Review: The Beekman Hotel, New York City

I had to be in New York for meetings earlier this summer, and decided to take the opportunity to check out some of the new World of Hyatt properties in the city, starting with The Beekman, a Thompson Hotel. The Beekman is a Category 6 property for World of Hyatt, and I had a Category 1-7 certificate that was due to expire, so the timing was perfect — paid rates for the Sunday I was staying in June otherwise started at ~$385.

The Beekman, a Thompson Hotel

The Beekman is located in downtown New York, and has a backstory of “accidental preservation”. Changes to the NYC fire code in the 1940’s resulted in sections of the building being closed off — including the gorgeous 9-story atrium — and effectively abandoned for decades.

The building has been recently refurbished, and includes the hotel, a few dining outlets, and residences.

The main entrance is unobtrusive, as so many of New York’s gems are, with the second set of doors opening up to a vaulted lobby with an intricate tile floor.

The paneling and limited natural light made the space feel intimate, which gave the lobby a welcoming feel.

The downside is that this is one of the only public spaces in the hotel that isn’t associated with one of the restaurants, and it’s a bit too cozy feeling if you wanted to sit in the lobby and work or take a call.

The check-in desk was a grand affair, centered under a skylight and draped with Persian rugs. As one does.

The gentleman who checked me in was warmly efficient (in the way only a New York hotelier can be), giving a high-level overview of the property and confirming my Hyatt Globalist benefits, including a room upgrade.

From there, I made my way through a bit of a lobby annex, which had a concierge desk and some other seating.

The hotel is centered on the historic atrium, with a large curio case creating a hallway across from the elevator bank.

I really want to be friends with whoever styled these cases, because they nailed the look, and it set the vibe for the entire hotel experience. Each had a delightful mix of cloth-bound books, barware, travel memorabilia, and other assorted tchotchkes.

Like let’s just throw a peacock-quill stylus and ink set in, because why not?

Or some apothecary jars next to some Nick and Nora glasses and mounted butterflies for good measure.

Careful attention to the historic and architectural details mixed with edgy art installations was a theme throughout the property, and something I really enjoyed. It’s such a nice change of pace from the ultra-minimalist approach that many modern hotels take, and obviously a huge departure from the stock artwork found at generic hotels.

And look at the staircases:

Whether you take the stairs or the elevator, the landings open to the stunning atrium — a truly fantastical mix of steel and glass and tile and history.

Those intricate patterns on the floor are tile, by the way, not carpeting. One of many art-deco details that have been either preserved or restored on the property, and that I don’t even want to think about the cost of building today.

The atrium is gorgeous as is, but I was also there just before NYC Pride, so there was a special rainbow-light installation which really showcased the layers.

Hallways to the sides of the elevators lead back to the hotel rooms, so there’s some separation from the atrium and any potential noise.

I will say that as much as I enjoyed the overall styling of The Beekman, and appreciate the nod to historical accuracy, I found this foamy green color they used for the wood trim to be fairly vile, and more reminiscent of a 1930’s hospital ward than anything invoking luxury.

But that may just be me.

The Beekman Studio Suite

I was assigned room 511, a studio suite which, despite the entire hotel looking like a set piece from Ghostbusters, did not seem to be haunted.

While this room wouldn’t be considered a “suite” anywhere but New York, as you can see it’s significantly larger than the standard rooms:

The layout was efficient, with a bathroom and wardrobe at the entry, with a large open space comprising the rest of the room:

The room had a plush king bed with a bench at the foot of it, a desk against the window, and a tv stand.

A fabulous bar cart and a loveseat were tucked between the windows and wardrobe on the other side of the room.

The room looks very cold in photos, but the white walls weren’t as sterile in person, and the mishmash of furniture was fun. The only thing I didn’t like was the desk, which had an uncomfortable chair and was far from any useful outlets.

There were both outlets and USB ports on the walls on both sides of the bed, however, so it was easy to charge devices overall.

The bar cart was a fun touch (how often do you really come across tasseled lamps?), and the prices seemed reasonable for what they were.

