{"id":130232,"date":"2026-02-11T17:41:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T17:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/130232\/"},"modified":"2026-02-11T17:41:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T17:41:11","slug":"in-depth-review-of-the-faena-new-york","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/130232\/","title":{"rendered":"In-Depth Review of the Faena New York"},"content":{"rendered":"

The vibe: Art-forward maximalism with a distinctly New York edge<\/p>\n

Location: 500A W. 18th St., New York City | View on Google Maps<\/a>
Rates: From $1,395<\/p>\n

The Afar take<\/p>\n

Go on, we dare you: Try to set foot inside the Faena New York without cracking a smile, and not just at the faintly ridiculous all-white, ringmaster-style outfits the door folks gamely wear. This is the long-anticipated West Chelsea outpost of founder Alan Faena\u2019s theatrical hospitality empire, housed in a Bjarke Ingels\u2013designed tower overlooking the High Line. The hotel is unabashedly maximalist and squarely aimed at adults with Main Character Energy who favor style, spectacle, and a lively social scene.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a major opportunity for Faena to become the de facto clubhouse of this corner of Chelsea, thanks to its buzzy vibe and strong bar program. The biggest challenge, though, is timing: With several signature amenities still forthcoming, the property is only partially open and doesn\u2019t yet deliver the fully realized feel of Faena\u2019s Buenos Aires and Miami Beach flagships.<\/p>\n

Who\u2019s Faena New York for?<\/p>\n

It was Miami-based architect Morris Lapidus who coined the phrase \u201ctoo much is never enough,\u201d and Faena\u2019s founder has taken it as a mantra to live (and design) by across all three of his hotels. This property is geared toward adults who wouldn\u2019t dream of even going to the grocery store without primping and prepping, and it\u2019s all the better for it.<\/p>\n

\"Colorful,<\/p>\n

A two-story high mural by Diego Gravinese enlivens the lobby, while the hotel literally rolls out the red carpet outside its entrance.<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Faena New York<\/p>\n

Who isn\u2019t it for?<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t come here looking for a quiet family getaway. Faena properties are gloriously over the top, color-clashing movie sets; wallflowers may feel out of place even in the NYC hotel\u2019s lobby, dominated by soaring murals by artist Diego Gravinese, with astrological symbols and other psychedelic imagery that recall a 1970s album cover.<\/p>\n

The location: West Chelsea<\/p>\n

Faena is the final tenant of a much-delayed building on gallery-heavy Chelsea\u2019s western edges, a pair of twisting towers by Danish starchitect Bjarke Ingels (residences fill the rest of this building, as well as its twin). The High Line elevated park is so close you\u2019ll feel like you could clamber onto it from the hotel, but the nearest subway is a 10-minute walk away, so give yourself extra time or plan to use rideshares or taxis for convenience.<\/p>\n

The Faena New York is unabashedly maximalist and squarely aimed at adults with Main Character Energy who favor style, spectacle, and a lively social scene.<\/p>\n

\"Beige<\/p>\n

Guest rooms at Faena New York occupy the first 10 floors of a Bjarke Ingels\u2013designed tower next to the High Line.<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Faena New York<\/p>\n

The rooms <\/p>\n

There are 120 guest rooms spread across the first 10 floors of one of the twisting buildings. The only rooms with true river views are on the 9th and 10th floors, so if that matters, opt for one of the 900-square-foot Hudson Signature One-Bedroom Suites. Despite the hotel\u2019s location on a trafficky avenue, street noise isn\u2019t an issue if you\u2019re facing toward the water. Lower-floor rooms facing east over the street, however, sit close to the High Line and may require keeping the curtains closed.<\/p>\n

My Signature Corner King room, at 500 square feet, felt spacious, and while the common areas lean hard into maximalism, the rooms themselves are more subdued, with blond wood floors and deep blues, and the occasional scarlet sofa or jazzy patterned rug.<\/p>\n

Bonus points for flattering Hollywood mirror-style bathroom lighting, comprehensive vanity kits (including nail polish remover and a glass cleaning cloth), a supersize shower, and bedside charging points for both USB and USB-C. That said, the giant shower, complete with frosted door leading onto a narrow terrace, felt slightly over designed, especially given the absence of a single towel hook. <\/p>\n

