Editorial score of 8.5 of 10, the composite average of the three factors above (Rooms, Service, Location). Method at our methodology page. Affiliate disclosure: booking links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you, and never change our verdict.
Why stay at Ink 48?
You stay here for a view that most of Manhattan cannot offer. Ink 48 sits at 653 11th Avenue on the western edge of Hell's Kitchen, where the theatre district gives way to the Hudson River, and the building was once a printing house, which is where the ink in the name comes from. The design carries the print-industry reference in its typography and materials without tipping into a themed hotel, and the 222 rooms are unusually large for the rate. The real draw is orientation: the upper floors face west over the Hudson, a direction Manhattan's hotel inventory rarely provides, with the New Jersey Palisades visible across the water on clear days. One thing to price in first: the hotel now runs independently after leaving the Kimpton flag, so the brand-era perks and rituals are gone, and it should be judged as an independent boutique.
The headline amenity is the roof. Hudson VU Rooftop, which replaced the long-running Press Lounge in 2024, looks straight west across the river, and the sunset from up there, when the light crosses the Hudson and catches the Palisades' cliffs, is a specifically western experience that the skyline-facing rooftops of Midtown east cannot match. It now runs as a 21-plus, reservation-only bar, so it takes planning, but the view rewards it. The location is practical as well as scenic: the Hudson River Park running and cycling path is across the avenue, the Javits Center is a short walk south, and the Broadway theatres are within range on foot. Set expectations for an independent boutique in a quiet, far-west corner rather than a full-service hotel, and Ink 48 earns its place on river light and room space.
Who is it for? Ink 48 works best for a Javits Center or Hudson Yards conference-goer who wants space and a river view, for a theatre visitor happy to walk fifteen minutes for a quieter, cheaper base, and for a traveler who values a sunset rooftop and a waterfront running path over step-out-the-door transit. It is a weaker fit for anyone who needs the subway at the corner, a light sleeper on a low floor above the highway, or a guest expecting the loyalty perks of the old Kimpton era, which are gone. Priced against what is actually included now, and booked high and west, it is a genuine value on the far West Side.
The far-west location is the whole trade. Eleventh Avenue was, for decades, the edge of the working waterfront, and even now it is quieter and more industrial than the theatre blocks a few avenues east. That is what makes the Hudson River views possible and what keeps the rate below more central hotels, but it also means the walk to the subway is real and the immediate streets go still after dark. The Hudson River Park across the avenue and the rooftop overhead are the hotel's answer to that quiet, turning the waterfront position from a drawback into the reason to book.
What are the best rooms to request?
Ask for a high, west-facing room for the Hudson River view, and step up to a premier studio or one-bedroom suite if you want living-room separation. The categories run from Kings and Two-Queen Deluxe rooms through premier studios up to junior and one-bedroom suites, and guests consistently note that the rooms are large for the price, a benefit of the converted printing-house floor plates. The upper-floor west rooms are the ones to hold out for: the river orientation is the reason to choose this hotel over a more central address, and the light in the late afternoon is the payoff.
The honest caveats are practical and locational. The 11th Avenue address is a real walk to the nearest subway, roughly 50th Street and 8th Avenue, which is a haul with luggage, so factor in a cab on arrival. Lower floors can catch traffic noise from the West Side Highway, another reason to book high. And because the hotel is now independent, the Kimpton-era loyalty perks and in-room extras are gone, so price the rate against what is actually included today rather than the brand memory. Book high and west, plan your transit, and the room delivers the space and the river light that set Ink 48 apart.
Reserve Hudson VU ahead for sunset; it is 21-plus and reservation-only, and the west-facing timing is the whole point. For sleep, ask for a high, west-facing room away from the avenue, and take the Hudson River Park path across the street for a morning run along the water.
What is the rooftop and dining like at Ink 48?
