A luxury hotel that frequently hosts high-profile parties and film screenings hardly seems like the kind of place that needs refreshing, but maybe when you’re located in the heart of Lower Manhattan, in the see-and-be-seen Tribeca neighbourhood, the guidelines are a little different.
Whatever the reason, the Tribeca Grand is now the Roxy Hotel Tribeca, with a jazz-inspired theme and a facelift that trades simple elegance for a playful mid-century style with contemporary and art-deco touches.
A few features of the former hotel remain – its soaring eight-storey central atrium, the private movie theatre in the basement – but the Roxy is a destination all its own.
Location, Location
Find the Roxy near where Tribeca meets SoHo. It’s ideally located for sightseeing and shopping, with close proximity to Wall Street and easy access to Brooklyn.
The hotel is a few steps away from Canal Street station and the A, C, and E subway lines, with the 1 line another block or so away. Sightseers can walk down Church Street to the World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, or veer off Church at Warren Street to the Mysterious Bookshop and its unique collection of rare mystery books.
Design
In the abstract, the Roxy’s jazzy makeover feels like a gimmick bordering on kitsch. But in person it works.
You can feel the high-end quality of the finishings in the rooms, which also feature such design quirks as wallpaper patterns based on the carpet print featured in The Shining.
In the atrium, the red brick façade is offset by lots of glass and light, and an oversized custom mirror at the back of the room gives extra depth to the space.
Who You’ll Meet
Here, upwardly mobile young professionals can be found at work and at play, taking a meeting in the comfortable atrium by day before relaxing with a cocktail in the Django, the (no-cover) cellar jazz bar that aims for a Parisian feel.
If I Could Change One Thing
By night the comfy atrium turns into a swinging jazz lounge, featuring small bands on a tiny stage. As well as they play, business travellers hoping to catch some shut-eye take note: live jazz can run as late as 11 p.m.
And one other quibble: the curtain in our room prevented the bathroom door from closing cleanly every time.
Best Amenity
Ask at the front desk and you’ll be brought a pet goldfish for the duration of your stay. If fish aren’t your style, some rooms and suites come equipped with turntables and a collection of records.
Eat In Or Eat Out?
The surrounding area is rich with eateries trying to make their mark in New York, but the Roxy’s own kitchen offers enough to keep pace. Room service was tasty – try the chicken sandwich and fries – and fast, with a strong emphasis on “service.” Cocktails mixed by the Roxy’s bartenders were consistently delightful without being too sweet or overpowering. At breakfast I particularly enjoyed a soft and flavourful chanterelle mushroom omelette and while I preferred the coffee at Baked across the street, give the hotel’s Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee a try – it was still under construction during our visit.
Room With A View
Try to get a room on the fifth floor or higher to escape street noise and rise above the surrounding walk-ups for a peek at the skyline.
The Roxy Hotel Tribeca, 2 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY; roxyhotelnyc.com, 201 rooms from $390 (U.S.).
The writer was a guest of the hotel.