Freehand New York

Hotels
8 (3524 reviews)
23 Lexington Avenue , New York , US
+1 212-475-1920

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Children allowed

Facilities

Fitness facilities
WiFi available
Free WiFi
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Fitness center
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Heating
Family rooms
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Beautiful property
Great location
Friendly staff
Cons:
Filthy carpet
Small rooms
High price for quality

Categories

Cleanliness
6.71
Some guests reported filthy carpets and stained sheets.
Service
9.18
Multiple reviews praised the friendly and helpful staff.
Location
9.22
Guests consistently remarked on the excellent location and convenience.
Room Quality
7.17
Several rooms were reported as small or with inadequate lighting.
Amenities
7.7
Some amenities received praise but also complaints about the refrigerator and bathroom size.
Value for Money
7.16
Guests felt it was overpriced for the quality and size of the rooms.
Food and Beverage
8.21
Positive comments about the rooftop bar and in-lobby coffee shop.
Overall Experience
8.68
Guests had a generally positive experience despite some issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-09 06:18

Property Description

Historic Charm and Creative Legacy:
Formerly the residence of renowned writers and musicians, the Freehand New York offers a unique blend of history and creativity, evident in its design by Roman and Williams.

Luxurious Amenities:
Indulge in bathrobes, slippers, and premium Argan amenities in every room, along with complimentary water, apples, HD smart TVs, and safes for your convenience and comfort.

Culinary Delights and Rooftop Oasis:
Savor delectable dishes at the restaurant and lobby bar by Happy Cooking Hospitality, grab a bite at The Smile's takeout outpost, and enjoy craft cocktails at the rooftop Broken Shaker by Bar Lab.

Experience the vibrant neighborhood of Flatiron from our prime location on Lexington Avenue. Book now to immerse yourself in the cultural tapestry of Freehand New York.

Important information:

GROUP POLICY: Any reservation of 10 people or more per night will be considered a group with different terms and conditions. Groups reservations can only be made through our reservations team, and Generator reserves the right to cancel it otherwise.
RESORT FEES: - High-speed WiFi - Access to 24hour fitness center which features Peloton bikes - Priority seating, based on availability, to F&B outlets - Access to game room When traveling with pets, please note that an extra charge of 75 USD per stay applies.
PET POLICY: We would welcome a dog on property but only when staying in a private room, and subject to a fee per dog per Stay. Only Dog under 75lbs./ 34kg.
For Advance Purchase rates/Non Refundable rates, we require the payment card used for booking to be presented upon check in.
AGE RESTRICTIONS: Individuals under the age of 18 can only stay at the Hostel when accompanied by a parent or legal guardian in the same room.
The room must be private.
Unaccompanied under 18's are not allowed to stay in shared rooms, unless they are part of a group that has booked out the entire shared room. The group leader must provide the required documentation to Generator. Failure to comply with these policies will result in automatic cancelation of the booking with no refund. Guests violating these rules will not be permitted to check into the HostelGuests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Airport code: JFK

Location

Guest Reviews

8
Based on 3524 reviews
Cleanliness: 6.71
Service: 9.18
Location: 9.22
Room Quality: 7.17
Amenities: 7.7
Value for Money: 7.16
Food and Beverage: 8.21
Overall Experience: 8.68
L
Lea • couple • de
7
2026-10-14 • via Nuitee
L
Leila • couple • us
2
Pros:

Staff were great.

Cons:

We stayed 4 nights. The location and staff were great! But isn’t like advertised. Fridge was almost like heater. Very small room and weird bathroom design and not very clean. I would say it’s a low quality place to stay. They need to upgrade if they want to charge $350 or so a night.

2026-10-13 • via Nuitee
M
Manuela • solo_traveller • pt
8
2026-10-13 • via Nuitee
J
Jeroen • solo_traveller • nl
8
2026-10-13 • via Nuitee
R
Rose • family_with_children • ca
8
2026-10-13 • via Nuitee
A
armavall • family_with_children • es
8
2026-10-13 • via Nuitee
B
Bennett • couple • gb
6
Perfectly average, overpriced for what you get
Pros:

Location.

Cons:

Outdated, dingy, dark and gloomy, overpriced.
Clearly they’re going for a specific sparse design aesthetic but the place is just tired.

2026-10-13 • via Nuitee
M
Matija • couple • hr
10
2026-10-13 • via Nuitee
C
Clari • family_with_children • uy
10
muy recomendable
Pros:

los restaurantes de abajo resuelven muchisimo

Cons:

uno de sus recepcionistas fue muy grosero con nosotros.

