The trendiest hotel in New York’s trendiest neighborhood: My stay at the Warren Street Hotel
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Editor’s note: Firmdale Hotels provided a complimentary stay so that TPG could get an inside look at the hotel and its amenities. The opinions expressed below are entirely those of the author and weren’t subject to review by Firmdale Hotels or any external entity.
In New York City, the Crosby Street Hotel has long been considered one of the best in town thanks to its dreamy SoHo location and its eclectic design that combines patterns, textures and colors in ways that only a true visionary could assemble. That visionary happens to be Kit Kemp, the London-based interior designer who, along with her husband Tim, founded Firmdale Hotels, a boutique hospitality brand with hotels and restaurants in London and New York, including the Crosby Street Hotel.
But now the Crosby has a darling new sister hotel in New York, Tribeca’s Warren Street Hotel, a property that TPG included on our list of the most exciting hotel openings of 2024. The property, found in one of New York City’s most exclusive and expensive neighborhoods, opened to much fanfare in February — and I checked in in March to see if the hotel lived up to the hype. (Spoiler alert: It did — and then some.)
Here’s what it’s like staying at the beautiful new Warren Street Hotel — and what you should know before making a reservation.
What is the Warren Street Hotel?
The Warren Street Hotel is a brand-new boutique property in Tribeca, one of lower Manhattan’s trendiest, celebrity-adored neighborhoods near buzzy restaurants and bars, all the best shopping and must-visit attractions (think: the World Trade Center, the Oculus, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and the Battery).
Warren Street Hotel is part of Firmdale Hotels, a small but mighty boutique brand with a presence in London and New York. The hotel features 69 rooms, each individually designed, as well as stunning public spaces, a librarylike lounge, a 150-seat restaurant and even certain rooms with terraces offering breathtaking views of the World Trade Center.
How to book the Warren Street Hotel
As a luxury boutique hotel in one of New York City’s most happening neighborhoods (Taylor Swift lives just a few blocks away), know that hotel rates are on the higher end. Entry-level rooms start around $795 per night. Luckily, there are various room types to accommodate different traveler styles and needs. Guests can check in to 330-square-foot Superior Rooms or astonishingly large (at least by New York standards) suites with multiple rooms, living areas and outdoor spaces.
Firmdale Hotels does not have its own loyalty program, but there’s a chance Warren Street Hotel might join American Express’ Fine Hotels + Resorts, like its other New York sister property, The Whitby Hotel, to offer guests elitelike perks, including potential room upgrades, early check-in, late checkout and credits to use on the property. But, it could also follow the lead of the Crosby and not join any credit card-related programs.
The sweetest of suites
For my one-night staycation in March, I checked in to a 665-square-foot Warren Terrace Suite, which was on the eighth floor and came with a living room with ample seating and a decorative fireplace, a small dining table, floor-to-ceiling windows looking out to a private terrace, a bedroom, a stunning bathroom, a walk-in closet, a spacious bathroom, and a hidden kitchenette.
Like everything Kit Kemp puts her name on, the suite was eclectic and vibrant and full of different patterns, fabrics, coffee table books and decorative elements. As you can see, my corgi, Splenda, joined us at the pet-friendly hotel, which provided us with a dog bed, a pee pad and water and food bowls (all waiting for her upon arrival).
A great suite for an unforgettable overnight or a long-term stay, the space also featured a small kitchenette hidden behind two doors. Once open, the space revealed lime green cabinets with an electric burner, a Nespresso machine, tea and an electric kettle, a fridge full of goodies and beautifully patterned china.
Around the corner, the bedroom was quaint and slightly toned down compared to the living area and offered a king-size bed, dresser-style nightstands and a TV on a table that felt oddly placed and allowed for wires to be exposed, which really took away from the stunning style of the room. What made up for the exposed wires, though, was waking up in the morning and pulling the curtains back to see those floor-to-ceiling views of lower Manhattan.
Off to the side of the bed was a small but practical desk, one of Kemp’s signature mannequins and a large walk-in closet with plenty of space to hang clothes or unpack on shelves.
