What To Expect at the One-of-a-Kind Equinox Hotel in New York City

The author was traveling as an invited guest of Equinox Hotel. All opinions are the author’s own, and the hotel had no input in any part of this review.

The Equinox Hotel is unlike any hotel I’ve stayed in before.

It’s modern yet timeless, luxurious, sophisticated, and purposely designed to make you sleep better and feel more rested than when you arrived.

What makes a stay at the Equinox Hotel New York even more special is knowing just how exclusive it is — it’s currently the world’s only Equinox Hotel.

Book Through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts for Extra Perks and Benefits

Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) is an exclusive program for those holding certain premium American Express-issued credit cards, including The Platinum Card^® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Fortunately, the Equinox Hotel New York participates in the program, so if you book a stay through FHR, you can expect the following elite-like benefits and perks:

• Guaranteed early check-in at noon
• Room upgrade when available
• Guaranteed late checkout at 4 p.m.
• Complimentary daily breakfast for 2
• $100 experience credit

Cardholders can also find limited-time special offers, such as this one that is offering a complimentary third night:

With base rooms at around $1,000 per night, a complimentary third-night offer can save a good chunk of cash.

Hot Tip:

Like the sound of the FHR perks? Take a look at some of the best Fine Hotels + Resorts properties to inspire your next luxury getaway.

Great Location at Hudson Yards

New York’s newest neighborhood, Hudson Yards, has certainly divided opinions. Those who aren’t fans of the area will say it’s just for tourists. In my opinion, though, you shouldn’t listen to them — there’s much more to it.

Yes, there are droves of tourists that flock daily to take pictures with the Vessel, an eye-catching structure that has quickly become one of the hottest Instagram opportunities in town. But, stroll a few blocks in any direction and you’ll see a different side of Hudson Yards.

Nestled on the west side of Manhattan, you’ll find Chelsea to the south, Midtown to the east, and Hell’s Kitchen to the north. This makes Hudson Yards a great base for exploring the best that Manhattan has to offer, whether you’re seeing the sights for the first time or you’re more interested in having a more local experience.

Penn Station is just 10 to 15 minutes away on foot, which is ideal for catching commuter trains to New York’s airports or Amtrak to other cities.

And if you do want to see some of the city’s most famous tourist sites, you can easily access the High Line, Times Square, the Empire State Building, and Broadway within 30 minutes.

The Best Hotel Facilities in New York

The Equinox Hotel was designed for people who value wellness and self-care as much as they do work and play.

As such, hotel guests have access to an array of incredible facilities during their stay, including some unique to Equinox.

Spa Treatments

This spa is not just your run-of-the-mill hotel spa with overpriced treatments.

Equinox’s focus on health and well-being means the spa offers more than just facials and massages. Guests can pick and choose elements of carefully curated packages that include treatments such as cryotherapy, infrared sauna, and an entire menu of wellness drips.

If you’re visiting from far away and struggling with jetlag, you should consider the Quantum Harmonics Brain + Body Boost.

Equinox Club Access

A stay at the Equinox Hotel means complimentary access to the Equinox Hudson Yards gym.

Guests can attend classes, use the studios, swim in the indoor saltwater pool, and work out in the state-of-the-art gym, for which members pay hundreds of dollars monthly.

The Equinox Hudson Yards website offers a club tour of the member lounge, indoor pool, roof deck, group fitness studio, and yoga studio.

Outside was a cozy but spacious reception area that gym-goers and hotel guests could use to relax or get some work done before or after a workout.

Hot Tip:

If you’re impressed with the Equinox gym facilities, the Amex Platinum card has an Equinox credit of up to $300 annually (enrollment required).

One of the Best Rooftop Pools in Manhattan

When I wasn’t out and about exploring the city, you could find me soaking up the summer sunshine (I stayed during summer 2023) at the rooftop pool that hotel guests and gym members have access to.

You won’t be doing laps here, though. This pool is less for sport and more for socializing and being seen … kind of like Soho House, but less try-hard.

On hot summer days, the pool gets very busy. During my stay, this meant that there was a waitlist with wait times exceeding 60 minutes starting early in the morning. Once you do get your spot, you’ll only have 60 minutes to enjoy your lounger until someone else on the list gets a turn.

You’ll find some first-come-first-served seating right at the far end of the rooftop, closest to the Hudson. I made sure to get there early most days to enjoy non-restricted time in the sun with my book.

I think it’d be great if hotel guests could be guaranteed a spot by the pool, whether through a guest-only reservation system or an area reserved for hotel guests.

Despite the crowds — and the waits for lounge chairs — I still believe this ranks among the best rooftop pools in Manhattan.

The Guest Rooms Are Wellness Havens

The hotel oozes sexiness from the moment you step inside — this is especially apparent in the guest rooms.

The design combines a variety of unfussy materials and textures with a cool, calming color palette to give an air of understated luxury that’s a welcome change from the stuffier design found in some of the classic New York hotels.

No sacrifices were made when it came to the size of the rooms, either. At around 400 square feet, my Deluxe King room was definitely the largest entry-level room I’ve ever had in New York.

