Checking in to The Royalton, New York

As soon as I decided to visit New York, I couldn’t wait to hunt down some of the coolest boutique hotels in the city. Luckily, independent hotel experts Preferred Hotels were on hand to recommend their top picks of the city to me, which included The Royalton. After a bit of online research, I fell in love with the dark and sophisticated design of The Royalton so we booked in for our first 2 nights in New York.

The Royalton is a boutique 4 star hotel in Manhattan located at 44 West 44^th Street in Midtown. Midtown is an incredibly central and convenient area to stay in New York, which is another reason that swayed my decision to stay here. The Royalton is a design hotel through and through, with original designs by Philippe Starck and new styles, décor and room plans by Charlotte Macaux. Here’s my take on this stylish New York hotel…

First Impressions

There is a stark contrast the moment you walk through the door of The Royalton. One minute you’re on the bright, busy streets of New York and the next you’re walking in to a warm, dark and intimate space. The dark woods, low lighting and sumptuous textures make the space feel very sexy and very cool.

This interior theme transcends all the way though the hotel and into the rooms. The doorman seemed to be off-duty when we arrived but we received a warm welcome at the (minimally designed) reception and began the check-in process.

A Deluxe Room

Despite being a New York newbie, I knew that our deluxe room was incredibly spacious for a hotel in Manhattan. The room featured a spacious king size bed, a desk and a stylish bench-style sofa that stretched across the width of the room. We had a fabulous view of the bustling street below but it never felt too noisy.

The showstopper was definitely the circular bathtub, which was intricately covered in mirrored mosaic tiles.

Waiting in our room were the loveliest welcome gifts, including a handwritten note from the hotel management, a box of fresh macaroons, a bottle of prosecco on ice and a fun New York taxi cookie. There were also beautiful fresh flowers arranged on a small table. These personal touches definitely didn’t go unnoticed.

My First New York Breakfast

After a long flight and a late first night exploring Times Square, we slept incredibly well in the plush king size bed. The next morning we went down to Restaurant Forty Four to sample The Royalton’s breakfast menu. It felt a little strange having breakfast in such a dimly-lit setting, but it’s all part of the hotel experience.

The choice of dishes was adventurous and extensive but I opted for my all time favourite and a New York classic; eggs benedict. The crispy bacon and potato hash side were delicious and definitely made this an All-American eggs benedict. Forty-Four Restaurant also serves lunch and dinner but we were surprised to find that the dinner service does not run at weekends.

Wonderful Staff

During our brief time at The Royalton it felt like we got to know the staff very well. The doormen and concierge were friendly, energetic and full of recommendations for our first few days in New York. They recommended the Red Flame Diner to us for a classic New York diner experience, which is also on 44^th Street (a must-try for anyone staying at The Royalton).

An Acquired Taste

I will say that the dark interiors and low lighting of The Royalton definitely make it an acquired taste. The hotel is set between two streets, which means that the layout is long and thin with windows at either end. This means that there is a distinct lack of natural light and the interior design definitely plays on this. If you crave bright rooms and maximum daylight from your hotels, this may not be the hotel for you. However, if you’re looking for a boutique design hotel that oozes elegance and style, The Royalton should definitely be on your New York shortlist.

Want to read more on my New York trip? Be sure to read

• A First Timer’s Guide to New York
• What I Wore in NYC

Or read more personal reviews of The Royalton on Trip Advisor 

What do you think of The Royalton Hotel? Is it the type of hotel you love to stay in? Perhaps you’re planning your own trip to NYC? I’d love to hear from you so please leave me a comment in the box below x

The Royalton 
44 West 44th Street
New York City 
NY 10036
royaltonhotel.com

The Royalton is a member of Preferred Hotels. Join Preferred Hotels iPrefer programme for free and get instant benefits at The Royalton, and over 600 hotels other hotels, across 85 countries.

My stay at The Royalton was complimentary in exchange for this review. All opinions and images are my own.