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Sunday, 26 February 2023

Richard Branson's Virgin Hotels opened its newest location in New York City with rooms starting at almost $600 — see inside

Virgin Hotels' new New York location. — A hotel room inside Virgin Hotels' new New York City location.
Brittany Chang/Insider

Richard Branson's latest Virgin Hotels property has opened in New York City.
This is the brand's seventh location as the hotel chain continues its US expansion.
See inside the 460-guest room hotel with a modern Virgin flair.

Richard Branson doesn't spend all of his time in the thick of the billionaire space race. Sometimes, he's busy opening new hotels too.

Richard Branson at Virgin Orbit — Virgin Orbit

Virgin Hotels' latest property in New York City has officially begun welcoming guests.

The hotel, which is on Broadway, is still wrapping up final construction projects and ironing out kinks ahead of its grand opening in the spring.

But many of the guest rooms and common spaces are now accommodating the first batch of visitors.

And its 9,000 square feet of event and meeting spaces already have hosted a handful of public events, including designer Peder Cho's New York Fashion Week debut.

Source: Forbes

Let's take a look around New York City's latest hotel with a cheeky Virgin flair.

The sprawling property is located in the thick of Midtown Manhattan just a short walk from Koreatown, the Empire State Building, and Penn Station.

This centralized location means the hotel's event spaces and guest rooms have sweeping views of the city and unobstructed sights of the Empire State Building.

Inside, the 460 guest rooms and suites all have floor-to-ceiling windows, stylish red Smeg brand mini-refrigerators …

… and a "dressing room" that separates the vanities, closets, and bathroom from the bedroom.

Like any modern smart home, features like the lights and thermostat can be adjusted with Virgin Hotels' app, Lucy.

These rooms start at 277 square feet, which pales in comparison to the crown jewel 2,800-square-foot duplex penthouse, aptly named Sir Richard's Flat.

Now, onto the publicly accessible spaces and amenities.

Hotels in New York City aren't just for travelers. Here, hotel lounges and bars are often filled with a mix of travelers and locals.

And Virgin Hotels seems to be priming itself for just that.

Both guests and locals can visit the Everdene, a 4,000-square-foot multi-room hub filled with food, beverages, and lounges.

During the day, guests can take a yoga class in the outdoor Conservatory.

And at night, they can sip on a cocktail in the "Shag Room" lounge while listening to the live DJ.

Virgin's properties — whether it be hotels, cruises, or planes — all have a modern flair with splashes of its iconic red color.

Source: Insider, Insider

Here, it's not just a splash: It's a dramatic red staircase that connects the third-floor Everdene to the upstairs pool and restaurant, still under construction.