Staycation Review: Hard Rock Hotel New York

Background

I was attending a retreat, and the group stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel New York. I’ve never stayed at a Hard Rock property before but have visited the Atlantic City location and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. I found that the Seminole Hard Rock was quite sleek looking, while the Atlantic City property was a bit more modest. I was curious to see how the New York property would fit in and was pleasantly surprised that it felt more in line with the cooler and sophisticated Seminole Hard Rock property. It seems like the brand is gearing towards the more sophisticated side, and I’m excited to see where it goes with the new Vegas one they are constructing.

The Hard Rock Hotel New York opened in 2022 and offers 446 guest rooms and suites. It has a rooftop bar on the top 37th floor.

Rates for the Hard Rock Hotel New York start at approximately $350 a night but can vary depending on the specific date. I work with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays. Feel free to email me at takeofftotravel@fora.travel or fill out the contact form at the bottom of this post if you have any inquiries.

Takeoff Points

Pros: Well-appointed rooms that feel spacious for New York standards, comfortable beds, and a beautiful lobby.
Cons: The bathroom is on the tighter side.
Takeoff Point: A solid 4-4.5 star hotel option in New York City if you’d like to be near the hustle and bustle of Times Square, while also just an avenue away from Rockefeller Center.

Location and Arrival

The Hard Rock Hotel New York is located on 48th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. It’s just steps from Times Square and a short walk to Rockefeller Center. There are many subway lines nearby as well.

I arrived in the morning and dropped off my bags at the bell desk on the first floor. My first impression was quite good, and I found the lower-level lobby and entrance to look quite sleek.

When I came back in the afternoon, I headed up to the check-in desk on the second floor and loved the high ceilings and beautiful staircase leading up. Here is where the main Sessions restaurant is located, as well as the reception desk. Generally, the New York properties I’ve been to have compact lobbies, so it was a breath of fresh air to see the ginormous ceiling heights.

Heading to the Room

My standard Classic King Room was located on the 29th floor. I liked the hallways, and they were nice to have a music artist featured on each floor.

Bathroom

Upon entry, the bathroom is towards the right it does look a bit small, but it was well appointed and I love the white marble. Toiletries were provided by Beckman in single-use bottles.

The water pressure was pretty good, and I liked how there was both a rainfall and a wand feature. It felt quite luxurious.

Shower Caps and Vanity Kits were provided as well. And I thought it was kind of cool that on the bathroom mirror, there was a QR code we could scan to get a shower soundtrack, to go along with the Hard Rock music theme.

The Room

Across from the bathroom, was a nice blue closet. It contained two robes as well as a steamer.

There is a Lavazza espresso machine as well as a mini fridge for personal use. Two bottles of Icelandic glacier water were also provided.

I found your room to be quite spacious for New York standards, especially the space near the window. It’s stated to be 265 square feet, and I felt like they did a good job with the space. 

Next to the bed, there’s a blue chair with an ottoman and then there’s a nice king-size bed with two nightstands. The bed, pillow, and linens were quite comfortable and lived up to the 4-4.5 star standard.

Both nightstands have power ports and USB charging and on one side of the nightstand. There is an Alexa tablet on one nightstand. I liked the fact that the pillow had a little guitar symbol on it. Then there was a large TV. Everything was in good condition, and the room felt quite clean.

The window has an armchair as well as a bench with a power port with USB and power plugs and a nice large table. This is perfect for working, especially if you have a nice view. I was on the 29th floor and I did have a decent view and saw some buildings in the distance.

If you want to do yoga, you can call the front desk to receive a complementary yoga kit to use during your stay. Or fitting to the Hard Rock theme, if you love music, you can request a Crosley record player or a Fender guitar to be delivered to your room with headphones and an amplifier.

Amenities

They have same-day services such as laundry, dry cleaning, quick pressing, and shoe shining.

Body Rock is the fitness center located on the 4th floor. It’s quite large by New York standards and was empty when I visited at night.

Rock Shop on the street level is a retail shop with clothing, accessories, and music-inspired keepsakes special to the Hard Rock Hotel New York.

The hotel also offers event spaces and even a performance space called Audacy Live that offers exclusive limited-capacity concerts.

Dining

Interestingly enough, the Hard Rock Cafe is actually located a few blocks away, so there isn’t one on site.

The RT60 Rooftop Bar & Lounge is located on the 34th floor and serves light bites and drinks. All guests are welcome from 4-6 PM, but guests must be 21+ after 6 PM. Current hours of operation during my visit were Monday to Wednesday from 4 PM to Midnight, Thursday to Saturday from 4 PM to 2 AM, and Sunday from 4 PM to 11 PM.

I visited for a nightcap and found the space to be quite nice, with two outdoor sections and a nice bar inside.

Sessions Restaurant & Bar serves farm-fresh all-day dining within the lobby level. During my stay, hours of operation were from 7 AM to 10 PM daily.

In-room dining is available from 6 AM to 11 PM. I ordered breakfast in the morning, and it came quite quickly, in less than 20 minutes. The items were quite tasty, though I found the Fruit Plate to be on the small side.

The Verdict

Overall, I had a great stay at the Hard Rock Hotel New York. It’s modern, hip, and certainly more upscale than I was expecting. I liked the design of the rooms, and the location is prime for those visiting the city and wanting to check out the tourist sites.

 

Have you stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel New York before? How was your experience? Comment below!

 

Cheers,

Ty

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Have any questions? I’ve also started working with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays or planning trips. Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!