City Sanctuary: Respite at the Equinox Hotel

When you think of Equinox, you may think of SUVs, solar events, or the pinnacle of luxe fitness. The gym conglomerate is a cornerstone of wellness culture (as well as the aspirational lifestyle associated with it), and its five-star hotel in New York City takes it a step further.

Situated on the west side of Manhattan, the Equinox Hotel and conjoining club may very well be the heart of Hudson Yards—it’s synonymous with the neighborhood, drawing in trendy crowds and an influx of professional passersbys. The 212-room hotel, designed in 2019 by Rockwell Group and Joyce Wang Studio, brings a sophisticated, breezy feel to the space.

 

Hudson Yards is still a fairly nascent part of the city, defined by a glossy veneer of glass windows and a distinctly corporate pulse. Peeking through the high-rise buildings are remnants of its past, from the industrial railroad infrastructure of the renewed High Line to the view of the 30s-era New Yorker hotel, a city icon in its own right. Some regard it as simply just a business hub—and they wouldn’t necessarily be wrong—but its ultramodern architecture and general newness create an air of dynamism that feels energizing.

 

An arrival at the Equinox sends you straight up to the 24th floor, where a bustling lobby with curated decor and marble finishes greets you. My room was another few floors above, and stepping through the doors brought on an immediate sense of awe. I found myself in a canopy of skyscrapers, disconnected from the commotion of the city; everything buzzed below, but at a hush. I was enveloped in the full expanse of New York, and it’s here where you can truly contemplate its electric spirit in the stillness.

 

The 360° view was astonishing, but the room itself also left me equally inspired. Minimalistic yet full of character, it’s a cozy city sanctuary fitted with thoughtfully curated design touches and a focus on self-care that ties in Equinox’s essence. I found a set of yoga equipment for quiet sun salutations in the morning, a king-size bed engineered for optimal sleep, and a nutrition-forward room service menu that rivaled the bounty of Erewhon—think açai bowls and bone broth shots hand-delivered to your door.

 

On my second day, I started with a bang—or more so, a freeze. I booked a cryotherapy session at the spa, which was more startling than relaxing; a jolt to the system befitting of my slightly chaotic New York lifestyle. From here, I decided to keep the momentum going at the gym, a focal destination for both hotel guests and local Equinox members. Although I did power through a barre class the afternoon prior, my dedicated “gym day” was a lot more nonchalant, spent on the sunbeds at the rooftop pool.

 

The heat of summers on the East Coast is often undermined, and it’s even more harsh in the thick of the concrete jungle. Still, there are ways to keep cool, and the Equinox pool is a hotspot for city slickers when the temperature rises. Unlike the indoor lap pool, the rooftop itself is more for luxuriating than swimming, and the brisk waters and lounge areas were the ideal conditions to indulge in some much-needed sun.

 

While I’m always partial to room service, I ended my stay with dinner at the hotel’s restaurant Electric Lemon, which is well worth a reservation. The sleek interior is great for a quick lunch stop—I had a coffee and small bite to do some laptop work the day before—but the terrace is the perfect ambience for a sunset dinner. Here, I tasted their seasonal American dishes with a clean spin overlooking the Hudson River. A particular standout was the charred octopus, dusted with Aleppo spices on a bed of hummus.

 

As a Brooklynite, my time at the Equinox felt like trying on another New Yorker’s life for size—perhaps something of an international diplomat, or a pensively transient traveler. New York contains so many multitudes; the conjunction of the past and present, the fast and the slow, and although my apartment was only a short train ride away, I simply felt elsewhere.

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