Editorial score of 8.6 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 The Royalton Hotel?
The Royalton at 44 West 44th Street was redesigned by Ian Schrager and Philippe Starck in 1988, and in doing so it created the template for the Midtown boutique hotel that the Mercer, the Ace and every later New York boutique has operated within. The lobby, the sunken seating, the specific lighting and the social configuration of a room built for looking and being looked at anticipated the lobby-as-destination idea by two decades. That is the reason to book: you are staying inside the origin story of the boutique hotel rather than one of its imitations, at a rate that reflects the building's age relative to the glass towers around it.
In 2007 the design studio Roman and Williams reworked the 168 rooms, keeping the signatures worth keeping, the round tubs and the wood-burning fireplaces in select rooms, and setting them against a darker, warmer palette. The result reads less as a 1988 time capsule than as a considered second act built on Starck's bones. The 44th Street position between Fifth and Sixth Avenues places the hotel on the block that connects Times Square to the New York Public Library, and the lobby, home to the Forty Four restaurant and Bar 44, remains the property's real calling card. Set expectations for a design-led boutique with genuine history rather than a resort-grade newness, and the Royalton earns its place.
What are the best rooms to request?
Ask for a room with a wood-burning fireplace or the round tub, since those are the Royalton signatures worth booking and they are not in every category. The 168 rooms carry the Starck-era design language reworked by Roman and Williams in 2007, with a darker, warmer palette of slate and low light that reads as intentional rather than dated. Higher floors are quieter, and the design intelligence in the rooms is the reason to choose the Royalton over a generic Midtown box at a similar rate. For a solo work week or a design-minded couple, a fireplace room gives the stay real character.
The honest caveat is condition. Recent guests flag rooms and fittings showing wear and the odd maintenance lapse, which is the trade you accept for a design hotel of this vintage at a rate below the surrounding towers. The bones and the design are strong; the upkeep does not always keep pace with the legend. Price-check the room against newer Midtown options before you commit, request a recently maintained room and a high floor, and set expectations for storied design rather than showroom newness.
Ask specifically for a wood-burning fireplace room when you book, since availability is limited and they go first on busy weeks. Time a drink at Bar 44 around its fireplace after a Broadway show, one block west, for the kind of Midtown evening the Royalton was designed to stage.
What is the dining and the bar scene like?
The lobby is the Royalton's dining and drinking centre, and it has been the hotel's primary social space through every operational iteration. Forty Four is the restaurant set in the landmark lobby, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner in a room whose murals and design are part of the draw. Bar 44, the adjoining lounge, is built around a tall fireplace and a craft cocktail list, and in the evening it becomes a genuine Midtown social scene rather than a hotel afterthought. For a design-led boutique, having a credible restaurant and bar in the lobby is a real advantage, and it keeps the Royalton's original programme, the lobby as destination, alive.
Does it have a spa or pool?
No, and this is the clearest line to draw before booking. The Royalton has a fitness centre and offers in-room wellness, but there is no spa and no pool, which is standard for a design boutique of this size and rate. Guests who want a pool, a sauna circuit and treatment suites should look at the five-star Midtown towers nearby and pay accordingly. Guests who want the design, the central address and a lobby bar with a fireplace will find the amenity mix fits the boutique brief, and the neighbourhood's fitness and wellness options are a short walk away.
Signature amenities
Midtown, on 44th Street
Midtown, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues
What's nearby
- Bryant Park
42nd Street lawn3 min walk - New York Public Library
Fifth Avenue landmark3 min walk - Times Square
Theatre District5 min walk - Rockefeller Center
Plaza & skating rink6 min walk - Grand Central Terminal
42nd Street8 min walk
The building, the rooms, the lobby
Building
Guest room
Lobby & Bar 44
SuiteHow does The Royalton compare with other design boutiques in New York?
Against the field, the Royalton is the origin-story design boutique, the pick when the Schrager and Starck history and the central 44th Street address matter most. The Ace Hotel New York, in NoMad, is the lobby-scene descendant, a hotel whose ground floor redefined the New York industry a generation later. The Ned NoMad, in the Metropolitan Life building, is the members-club-style choice with several restaurants. The Refinery Hotel, near Bryant Park, is the industrial-loft alternative with high ceilings. The Royalton's own trade-off is condition: some rooms and fittings show wear, so newer boutiques may feel fresher for the same night.
| Hotel | Style | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Royalton Hotel | Original Midtown boutique | Design history, lobby, address | Some fittings show wear |
| Ace Hotel New York | NoMad lobby-scene boutique | Atmosphere, ground floor | Compact rooms |
| The Ned NoMad | Members-club style | Restaurants, scene | Higher rates |
| Refinery Hotel | Industrial loft near Bryant Park | Ceilings, rooftop | Less design pedigree |
Frequently asked questions
Who designed The Royalton Hotel and when?
Ian Schrager and Philippe Starck redesigned The Royalton in 1988, creating the template for the Midtown boutique hotel and the idea of the lobby as a social destination. In 2007 the design studio Roman and Williams reworked the 168 rooms, keeping signatures such as the round tubs and the wood-burning fireplaces in select rooms while adding a darker, warmer palette.
How many rooms does The Royalton have?
The Royalton has 168 rooms and suites at 44 West 44th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Categories run from standard rooms up to suites, with the Starck-era design language and, in select rooms, the round tubs and wood-burning fireplaces that are part of the hotel's history.
Does The Royalton Hotel have a restaurant or bar?
Yes. Forty Four is the restaurant set in the hotel's landmark lobby, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, and Bar 44 is the adjoining lounge, centred on a tall fireplace and a craft cocktail list. The lobby has been the Royalton's primary social space since the Starck redesign and remains the hotel's calling card.
Where is The Royalton Hotel located?
The Royalton is at 44 West 44th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Midtown, on the block that connects Times Square to the New York Public Library. Bryant Park, Grand Central, Rockefeller Center and the Theatre District are all within a short walk.
Is The Royalton Hotel worth booking today?
It is worth booking for the design history, the lobby and the central 44th Street address, at a rate below the surrounding glass towers. The honest caveat is that recent guests flag rooms and fittings showing wear, so price-check against newer Midtown rooms before committing. Come for the address and the Starck-era design rather than resort-grade newness.
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