Editorial score of 8.9 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 book The Standard, High Line?
The Standard, High Line at 848 Washington Street straddles the elevated rail track that became New York's most significant piece of new urban infrastructure this century, which places it at the heart of the Meatpacking District's shift from slaughterhouse to cultural destination. Designed by Polshek Partnership, the building's structural gesture is the window wall: all 338 rooms have floor-to-ceiling glass, and guests on both faces are effectively on display to the High Line's foot traffic below. The hotel has been aware of that since opening and has neither apologised for it nor tried to resolve it. That candour is part of the appeal, and it is why the Standard remains a defining Manhattan design hotel rather than a dated one.
The reason to book it is the combination of view, location and nightlife. Le Bain, the rooftop club and bar, is one of the best rooftop venues in the city, and the High Line runs from the front door toward Chelsea and Hudson Yards, giving you the best linear walk in Manhattan without a subway ride. Set expectations for a social, energetic hotel with a real scene rather than a hushed five-star, and the Standard delivers exactly what it promises. Light sleepers and quiet-seekers should look at a calmer address; everyone else gets the view and the party.
What are the best rooms to request?
Request a higher-floor corner room, or for a splurge the Empire Suite with its two living rooms and panoramic sweep across the Hudson River, the High Line and the West Village skyline. Every one of the 338 rooms uses a full wall of floor-to-ceiling glass, so the view is the product here, and the higher you go the more the city reads as a plan rather than a set of streets. West-facing rooms catch the Hudson and the sunset; the High Line side gives you the park and the pedestrian theatre below. The rooms are compact and design-led rather than large, in keeping with a boutique hotel of this vintage, so choose the view over the square footage.
The honest caveat is exposure and noise. The floor-to-ceiling glass that makes the rooms is also on display to the High Line, and the building carries a social reputation, so the lower floors can feel exposed and the weekend energy carries. If you want calm, request a high floor away from the rooftop and pack an eye mask for the morning light. Book with those expectations and the room becomes a private viewing platform above one of the most-walked parks in the world.
Ask for a high, west-facing room for the Hudson sunset, and check the Le Bain schedule before you book, since the rooftop runs a busy events calendar that can add energy late into the night. For a quieter stay, request a floor well below the roof and away from the Washington Street corner.
What is the dining and the bar scene like?
The Standard Grill on the ground floor handles the food with more seriousness than the hotel's party reputation suggests: a New York steakhouse and American brasserie that reads as a neighbourhood restaurant rather than a hotel canteen, in a room that keeps the original Meatpacking District character. Le Bain, the rooftop club and bar, is the flagship public space and one of the consistently best rooftop venues in Manhattan, built around a hot tub, a retractable skylight and Manhattan views, with a busy events programme. The Biergarten, in the outdoor space between the hotel and the High Line, handles the warm-weather casual drinking with the efficiency of a venue that has served the neighbourhood's weekend crowd for over a decade.
Does it have a pool or spa?
There is no swimming pool and no full spa, which is the clearest line to draw before booking. Le Bain's rooftop hot tub is the signature water feature, and the wellness offer is a gym plus in-room spa services rather than a treatment floor. This is a design and nightlife hotel, so guests who want a lap pool, a sauna circuit and treatment suites should look at a five-star property and pay accordingly. Guests who want the rooftop, the view and the Meatpacking energy will not miss facilities that were never the point here.
Signature amenities
Meatpacking District, on the High Line
Meatpacking District, straddling the High Line
What's nearby
- The High Line
Elevated park1 min walk - Hudson River Park
Waterfront2 min walk - Whitney Museum
American art3 min walk - Little Island
Pier 55 park5 min walk - Chelsea Market
Food hall7 min walk
The building, the rooms, Le Bain
Building
Glass-walled room
Le Bain
Standard GrillHow does The Standard, High Line compare with other downtown design hotels?
Against the field, the Standard is the view-and-nightlife design hotel, the pick when the rooftop and the Meatpacking energy are the point. The Bowery Hotel, at the edge of the East Village, trades the glass-tower look for a warm, low-lit interior and one of the best hotel-lobby bars downtown. Hotel Chelsea, the reopened literary landmark on West 23rd Street, is the character choice, mythologised and slower-paced. The Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg swaps Manhattan for a converted Brooklyn factory with the best skyline views from across the river. The Standard's own trade-off is that the social reputation and the exposed glass are not for everyone, so quiet-seekers may prefer the alternatives.
| Hotel | Style | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Standard, High Line | Glass-tower design hotel | Views, Le Bain, nightlife | Exposed rooms; social buzz |
| The Bowery Hotel | Warm downtown boutique | Lobby bar, atmosphere | Less of a view |
| Hotel Chelsea | Literary landmark | Character, history | Quieter, slower pace |
| Wythe Hotel | Williamsburg factory | Skyline views, Brooklyn | Across the river |
Frequently asked questions
Where is The Standard, High Line and what makes the location unusual?
The hotel is at 848 Washington Street in the Meatpacking District, and it physically straddles the High Line, the elevated park that runs beneath it. Guests step onto the High Line from the hotel's front door, with the Whitney Museum, the Hudson River Park and the West Village restaurants all within a short walk.
How many rooms does The Standard High Line have?
The Standard, High Line has 338 rooms, and every one has a full wall of floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Manhattan or the Hudson River. Categories run from Standard rooms up to corner rooms and the Empire Suite, which adds two living rooms and panoramic views.
What are the restaurants and bars at The Standard High Line?
The Standard Grill on the ground floor is a New York steakhouse and American brasserie that works as a neighbourhood restaurant. Le Bain, the rooftop club and bar, is the flagship, with a hot tub, a retractable skylight and Manhattan views. A Biergarten at street level handles casual warm-weather drinking.
Does The Standard High Line have a pool?
There is no swimming pool, but Le Bain on the roof has a hot tub that functions as the hotel's signature water feature, alongside the bar, the retractable skylight and the views. There is a gym, and spa services can be arranged in-room, so wellness here is lighter than at a five-star hotel.
Is The Standard High Line good for a night out or a group trip?
Yes. Le Bain is one of the best rooftop venues in Manhattan and the hotel sits in the middle of the Meatpacking District's nightlife, so it is a strong pick for a celebration or a group weekend. Light sleepers should note that the building has a social reputation and the floor-to-ceiling glass faces the High Line, so request a higher, quieter floor if you want calm.
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