And then there was the absolutely glorious white-marble bathroom with a toilet, a bidet, a soaking tub (with a TV built into the wall), two sinks and a large glass shower. On one wall, two robes were hanging next to a towel warmer, and Kit Kemp’s own Tall Trees coriander and bergamot-scented bathroom products were placed throughout.
But the best part of the suite was the manicured terrace, accessible from both the living room and bedroom, that had a table, chairs and incredible views of the towering buildings, including the World Trade Center, surrounding the Warren Street Hotel.
The Warren Street Bar & Restaurant is a new Tribeca staple
Some of the best and most exclusive restaurants in New York are found in Tribeca, and while it might be difficult to get a reservation at the hotel’s restaurant, Warren Street Bar & Restaurant, the lively eatery is chic and welcoming, just like the rest of the hotel.
I can tell you firsthand that our meal was incredible, but as you can see from the photos, trying to capture the chef’s creations in the restaurant’s dim lighting wasn’t so easy. That said, we enjoyed a boozy dirty Bombay martini and an old fashioned (both $21), a rich and creamy shrimp soup ($21), a tasty order of yellowfin tuna tartar served with sourdough bread ($26), a plate of wild umami-packed wild mushroom risotto ($30), a side of crispy Brussels sprouts ($14) and sorbet for dessert ($14).
And while the food knocked it out of the park, it’s worth noting that the china all the food was served on was especially gorgeous and made a great meal even more memorable.
I’ll never forget my room service breakfast
For breakfast the following morning, there was only one option to consider: room service on the terrace in the shadow of the World Trade Center. We decided to split the full English ($32) that came with Noah’s Pride free-range eggs (over easy, for me), bacon, pork sausage, housemade black pudding, tomatoes and wild mushrooms. The food was great, but the real treat with enjoying breakfast on the gorgeous terrace in our bathrobes on a crisp March morning.
The library is a great place to relax
Behind the check-in desk and by the elevators, a beautiful library room was full of mix-match couches and armchairs, more over-the-top design elements and a hidden pantry with minifridges full of beverages, including my favorite beer, that you can purchase as part of the library’s “honesty bar,” where you just write down what you took and charge it to your room.
Reasons the Warren Street Hotel might not be for you
While the Warren Street Hotel is one of the best new hotels in New York City, there are a few reasons it might not be for everyone.
- While in line with other luxury hotels in the city, Warren Street is pricey, as is the neighborhood as a whole.
- Beyond having a bar and restaurant, it doesn’t necessarily have as many amenities as other luxury hotels, like a spa.
- The gym is actually in a facility across the street. It’s not a make-or-break for me, but it might be an inconvenience for others.
Accessibility
According to Firmdale’s accessibility page, the company is “committed to making it as easy as possible for all people including people with disabilities such as those who use wheelchairs, those who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/low vision or any other disability to stay and enjoy our hotels and amenities.”
At Warren Street Hotel, accessible rooms are available and include features like lowered tables, a wide entry door, Americans with Disabilities Act-friendly door handles, ADA-compliant flat-screen TVs and a large roll-in shower. The company has ensured that public spaces are also designed to accommodate people of all needs, with space for wheelchairs to navigate.
Best of all, guests who have questions about accessible rooms can reach out to [email protected] to make specific inquiries and to make sure their stays are comfortable and manageable.
Checking out
Leaving the Warren Street Hotel after my short stay, I was blown away by the beauty of the property, the care and kindness of the staff, and the dreamy location in vibrant Tribeca. New York has hotels that are massive and boisterous, ones in the center of the action (we see you, Times Square) and others, like Warren Street, that are laid-back but chic, known but hidden, and cater to what travel magazines and hospitality publicists love to call “the discerning traveler.”
I would stay at the Warren Street Hotel in a heartbeat, and it’s safe to say: The Kemps have done it again.
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- The Wall Street Hotel review: Elegance and class in Manhattan’s Financial District
