every angle; if you just want to relish in the steam, there’s a bench to rest on. But even if you don’t splurge for the Junior Suite, every incredible room on the property still offers 10-foot windows, handcrafted bedding, blackout curtains, complimentary in-room Nespresso beverages, and bathroom products created in collaboration with Grown Alchemist for a delightful mix of herbs, some of which are grown along NYC’s very own High Line. Additionally, all rooms offer complimentary yoga accessories for any in-room workout needs.

Food and drink

The hotel’s focus on health and wellbeing is seamlessly woven throughout the menu of Electric Lemon, the hotel’s onsite restaurant, using local ingredients to serve up seasonal American cuisine. The space is on the smaller side, but the towering ceilings and clean, modern design don’t make it feel so. While indeed leaning healthy, the featured menu items still offer plenty of options for satisfaction and even indulgence. Must-orders include the lunchtime turkey sandwich made on thick-cut homemade bread and stuffed with crisp green apples (and be prepared to box up half of it); for dinner, the pasture-raised chicken served on a salad of chicories and poached quince. Lastly, the yuzu poached orange dessert with crunchy meringue and lemon sorbet. When you’re ready to move onto the drinking portion of your evening, head just a stone’s throw away to the bar, which serves as the town square of the hotel. You’ll find hotel guests and local New Yorkers alike in sleek chairs, sprawled out near the fire place or sitting at the bar itself, sipping expertly crafted cocktails. Finally, when you’re ready for the cherry on top of your evening, take a drink to go from the bar and head out onto the hotel’s 8,000-square-foot private terrace. Featuring incredible sculptures and an abundance of plush outdoor sofas and lounge chairs, you’ll be treated to sweeping views of the Hudson River, although you might even forget that you’re in Manhattan.

The spa

Offering an incredible selection of body, skin, and mind therapies, The Spa by Equinox Hotels is the ultimate in pampering. All spa guests are given complimentary robes and slippers to don during their stay, with the most cozy of sitting pods available to snuggle into while you wait for your therapist to pick you up for your appointment. Designed with natural tones and sleek lines, the tranquil environment makes it easy to forget the hustle and bustle of the city outside.

Choose from Icoone Roboderm lymphatic drainage, cryotherapy, infrared sauna, NutriDrip IVs, quantum harmonics sessions, massages, acupuncture, body sculpting, and facials, and you’ll find that you can easily spend an entire day here relaxing. If you’re looking to narrow it down a bit, the remodeling lift facial is a game changer: Using a combination of three types of electrical currents that target the facial muscles, it works to lift and tone your face while helping seal in the products, resulting in a more defined facial contouring. If this sounds like mumbo jumbo to you, trust me, I thought the same. However, my amazing therapist, Alina, used the currents on just one side of my face and proceeded to hand me a mirror to compare—and I was shocked to see a visible difference in the lift around my cheekbones and my chin on the side she treated. She made me a believer.

The neighborhood/area

New York City’s Hudson Yards neighborhood has undergone massive growth—both commercially and residentially—over the past several years, and Equinox Hotel has certainly cemented its place as a feature of the neighborhood. With access to luxury shopping just across the street, the Vessel as a next door neighbor, and green spaces featuring outdoor movie nights viewable from some of the hotel room windows, guests don’t need to leave the neighborhood. However, if you want to experience the city beyond, you have the 7 train just a two minute walk away that can take you anywhere you want to explore.

The service

Top notch, from the front desk team to the room service staff. Every engagement is met with warmth, relaxed professionalism, and a seamless execution that left one wanting for nothing. I also had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Rednour, the General Manager, and Christopher Norton, the CEO, whose love for the property was wrapped around every spoken word.

For families

While this is not a property that leads as family friendly, there are some key features of Equinox Hotel that make the property a nice option for families. A rarity in NYC, Equinox Hotel boasts an impressive main driveway allowing families to pull up directly in front of the hotel to unload all luggage, strollers, and passengers seamlessly and safely. Additionally, their rooms offer a respectable amount of space compared to what you’ll traditionally find in the city.

Eco effort

The hotel takes a paperless and plastic-free approach to all parts of the guest experience—look for refillable aluminum water bottles in your room.

Anything left to mention?

All guests staying at the hotel also become temporary members of the Equinox Fitness Club for the duration of your stay. As a member, you can access the onsite facilities that include an exhaustive array of state-of-the-art fitness equipment, a 25-yard indoor saltwater lap pool, and a variety of in-person fitness classes including yoga, HIIT, cycling, strength training, and Pilates, all in a space that features impressive floor-to-ceiling views of the Vessel and the Hudson River.