You can't turn a corner in Manhattan without encountering a famous landmark, and the city's iconic hotels are among its biggest stars. That's why I couldn't pass up the chance to stay at the flagship W New York – Union Square, which recently completed a "grand transformation."
At a cost of $100 million, the 256-room luxury Park Avenue hotel — one of only 23 W Hotels properties in North America — received far more than a facelift. The hotel underwent a full “room-to-rooftop” reinvention, reinforcing its landmark status in the city where the W brand was first introduced.
New York’s flagship W Hotel is housed in a 1911 Beaux-Arts style building.
Credit: 2026 Samantha Davis-Friedman
“This reinvention is about more than design — it’s about breathing new life into a historic landmark and strengthening its connection to the neighborhood,” said Christina Poon, the hotel’s general manager. “Each detail reflects the building’s history while capturing the energy, creativity and spirit of Union Square. It’s a place where locals and travelers alike can gather, connect and experience the heart of the city in a way only W Hotels can deliver.”
The Living Room
W New York – Union Square is housed in a Beaux-Arts-style building completed in 1911. The hotel’s historic architecture is a highlight — particularly the former ballroom, now transformed into The Living Room, the brand’s signature take on a traditional hotel lobby.
The hotel’s opulent ballroom has been transformed into The Living Room.
Credit: 2026 Samantha Davis-FriedmanThe second-floor space features original white marble columns and soaring ceilings complemented by luxe velvet benches and petal-inspired chandeliers. While undeniably glamorous, the atmosphere doesn't feel intimidating, and my sister and I never felt out of place in our casual travel clothes.
The Living Room also offers cultural programming, including live music, pop-up performances and art activations. The Living Room Cafe, the first of its kind for W Hotels, functions as a coffee bar by day and lively cocktail bar at night
Clients also shouldn’t miss the Instagram-worthy opportunity to take the mirrored stairway from the street-level reception area, where a colorful, Salvador Dali-esque carpet appears to melt down the stairs.
The mirrored stairway from the reception area features a colorful, Salvador Dali-esque “melting” carpet.
Credit: 2026 W New York – Union SquareSignature Dining
Seahorse, the hotel’s modern brasserie, offers a menu of seafood classics with global influences, such as Skull Island prawns with burnt lemon and Calabrian chili and wood-oven-roasted Shinnecock littlenecks in ‘nduja butter. Executive chef John Villa’s signature toasts include sea urchin with caviar and garlic shrimp al ajillo. The restaurant’s seasonal ingredients are sourced from the Union Square Greenmarket, mere steps away from the kitchen.
The Seahorse seafood brasserie features a mural that honors New York’s seafaring history.
Credit: 2026 Samantha Davis-FriedmanThe dining room evokes the feeling of being onboard an elegant ship, complete with yacht-style wood finishes, mother-of-pearl inlays and green “mermaid scale” tile. A hand-painted mural by Brooklyn artist En Viu pays homage to the city's seafaring history.
Seventeen stories above the city, Guardian at the W — Union Square’s only rooftop bar — sits tucked behind the hotel’s iconic red neon marquee. The venue offers wraparound skyline views with decor inspired by Andy Warhol’s Factory art studio and Max’s Kansas City nightclub and restaurant, once located around the corner.
Guardian at the W is Union Square’s only rooftop bar.
Credit: 2026 W New York – Union SquareGuestrooms and Suites
Stepping out of the old-timey brass elevator on the 15th floor almost felt like stepping back in time, with a contemporary twist. The hallway carpet’s Art-Deco-style pink and purple floral pattern, set against bold black-and-white stripes, is both nostalgic and modern.
Newly renovated guestrooms combine classic design touches with a modern twist.
Credit: 2026 W New York – Union SquareThat marriage continues in the hotel's newly renovated guestrooms and suites, which feature custom light fixtures that mimic classic subway entrance lamps, nightstands inspired by Union Square’s “Metronome” art installation and — my personal favorite touch — bright taxicab-yellow faucet handles in the sleek black-and-white bathrooms.
“W New York – Union Square holds a special place in our global portfolio,” said George Fleck, W Hotels’ senior vice president and global brand leader. “This hotel captures everything W Hotels stands for: energy, edge and our unmistakable signature sense of style. We’re proud to bring this legendary landmark back — not as a replica of what it was, but as a bold expression of what’s next.”
