Site Inspection at The Whitby Hotel in New York City

The Whitby is known for its beautiful bright rooms, intentionally curated art and five-star service.

A few things stuck out to me while walking through the rooms: the abundance of natural light, the amount of space in each room (hard to find in New York!) and the vibrant, uplifting colors. How could someone wake up in a bad mood staying here?!

My personal favorite room is the Junior Terrace Suite. It is spacious and has lots of natural light shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The terrace view is perfect for enjoying your morning cup of coffee. The best part is the bathtub of your dreams — waiting for you to relax in before a good night's sleep.

The hotel has quite a well-stocked, spacious gym if that's your thing.

Founder and designer, Kit Kemp, mentioned, "We feel that Midtown can be just that little bit too serious and what we wanted to add was color and wit", while speaking about the hotel design.

The lobby includes a drawing room specially designed with stunning fabrics thoughtfully chosen for guests to relax and socialize.

The Whitby Bar and Restaurant serves modern bites and drinks all day long. Be sure to admire the traditional baskets positioned above the bar — an art installation including 52 baskets from England, Ireland and Scotland, all telling their unique stories.

You definitely want to enjoy traditional afternoon tea at The Whitby Bar, but make sure to book it in advance!

I recommend this hotel for any guest wanting a cozy, design-forward and service-oriented hotel. The staff are attentive and friendly. The rooms are bright, colorful and homey. The location is central, safe and walkable to many restaurants and stores.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our New York page.