Freehand New York
So Freehand New York completely caught me off guard – and I mean that in the best way possible.
So Freehand New York completely caught me off guard – and I mean that in the best way possible. Walking up to 23 Lexington Avenue, you’d honestly expect just another cramped New York hostel situation, but this place has somehow cracked the code on making budget-friendly feel genuinely cool. The whole building has this industrial-meets-artsy vibe that actually works, with exposed brick and these vintage touches that don’t feel forced or trying-too-hard.
What really got me was how they’ve managed to create different experiences under one roof. You’ve got the hostel crowd mixing with people who booked private rooms, and somehow it doesn’t feel chaotic – there’s this easy energy in the common areas where you might end up chatting with a solo traveler from Berlin or a couple on their anniversary trip. The rooftop bar situation is honestly pretty stellar (though it gets packed on weekends, fair warning), and you’re right in Gramercy which means you can walk to Union Square in like ten minutes, or duck into one of those little Korean spots on 32nd Street when you get hungry late at night. I actually loved that it’s not smack in the middle of Times Square madness – you get that authentic neighborhood feel where people actually live and work, not just tourist central.
The rooms themselves are thoughtfully designed, especially for a four-star place that’s not breaking the bank. I mean, we’re still talking New York square footage here, so don’t expect a palace, but everything feels intentional – good lighting, decent wifi that actually works, and they’ve figured out storage solutions that make sense. The shared spaces are where this place really shines though. That lobby area becomes this sort of unofficial coworking space during the day, then shifts into social hour territory as evening hits. You know what surprised me most? How quiet it stays at night considering the mix of guests – I was expecting hostel-level chaos, but people seem to respect the vibe. Staff genuinely knows their stuff too, not just the scripted tourist recommendations but actual insights about the neighborhood. If you’re the type who wants to experience New York like someone who lives here rather than just checking boxes on a sightseeing list, this spot gets it right.
Our Rooms
Guest Reviews
Lovely boutique hotel experience
Great location for us. Very clean with comfortable beds, quiet rooms. The cafe ground level had some great food options. Didn’t go to bars or restaurants on site but they did look great
What could be improved: There is no coffee maker in the room. I love having a cup of coffee in bed. It’s a pretty busy street with lots of city noise- you do get used to it.
Would 100% stay here again at this historically interesting, affordable and well-located hotel.
I love that this was built as a hotel in 1929 and has of course been renovated, but retained so much of its historical detail in the common areas. My room was large, comfortable and well thought-out.
What could be improved: The window blinds were hard to use as partially damaged, and the windows were dirty. But that's New York baby!
Overall I’d stay here again, but I’ll look elsewhere first.
Modern, good lobby, central location, fast elevators
What could be improved: Small (very small) bathroom. Rooftop bar not open everyday, needs better housekeeping, no coffeemaker in room.
Would stay again!
Good location. The staff was very friendly, especially the housekeeping staff! The beds were comfy, and the shower was good. Very clean! Also enjoyed the rooftop bar.
good location, friendly people
good location, nice hotel. Roooftop bar is unfortunatly closed on Sundays. free water bottles
What could be improved: rooftop bar closed on Sunday.
Located close to the wedding venue, pleasant room nicely decorated! Helpful front desk staff!
Room was air conditioned when I arrived. I was early to check in and the room was ready so they allowed me early check in.
What could be improved: $55 parking even with the discount. No one answered the phone at the number listed on my booking.com page. I called the same listed number at least 8 times on your website. No one ever answered. The hotel was difficult to find and I never got an emailed confirmation that you had a room for me until I arrive. Your front desk was very helpful once I arrived but need to be more vigilant in answering the phone.
Clean, comfortable and central. Ideal starting-off point for every day of your citytrip!
Clean and very comfortable room in the centre of Manhattan, complete with airconditioning and daily housekeeping. The room had an ideal size for me as a solo traveller, but will probably feel a bit small for two people - although I think that according to New York standards it's more than worthy. Perfect location to start off every day to go and explore a new New York neigbourhood. The friendly staff at the register made checking in and out a matter of minutes.
What could be improved: The music in the lift was a tad too loud. As my room was directly across from it, I could hear the music late at night when the doors opened. But that's a minor detail; earplugs are always a good idea in a city like New York, no matter where you're staying, and they helped me with this issue as well.
Stayed here before, will stay here again!
We have stayed at Freehand before and it was the best option for this trip as well. Good location, convenient transit close by, and a good value. We will look to stay at Freehand again next time we are in the city!
What could be improved: No issues!
A funky hotel in a great mid town location
Location was great. The decor was great
What could be improved: Reception mucked up the key cards and another person burst into our room. Also the air con fan was ridiculously noisy
Very cool vibe, good location.
We loved the decor of the room, the ceramic accents in fixtures was really lovely, very comfortable, homey vibe. Bed was comfortable, we had a steamer and blow dryer in the room which was a great addition. The staff were very welcoming and friendly.
What could be improved: Such a small thing but the light in the shower flickered pretty aggressively, so we just turned it off, but it's a dark (but absolutely beautiful) bathroom, so not great for makeup and things, but there's a great mirror in the room, so it all worked out.
Location
Surroundings
What's nearby:
- Peters Field600 m
- Jemmys Dog Run350 m
- Flatiron Building550 m
- Stuyvesant Square700 m
- Evelyns Playground700 m
- Bellevue South Park600 m
- Madison Square Park400 m
- Marcus Garvey Memorial Park850 m
- Vincent F Albano Jr Playground750 m
- Augustus Saint-Gaudens Playground650 m
Restaurants & cafes:
- Restaurant Smile To Go6 m
- Cafe/Bar Blank Street Coffee50 m
- Restaurant Al Horno Lean Mexican Kitchen50 m
Top attractions:
- Bryant Park2 km
- Brooklyn Bridge4.8 km
- Top of the Rock2.6 km
- Chrysler Building1.5 km
- The Highline Park2.1 km
- Rockefeller Center2.6 km
- Museum of Modern Art2.9 km
- Empire State Building1.2 km
- One World Trade Center4.4 km
- National September 11 Memorial & Museum4.3 km
Natural Beauty:
- Peak Kings Bluff (31m)6 km
- Lake Conservatory Water4.5 km
Public transit:
- Train New York Penn Station1.6 km
- Train Astor Place Subway Station1.4 km
- Subway23 Rd Street Lexington Avenue Line200 m
- Subway28 Th Street Irt Lexington Avenue Line500 m
Closest Airports:
- La Guardia Airport15 km
- Teterboro Airport17 km
- New York Skyports Seaplane Base1 km
Freehand New York
New York, United States
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