This is the first time I’ve ever seen the bath amenities listed on the honor bar menu, which was odd. I don’t know if that is the price if you want extras, or just if you remove the bottles from the room — I used the shower gel and lotion like I normally would have, and wasn’t charged, but it did make me look twice.

And obviously no one stays in the financial district for the views, but being on the fifth floor there was enough distance across the roof of the neighboring building to get a slight sense of space.

The wardrobe made for a functional closet, and I appreciated that there was an ironing board — one of those things that many luxury hotels skip, but is so helpful to have when you’re traveling for work.

The bathroom was gorgeous. The Beekman basically has everything I want in a hotel bathroom experience, which is really saying something for a NYC hotel — a great shower, decent counter space, good lighting, and the styling was just perfect for the property.

Amenities were by D.S. & Durga, in large square bottles labeled for Thompson Hotels. Everything was lightly-scented, with a pleasant texture.

The vanity wasn’t large, but the addition of a ledge below the mirrors made the space incredibly usable, and I felt like I had room to get ready without having to pile things everywhere.

The bathrobes were plush, and the contrasting trim and logo were nice touches.

The Beekman Bar Room

The Beekman has a few food and beverage outlets, including the atrium bar.

The entire hotel is centered around this space, and the mixture of styles and materials gives the whole thing a really fun vibe.

The fact that the bar itself is opulent and gorgeous doesn’t hurt either.

I arrived relatively late, so opted for a meal in the bar rather than going out to dinner. The cocktail list was intriguing, and I couldn’t resist ordering a “Two Doors Down”, along with the burratta and confit chicken wings.

The cocktail was slightly on the sweet side for me, but it was such a pretty color and presentation that it didn’t matter.

The burrata was light and lovely, but the lightly-pickled rhubarb was the showstopper.

The confit chicken wings were only okay (not like I have high expectations for hotel lobby bar wings in general, but these were just very sweet). I guess if you have a sweet tooth you might enjoy them more.

I really liked the overall feel of the bar though, and could see myself stopping in here for a drink even if I wasn’t staying at the hotel.

Temple Court at The Beekman

Both The Augustine and Temple Court serve breakfast, but the complimentary breakfast for Hyatt Globalists is only offered in the latter.

The exposed brick and duct work gave the restaurant more of an industrial feel than the rest of the hotel, which was softened by the oversized light fixtures and floral arrangements.

The menu was well-curated, and offered a variety of options without being overwhelming.

My friend Zach joined me for breakfast — he chose the heirloom grains and sunnyside up egg, with a side of fruit:

While I ordered the country omelette with a side of bacon:

We also had an assortment of hot and iced coffees between us; everything was covered by the Globalist benefit.

Service was attentive, and the food was good. I also appreciated that we were able to order and be served quickly, unlike the breakfast situation at the Andaz 5th, which can take ages.

The Beekman fitness center

The fitness center is located across two floors, which I guess makes sense given the footprint of the building. You can in theory access the space from either level, though when I was there the door locks on the 3rd floor weren’t working.

The upper level of the fitness center had an assortment of weightlifting and resistance equipment:

Meanwhile downstairs was setup more for cardio:

Headphones and water bottles were on display, and there was a sign advising that Peloton cleats and socks were available to borrow upon request.

Overall thoughts on The Beekman Hotel

This hotel is so pretty, and I think they did a great job of imbuing the property with a sense of history without it feeling stuffy or like a “historic” hotel. The art installations added a sense of delight, and the overall styling was refreshing.

Service was great, and I thought the size of the room and layout was stupendous for New York. That being said, it wasn’t a comfortable property to work from, and given how much larger my suite was than the standard rooms I’d be hesitant to choose this hotel for a trip where I anticipated needing a great desk setup.

But for popping in and out of downtown meetings, it was perfect, and I loved the stay overall. Definitely a great addition to the Hyatt portfolio, and I’m looking forward to trying more of the Thompson/Two Roads properties.

Have you been to The Beekman? What did you think?