The Whitby hotel review - New York, USA

Kit Kemp strikes again. Along with partner Tim, the enigmatic designer and co-founder of Firmdale Hotels has designed New York City’s second taste of the group’s unapologetically British style: The Whitby.

Featuring 86 bedrooms and suites scattered across 16 floors of a purpose built building, the new property is based in Manhattan’s upper midtown; an area that recalls New York in its full postcard glory, with central Park nearby and retail giants like Henri Bendel and Bergdorf’s just blocks away. Design-wise, The Whitby bears similarities to the group’s previous opening, London’s Ham Yard hotel, with a more mature take on Firmdale’s trademark bold colour schemes. Floor-to-ceiling windows are framed by patterned curtains and the now signature headboards mark focal points in each room with a joyful yet measured exploration of colour, texture and pattern.  

If the drama of nearby Broadway is not enough (or, realistically, too much) the show-stopping Whitby Bar offers an exciting alternative. Amongst expansive warehouse-style windows and patterned banquettes, the elegant room hosts guests and locals alike for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, while cocktails are served from an impressive 30-foot pewter bar that would make even the most seasoned Manhattan bar hopper nod in approval. It’s all presented underneath vaulted ceilings and a dramatic arrangement of hanging baskets from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland — a cheeky wink to hotel’s British roots.