Virgin Hotels New York City

The hotel staff was terrific. Darrell especially made me feel like he puts guest service first. He went above and beyond for us. We splurged on the Empire view, and it was worth it. We made our friends jealous. The room was well laid out, and I really appreciated the “separate” getting ready area from the bedroom. The bed and pillows were soft, and the floor-to-ceiling windows made me feel like a baller in NYC. The staff complimented my outfits every time I passed the lobby. I truly felt like a million bucks staying here. To quote my sister-in-law “This is how you do New York.” Read less

I visited the Virgin Hotel for a solo trip at the end of March 2024 and overall was satisfied with my stay. I would advise booking directly with the hotel and opting into their 'The Know' loyalty programme as this was the best price I found. The first impression of the hotel is similar to many Manhattan hotels - a small downstairs lobby, with bars and other facilities located on a higher floor. The elevators are fast, although the call system is high-tech and a little fiddly to get used to. The location is perfect for touristing around NYC. It's within easy spitting distance of several subway lines and many attractions are walkable from the hotel. There's a 7-11 and a decent pizza spot just around the corner. If it's your first time in New York, I could not recommend this location more. I opted for a 'Sky Chamber' on a higher floor and am glad I made this choice. It was worth the extra money for a quintessential Manhattan skyline view. From my south-facing, sunny room I could see both the Hudson and East rivers, and was lucky enough to even have a distant view of the Statue Of Liberty! In retrospect I probably would have paid a little more for an Empire State Building view but my view was still awe-inspiring and exactly what I'd hoped for. I suspect that views of the Empire State may be a bit of a lottery as a friend who was also staying (and also hadn't paid the extra) was lucky enough to get one. I checked in very late at night, which may be why I didn't have the chance of an upgrade. This is not a budget hotel: it's on the lower end of 'luxury' when it comes to Manhattan prices and on first impression my room was modern, impeccably clean and well maintained. The hotel is brand new, and this is clear in the rooms. I was not disappointed. My room was separated into two parts with a sliding door in between - a bedroom, and a more practical area with a sink, separate makeup mirror/vanity, and two wardrobe/storage spaces. There is no separate bathroom: the toilet and shower are behind their own little frosted doors. This is obviously a hotel geared more towards leisure than work (made clear by the lack of a proper desk) but as a solo traveller in NYC for a fun holiday, the layout worked perfectly for me. I particularly appreciated the dedicated makeup mirror (with excellent lighting!) and there was a full length mirror hidden on the back of the sliding door. Overall the two separate spaces gave a 'suite' kind of feel and meant that clutter was kept away from the sleeping area. There were several high-tech touches in the room with ample lighting controls and a very neat 'do not disturb' system with controls on the inside of the front door which illuminated a red/green light outside in the hall depending on whether you wanted your room serviced or not. An alarm clock is provided which projects the time onto the ceiling at night - something you never knew you needed until you saw it! Overall, a very modern, well-designed and well thought-out hotel room. On the comfort end of things, I found the bed/pillows overly soft and fluffy, although this is of course a matter of personal taste (I slept well nonetheless!) The blackout blinds and climate control were effective. The waterfall showerhead was luxurious and one small touch which I appreciated was the fact that the window opened - a rarity in modern hotels. A word of warning however: when it's windy, that window requires quite a lot of strength to close! There is one note of 'style over substance' in the room, and that is the (admittedly attractive) red Smeg fridge. This is not enclosed as many mini-bars are and is unfortunately very loud. If you are sensitive to noise, it WILL bother you. Obviously I cannot confirm nor deny whether it's possible to un-plug the fridge overnight, but it is very well insulated and contains only beverages which will not spoil. Speaking of drinks, the hotel advertises a 'street priced' mini-bar. What they mean by this is 'bar priced' at the rate of your average Manhattan bar: $8 for a lager, $12 for a 50ml whiskey, $6 for a can of coke. The selection was good and plentiful however, if you find yourself in a pinch. Aside from the noisy fridge, I had only one point of dissatisfaction during my stay, and that was with housekeeping. Unlike many hotels, there is not a second/later housekeeping service, and you will need to be out of your room before 11am to be on the safe side if you want to guarantee that it'll be serviced. After a few late nights/leisurely starts I asked at the lobby on my fourth day if my room could be serviced. I was told that it would be, but unfortunately I returned that evening to find that it hadn't been. I ended my 5-night stay with overflowing bins and slightly musty towels, which was a shame as I'd only just missed housekeeping on all of those days. Having stayed at many other hotels which run a later housekeeping service (particularly if you ask), this was a bit of a disappointment, but not a dealbreaker. Overall though, I enjoyed my stay. I'm loyal to the Virgin brand and thought the hotel very much upheld their values. The staff were charming, and the overall atmosphere was modern and funky. It didn't quite have the 'wow' factor of other hotels I've stayed in around that price point in Manhattan, but it was comfortably modern and full of small luxuries, and I'd happily stay again. Read less

We had absolutely the best costumer service with jestin helping us with our cancelled flight - ensuring we had a room (an even better room) for the night. Nick was absolutely fabulous and was so helpful and always had an amazing outfit with a smile on his face ready to assist. The hotel was clean, had lovely food, and was an amazing location!! Thank you for such an amazing stay- Modric Family. Read less