A Hospitality Visionary Just Opened His Latest Hotel Next to New York City's High Line

"The newest property from the hotelier Alan Faena is, like his projects in Buenos Aires and Miami Beach, the paragon of exclusivity and "who do you know?" The Accor-affiliated hotel is decorated with phenomenal artwork-including a magnificent Keith Haring painting, "Montreux Jazz Festival." Its ceilings are gilded in 24-karat gold and the doormen wear white top hats. It's filled with security guards and velvet ropes."

"But like, actually. During my recent overnight stay, I kept finding myself on the wrong side of a velvet rope, struggling to get into the handful of public spaces on property in spite of holding a room key. At cocktail hour, I had to check in with a receptionist, negotiate with a doorman, and walk myself to a bar seat-before convincing a bartender that I was indeed a guest worth indulging."

"Once I had my $30 martini in hand, I looked around the room, which was filled with blood-red roses, vivid leopard prints, an astonishing mural rich in New York imagery, and plenty of stylish people deep in conversation. If this was a visionary example of contemporary hospitality, executed at the highest level, why did it feel so painfully uncomfortable? Was I just not getting it?"

Faena New York presents theatrical, highly curated luxury with extravagant design elements such as a Keith Haring painting, 24-karat gold ceilings, white-top-hat doormen, security guards, and velvet ropes. Guests can encounter restricted access to public spaces despite holding room keys, requiring checkpoints and staff verification to enter bars and lounges. The atmosphere combines bold decor—blood-red roses, vivid leopard prints, and a New York–themed mural—with a stylish, social clientele and high-priced cocktails. The property emphasizes conceptual ambition and impresario-style vision, resulting in a hospitality experience that prioritizes exclusivity but can leave some visitors feeling uncomfortable and excluded.

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