Design classic hotel review

Ace Hotel New York

An influential design hotel in a 1904 building, best for travellers who want atmosphere and NoMad's restaurants over polish and space.

NoMad$$$ price pointUpdated 17 August 2026For UK travellers
Check live rates

Editorial take

Who should book Ace Hotel New York?

If this is your first New York trip, shortlist Ace Hotel New York for a practical reason: Design, solo travellers, repeat visitors, restaurants. The name, star rating and lobby photos matter, but the real test is whether the location helps your days feel easier.

It is less compelling if you want quiet, large rooms or traditional hotel service. Before booking from the UK, compare the final price after taxes and property fees, check the exact room setup and make sure your airport arrival route is not needlessly awkward.

Location and map

Where is Ace Hotel New York?

West 29th Street sits in the middle of NoMad, a short walk from Madison Square Park and Koreatown, with the Empire State Building a few blocks north.

Nearby

Madison Square Park, the Flatiron Building, Koreatown, the Empire State Building and Eataly.

Closest subway

28 St and 34 St-Herald Sq

Hotel facts

What to know before booking.

Address20 West 29th Street, New York, NY 10001
OpenedBuilding opened 1904 as the Hotel Breslin; reopened as the Ace Hotel in 2009
Price point$$$
Known forThe hotel that helped make NoMad fashionable, with a lobby that works as an unofficial public living room.
Subway28 St and 34 St-Herald Sq

First-timer context

Why Ace Hotel New York might feel special.

What it is known for

  • The twelve-floor Beaux Arts building was designed by Clinton & Russell and opened in 1904 under the hotelier Colonel James H. Breslin.
  • It spent years as the Breslin Apartments, a 360-unit single-room-occupancy building, before a long-term lease was signed in 2007.
  • The Ace Hotel Group bought the property in 2008 and worked with Roman and Williams on an interior that layers vintage and contemporary pieces rather than aiming for polish.

New York moments

  • The Ace lobby became one of the defining New York hotel spaces of the 2010s, widely copied by other hotels.
  • Its arrival is often credited with accelerating NoMad's shift from wholesale district to restaurant destination.

On screen

  • The lobby is more photographed than filmed, and remains the hotel's best-known feature.

Review questions

What travellers keep asking.

Is the Ace lobby always busy?

Usually, yes. It functions as a public workspace and bar as well as a hotel lobby, which is part of the appeal but not restful if you want a quiet arrival.

Are the rooms small?

They vary a great deal, from very compact to genuinely large. This is a hotel where reading the room description carefully makes a real difference.

Booking checklist

Check these before you reserve.

Total price

Look beyond the nightly rate. Check taxes, destination fees, breakfast and cancellation.

Room layout

For New York, room size, bathroom privacy, bed type and storage can matter more than star rating.

Arrival route

Match the hotel to your airport, luggage and arrival time, especially after an overnight UK flight.

Sources and update notes

Last updated: 17 August 2026. Hotel rates, fees, rules and transport details can change.

More hotel research

Keep comparing by trip type and area.