2026-10-12 • via Nuitee
I
Ida • family_with_children • se
10
Pros:

Hotellet var välplacerat med närhet till det mesta. Fina rum med sköna sängar. Trevlig bar och extra utrymmen. En del ljud från gatan men det är att räkna med i en storstad. Tyst och lugnt inne på själva hotellet.

Cons:

En del oljud från gatan och eftersom det var öppet runt av aggregatet kom det in både ljud och kalluft men det gick bra ändå eftersom allt övrigt var bra

2026-10-12 • via Nuitee
H
Hannah • extended_group • us
8
We had a very enjoyable and comfortable stay and it was the perfect location! Would definitely stay here again next time
Pros:

Loved the onsite dining options and the location! Being so close to the subway was so convenient and we loved the area surrounding the hotel too!
The inside was so fun and eccentric- loved all the art and decor choices. I was worried the room would be cramped (we had 3 people) but it was very well laid out and we had plenty of space.

Cons:

The bathroom was quite small and I think the space could have been better utilized (ie more shelving, a medicine cabinet mirror, etc). The rooftop bar was closed for most of the weekend due to a private event so that was a bummer, but it didn’t put a huge damper on our trip or anything. A small shop/kiosk in the lobby for drinks and snacks would have been very convenient

2026-10-12 • via Nuitee
S
Sara • couple • es
6
Precio desmesurado para el nivel del alojamiento
Pros:

Buena ubicación y atención del personal. Daban soluciones inmediatas a varios problemas: calefacción, secador de pelo… la limpieza excelente, muy puntuales cada mañana. La cama y las sábanas cómodas.

Cons:

Las habitaciones pequeñas y poco funcionales. La iluminación deja mucho que desear. El nivel de aislamiento es pésimo. El aparato de aire acondicionado va encajado en la ventana y esa parte la cubren con un plástico. Obviamente entra frío y mucho ruido, era como dormir con la ventana abierta a Lexington Av. tuvimos que poner un trozo de cartón para tapar el aire que entraba

2026-10-12 • via Nuitee
L
Loïc • couple • ca
9
Super séjour avec un emplacement idéal pour un prix compétitif pour NYC, je recommande !
Pros:

Super emplacement, excellent service et communication avec le personnel, bon restaurant et bar dans le même building

Cons:

Un peu bruyant à cause du climatiseur qui empêche de fermer la fenêtre

2026-10-12 • via Nuitee
S
Simona • solo_traveller • it
10
New york
Pros:

Mi è piaciuta molto l'atmosfera vivace,i ragazzi alla reception veramente gentili e disponibili, la stanza molto pulita.La zona molto carina e comoda per girare la città,anche i bar che sono nell'hotel sono carini da frequentare

Cons:

L'unica cosa che non mi è piaciuta è stata l'assegnazione della stanza ,per la vista,la finestra dava praticamente su un pozzo luce,vedevo un altro palazzo e basta,avrei gradito avere la visuale almeno sulla strada,e ill lavandino del bagno molto piccolo

2026-10-12 • via Nuitee
J
Johannes • couple • de
8
2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
M
Mathilde • extended_group • ch
8
Pros:

Emplacement, propreté, confort des lits, personnel

Cons:

Fenêtres mal isolées (climatisation qui laissait passer le bruit!)

2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
M
martina • solo_traveller • de
9
Für den Preis top.
Pros:

Lage und Atmosphäre

Cons:

Zimmer sind sehr dunkel

2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
E
Ela • extended_group • il
8
Pros:

location

Cons:

staff

2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
M
Michelle • couple • us
10
Perfect location close to train stations . Great food options including the Broken shaker
Pros:

The staff, location and the rooms are wonderful. Visually beautiful with a great staff.

Cons:

I wish it had an ice machine. I had to go to the desk to get ice.

2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
E
Elizabeth • solo_traveller • us
7
A hotel that's eccentric in both good and bad ways.
Pros:

Nice front desk staff, comfortable beds, good location. The rooftop bar is very cool. The hotel is a renovation of a 1920s hotel and it's retained a surprising amount of the feel of an old hotel is a very cool way.

Cons:

I don't mind small rooms, but the renovation isn't ingenious enough to make the cosy queens feel cool instead of cramped, & the wooden furniture seems to have been bulk purchased without thinking about how it will work in a room. First room I was in didn't have a bedside table (one side of the bed by the wall, the other by the path to the bathroom), just a stool you could move from a corner, so no bedside light, no way to charge a phone by the bed, no way to turn lights off & on from bed. Second was still small but better arranged, & the one window would have been decent if it hadn't been FILTHY & also blocked by both a large wardrobe and a window air conditioning unit. In both rooms some outlets didn't work or were weirdly loose in walls.

2026-10-10 • via Nuitee