Many of the hotel’s rooms, including mine, face west and have unencumbered views over the Hudson River. This is a noticeable contrast to the obscure or simply non-existent hotel room views you often find in the city.

I’d highly recommend requesting a room with a similar view when you book your reservation or even at check-in.

Even though there was plenty of storage, I chose to live out of my suitcase as I hate unpacking and repacking.

I loved being able to shower and look directly through the glass screen through the bedroom and over the Hudson from 31 floors up! Even though I’ve never actually been on a cruise, this view sort of made me feel like I could be on one.

Don’t worry — the glass panel between the bathroom and bedroom can be made opaque for privacy.

The same carefully curated design flowed into the bathroom.

I loved that the Grown Alchemist hand soap and body lotion were in refillable bottles rather than single-use plastic miniatures.

I was also happy to see the beauty amenities, such as cotton swabs and makeup remover, were in paper packaging.

In fact, other than some of the minibar items (which we’ll discuss later), I don’t recall seeing any single-use plastics in the room at all!

The Suites Are Sublime

I was also lucky enough to experience one of the hotel’s 555-square-foot Junior Suites.

To get a more precise idea of the layout, here’s the exact floor plan of Junior Suite 3511 — my exact room:

Once again, I enjoyed Hudson views from my bed — this time from the 35th floor.

Thanks to its corner location, my Junior Suite boasted views of the New York skyline down to Freedom Tower (One World Trade Center) — the tallest building in the U.S.

It was pretty spectacular to get ready each morning and look through the floor-to-ceiling windows to behold this view.

You can get some stunning shots from here if you have a good camera.

And here’s the view of the Vessel and a bit more of Hudson Yards when looking down from my 35th-floor suite.

Back inside the room, the huge L-shaped sofa was a cozy spot to read a book while the sun started to go down.

I was already in love with the design and feel of this room, but the light of golden hour made this space feel even more special.

I hope to enjoy these glorious sunsets again soon.

Intuitive, Luxurious, and Unique In-Room Amenities

Thanks to the iPad you’ll find at the bedside, you can control every aspect of your in-room experience from wherever you are in the room.

Begone tatty and dirty in-room dining menus — there’s an iPad for that.

Prepare to be wowed by the dishes on the menu, where the hotel’s ethos of health and wellness is proven once again.

Even the Nespresso machine put most other hotels’ more basic machines to shame.

The bathrobes were a cut above the rest, too. With many hotel robes, you can tell the minute you lay eyes on them that they’re of low quality, have been worn numerous times before, or both. Not at the Equinox Hotel — this robe was sumptuously soft. If I’d had more space in my carry-on, it may have accidentally made the trip home with me …

The wardrobes were chock-full of health and wellness-focused amenities, consistent with how Equinox bills its rooms as “a temple to total regeneration.”

The foam blocks, roller, and yoga mat were for complimentary use while staying at the hotel. However, the many potions and lotions on the shelf below were for purchase.

Equinox Hotel-branded teas for immunity, powering down, or recovery, as well as CDB oil, sleep wellness patches, and eye masks, were just some of the additional items for purchase.

I’ve never stayed in a hotel more determined to make sure its guests have a good night’s sleep.

You’ll Sleep Soundly

“Dark. Quiet. Cool.” That’s what the hotel promises to its guests when it comes to sleeping conditions.

As someone who’s had issues with sleeping in the past, I naturally was intrigued to see how I’d sleep here.

I’m happy to report that with the combination of total soundproofing and top-notch blackout shades, I slept soundly and deeply each night of my stay.

In addition to taking advantage of the in-room amenities mentioned above, you can order additional sleep aids from the “Sleep Well” menu, which is available from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

If you’re really struggling, you can even opt to enlist the help of an Equinox Sleep Coach.

A Hearty, Healthy Breakfast

If you don’t get breakfast included in your rate, the Equinox is a rare New York hotel where I’d actively recommend paying to have breakfast at least once.

The hotel’s emphasis on health and well-being is apparent from the minute you sit down for breakfast at Electric Lemon.

Guests can enjoy breakfast on the restaurant’s rooftop when the weather’s good.

In my case, the kitchen was willing to adapt the assortment of seasonal fruit to only include what I’m not intolerant to.

I also asked for my “farm egg omelet” to be made only with egg whites — this wasn’t a problem either.

The breakfast menu was extensive. Note that this was the weekend brunch menu featuring additional items unavailable on weekdays, such as the chia seed bowl.

Electric Lemon also has a sleek and sophisticated bar area.

It’s a great place to enjoy a cocktail while gazing out over the city.

If you want to visit at night, it’s a good idea to make a reservation at Electric Lemon as it’s quite popular with locals and hotel guests.

Final Thoughts

I left the Equinox Hotel feeling like a million bucks.

As someone who likes to stay fit and healthy while traveling, this hotel couldn’t have been more perfect.

Yes, you’ll pay a premium for the larger rooms, access to the Equinox Club complete with rooftop pool, and the overall swag and clout of the Equinox name, but honestly, it’s worth it if you can afford it.

I’d highly recommend the Equinox Hotel for New Yorkers looking to escape the city without actually leaving, as well as those from out of town and international visitors who like to prioritize their health and well-being when they travel.