\"Round<\/p>\n

La Boca at Faena New York is led by Argentine chef Francis Mallmann.<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Faena New York<\/p>\n

The food and drink<\/p>\n

Fittingly, given that Faena\u2019s first property opened in Buenos Aires, the New York hotel tapped Argentine chef Francis Mallmann for the fire- and smoke-inspired La Boca restaurant\u2014if only it lived up to his stellar reputation (or the prices, which are best described as ambitious). The $32 bluefin tuna crudo appetizer was passable but overpowered with aioli, while the $95 \u201cthick milanesa\u201d looked and tasted more like a country-fried steak at Cracker Barrel than a dish at a tony dining room. Breakfast fared no better: Gramajo eggs ($22) arrived as an overcooked omelet with chunks of deli ham and scattered with cold shoestring fries.<\/p>\n

In fact, the biggest upside to the restaurant had nothing to do with the food. On a Sunday night, the Moulin Rouge-in-Manhattan space was thrumming with dressed-to-the-nines diners, including several women in full-length gowns who brought real energy to the room. Skip dinner and stop in for a drink to soak up the scene\u2014and admire your fellow diners\u2019 glam\u2014or head upstairs to the atmospheric, leopard print-heavy Living Room lounge. Kudos to the bar for offering guests a welcome drink that comes either with or without alcohol.<\/p>\n

Staff and service<\/p>\n

Staffing is plentiful: Door folks and several team members are ready to assist at the smallish reception desk. (Shout-out to the men\u2019s natty cherry-red suits, which exude panache and make up somewhat for those strange ringmaster uniforms.) Service is brisk, bright, and willing, with a butler ready on command via WhatsApp, whether to bring ice or press a garment for you. Responses were quick and efficient throughout.<\/p>\n

Accessibility<\/p>\n

Among the 120 accommodations (40 suites and 80 rooms), 18 are ADA-compliant, including one of the rooms in the three-bedroom, signature Faena Suite. The design is subtly adapted with brushed metal handles for safety and an oversize, wheelchair-friendly wet room.<\/p>\n

\"Large,<\/p>\n

Faena is known for its statement-making art, including this Keith Haring work in NYC.<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Faena New York<\/p>\n

Art and spectacle<\/p>\n

While wandering the second floor, you may spot a large Keith Haring mural in the corridor, installed behind protective glass\u2014the largest work by the artist not housed in a museum. It\u2019s a flex typical of Alan Faena\u2019s properties; one of his partners is art collector Len Blavatnik, who also supplied the Miami Beach hotel\u2019s gilded mammoth sculpture Gone But Not Forgotten, by Damien Hirst. Elsewhere, a deconstructed disco ball by conceptual artist Sebastian Errazuriz adds to the hotel\u2019s dramatic flair.<\/p>\n

Still to come<\/p>\n

Faena New York\u2019s rooms opened in September 2025, but several major components of the property are still on the way. A 17,000-square-foot Tierra Santa wellness space and a permanent fitness center with a hammam and five specialized plunge pools are slated to open in the basement in spring 2026, Meanwhile, a theater, overlooking 10th Avenue, is expected to open its doors as early as this winter for live entertainment ranging from cabaret to jazz. The most exciting soon-to-debut amenity is El Secreto, a speakeasy-style drinking den that promises to be one of the hotel\u2019s most seductive late-night draws. <\/p>\n

The hotel is already an alluring place to spend an evening, but for the full experience, consider waiting until the performance space and oversize spa are operational\u2014just remember to pack a bikini or two.<\/p>\n

Afar was a guest of Faena New York. Our coverage is independent; the hotel did not review or approve this story.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The vibe: Art-forward maximalism with a distinctly New York edge Location: 500A W. 18th St., New York City…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":130233,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[9,24,55,54,56],"class_list":{"0":"post-130232","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-city","8":"tag-new-york","9":"tag-new-york-city","10":"tag-new-york-city-headlines","11":"tag-new-york-city-news","12":"tag-ny"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=130232"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130232\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/130233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}