There’s something magnetic about a New York landmark that doesn’t just survive the decades, but reinvents itself for the moment. W New York – Union Square has always been that kind of place: a cultural cornerstone where energy, design, and the city’s unstoppable pulse collide. Now, after a bold $100 million transformation, the global flagship of W Hotels has reopened its doors, and trust me—it’s not just back, it’s setting the tone for a whole new era of luxury lifestyle hospitality.
Housed in the Beaux-Arts beauty of the former Guardian Life Building, the hotel wears its history proudly. Think ornate columns, soaring ceilings, and that grand, cinematic staircase that’s always begged for a dramatic entrance. But step inside today and you’ll find something even more powerful: a design story that blends timeless New York character with fearless modern flair. Rockwell Group—the same visionary firm that shaped the original W Union Square back in 2001—returned to lead the charge. This time, they pulled inspiration straight from the streets and seasons of Union Square Park. The result? Interiors that shift with the light and rhythm of the city, layered with texture, color, and just enough attitude to remind you: this is New York.
The Living Room—the signature W lobby experience—feels like both a stage and a sanctuary. By day, it’s anchored by Devoción coffee, drawing locals and travelers into its café-meets-cocktail lounge. By night, it transforms, buzzing with DJ sets, art activations, and live performances. The soaring Beaux-Arts bones remain, but the design updates—velvet serpentine benches, chandeliers that bloom like petals, cinematic lighting that shifts with time—breathe new life into the space. It’s not just a lobby. It’s a cultural living room for the city.
Upstairs, guest rooms take cues from Union Square itself—botanical carpets, ombre wallpaper, and lush velvet headboards in autumnal oranges and deep greens. Every detail feels intentional, from subway-lamp-inspired lighting to chessboard nightstands that nod to the park’s iconic players. Even the bathrooms wink with playful design touches—like yellow faucet handles that call back to NYC taxis.
And then there’s the culinary heartbeat: Seahorse, the hotel’s new seafood brasserie by John McDonald and Mercer Street Hospitality. With a menu rooted in seasonality and fresh coastal inspiration, Seahorse is already shaping up to be Union Square’s next “it” spot. Expect dishes like tuna crudo kissed with crispy caper oil, Shinnecock littlenecks in nduja butter, and lobster cavatelli that’s pure comfort and indulgence in a single bite. Pair that with a Seahorse Martini at the striking central seafood bar, and you’ve got New York dining at its most magnetic.
Of course, W Union Square knows how to do a rooftop. Seventeen stories up, the hotel’s new rooftop bar offers skyline views wrapped in a design aesthetic that channels Andy Warhol’s Factory vibes with a dose of nostalgic glamour. Add in the new FIT wellness space (complete with a Peloton studio) and refreshed meeting spaces that pulse with creative energy, and the hotel makes its case: W isn’t just playing in the lifestyle space—it’s leading it.
This rebirth isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about evolution. W New York – Union Square has reemerged as a bold symbol of what’s next: a beacon of style, culture, and connection that reminds the world why New York is still the ultimate stage for reinvention.