The rooftop is the reason to book. Hudson VU Rooftop, which took over the space from the long-running Press Lounge in 2024, faces west across the Hudson River to the New Jersey Palisades, a direct water view that almost no other Manhattan hotel rooftop shares. It now operates as a 21-plus, reservation-only bar with a small-plates menu, so it takes planning, but for sunset drinks it is one of the most distinctive rooftop settings on the West Side. Down at street level there is a ground-floor restaurant for breakfast and casual meals, which covers the basics without leaving the building, and the bars and restaurants of Hell's Kitchen on 9th and 10th Avenues are a short walk east for dinner and a night out.
Does Ink 48 have a pool or spa?
No. There is a fitness center but no pool and no spa, which is in keeping with an independent boutique of this scale rather than a full-service hotel. The wellness substitute, and it is a genuine one, is the Hudson River Park path directly across 11th Avenue, which runs for miles along the water and is ideal for a morning walk, run or ride. Between the riverside path and the rooftop's river view, the hotel leans into its waterfront position rather than trying to be a resort, which is the right call for the address.
Signature amenities
On the Hudson edge of Hell's Kitchen
Hell's Kitchen, near 48th Street · Hudson River edge
What's nearby
- Hudson River Park
Waterfront path3 min walk - Intrepid Museum
Pier 868 min walk - Javits Center
Convention hall12 min walk - Broadway theaters
Theatre District14 min walk - Times Square
Midtown core16 min walk
The building, the rooms, the rooftop
Facade
River-view room
Hudson VU
SuiteHow does Ink 48 compare with other West Side hotels?
Against the field, Ink 48 is the river-view, room-space value choice, and the decision turns on what you want the neighborhood to give you. The Standard, High Line is the higher-energy design hotel over the park in the Meatpacking District, with Le Bain on the roof. The Times Square EDITION brings Ian Schrager polish and a central Times Square address at a higher price. The Library Hotel, across town near Grand Central, offers a smaller, concept-led boutique for a different kind of traveler. Ink 48's own trade-off is transit: the far-west 11th Avenue address is a walk from the subway and quiet after dark, which is exactly why the river light and the room sizes come at the rate they do.
| Hotel | Style | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ink 48 Hotel | Hudson-edge boutique | River views, room space, value | Far from subway; no pool or spa |
| The Standard, High Line | Design tower over the park | Scene, rooftop, nightlife | Loud, pricier |
| The Times Square EDITION | Ian Schrager polish | Central address, dining | Times Square bustle, cost |
| Library Hotel | Concept boutique | Originality, Grand Central | Small rooms, no views |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ink 48 still a Kimpton hotel?
No. The hotel at 653 11th Avenue operated as Kimpton Ink48 but now runs independently as the Ink 48 Hotel, after leaving the Kimpton and IHG flag. Judge it as an independent boutique; the brand-era loyalty perks and rituals left with the flag.
How many rooms does Ink 48 have?
There are 222 rooms and suites, from Kings and Two-Queen Deluxe rooms up to premier studios and one-bedroom suites, in a converted former printing building. Many upper-floor rooms face west with Hudson River views.
What is the rooftop bar at Ink 48?
The rooftop is Hudson VU Rooftop, which replaced the long-running Press Lounge in 2024. It faces west across the Hudson River to the New Jersey Palisades, a sightline few Manhattan hotels have, and it now runs as a 21-plus, reservation-only bar, so book ahead for sunset.
Does Ink 48 have a pool or spa?
No. There is a fitness center but no pool and no spa. The hotel's headline amenity is the Hudson VU rooftop and its river views, along with the west-facing rooms, and there is a ground-floor restaurant.
Where is Ink 48 and what is nearby?
At 653 11th Avenue near 48th Street, on the western edge of Hell's Kitchen. The Hudson River Park path is across the avenue, the Broadway theaters are about a 15 minute walk east, and the Javits Center is a 10 to 15 minute walk south.
Other luxury stays in New York
MeatpackingThe Standard, High Line
Times SquareThe Times Square EDITION
Midtown