The Freehand Hotel in the downtown Gramercy area of Manhattan screams cool. It is the location in the hip district just east of NYU. We found that everything about the hotel, from its lobby and design, has a cool, hipster feel but done well enough that I consider it family-friendly.
The lobby has this beautiful woodwork with those old fashion looking elevators that you only see in either old movies or cool music videos. The entire decor is somewhere I just want to hang out. There is this cool spot with a vintage Pac-Man in the corner and this nice long farmer‘s table type alcove where people much cooler than I sit and do their homework and work remotely. The second-floor mezzanine is a large area where people are just relaxing and spending the day getting things done or simply relaxing.
The rooms themselves also follow that amazingly hip theme with cool wooden features and accents and even the bunk bed feature is just something you don’t often see. You can tell that the hotel has had a wonderful history but it’s been updated enough to be a comfortable version of that 1970s New York.
This is home of the once George Washington Hotel as well as some great artists. This is where artists used to live and create in Manhattan but now has been updated for a much more modern audience. The entire basement is a state-of-the-art fitness center with Peletons.
If you were looking for a hotel that allows you to feel like a hipster or lounge on a rainy day and read a book and feel cool about it. This is for you.
If you are looking for a destination, especially with teens who want to experience the real flavor of New York, then this is definitely your go-to location. It’s close enough to get to Broadway in Times Square but also a perfect location to show them the wonders of Greenwich Village and NYU. The entire hotel has a feel and a vibe that shows a part of New York that is unique to this area.