Name: Freehand New York
Address: 23 Lexington Avenue, Gramercy, New York (and vicinity), New York, United States of America, New York (and vicinity), New York, US
Price range: US$211–US$814 per night
Rating: 8.13

What guests think

At Freehand New York, travelers consistently praise the convenient Gramercy/Flatiron location and lively design, while noting very small rooms with tiny bathrooms, dim lighting, and noise from bars or the street that can affect sleep.

Staff are frequently described as friendly and helpful, though several guests reported rude or unresponsive front-desk experiences, especially around heating or AC problems. On-site dining and the rooftop bar earn compliments, but closures for private events and extra facility fees, plus a lack of in-room basics like coffee makers or glasses, frustrate some visitors. Cleanliness is generally good, yet a number of reviews mention worn carpets, musty odors, or maintenance issues. Expect a stylish, well-located stay with compact rooms and an energetic scene.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Guests like the on-site venues, especially the rooftop bar and café, but note frequent closures for private events, occasional elevator outages, and a mandatory facility fee. Basic in-room amenities are limited (no coffee maker or room service) despite the fee.

Related guest reviews

10

Alexandra

30 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location and awesome bars!

6

Gabrielle

15 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Room was tiny but clean, and if nothing else, it encouraged you to get out and see the city. For one person, it was doable. The elevator was a bit strange. The on-site bars and restaurant were nice and staff were friendly. I guess my chief complaint would be the “resort” fee which seemed unnecessary considering the price of the items in the bars and restaurant and the fact that the room was so small with few amenities.

10

Frances

19 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Everyone was so friendly and helpful. It felt like they knew me.

6

Geoffrey

11 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice hotel but associated restaurants are ridiculously expensive even for NYC, and they charge a “Facility Fee” for services like faxing (who faxes anymore?!), their gym, and “unlimited water” (whatever that means) whether you use them or not.

8

Ian

19 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Unfortunately my room’s ac was not working and the hotel was not able to switch rooms until the next day. After a long travel day it was more aggravating than anything else. The next day the staff accommodated a change and all was good after that. Otherwise a good stay and nice (but very humid) gym.

8

Hannah

13 Jun 2024

·

Stayed 7 nights

Had a fine stay at Freehand NY. Front desk staff are lovely and the rooms are adequate. It’s worth noting that there are absolutely no facilities at this hotel. There is a coffee shop but not a proper breakfast place inside the hotel and no room service. The bar turns into more of a club which is fine if that’s your vibe. The rooms are small but nicely decorated, but again no additionals. Not even coffee or tea making facilities in the room or a mini bar. I had some maintenance issues (flickering lights and a shower which didn’t drain) the shower got fixed but the lights didn’t which was annoying to deal with for a week. I would recommend this place for an averagely priced well located stay but not somewhere to expect more than the basics.

8

Kathryn

18 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Very comfortable beds, cool decorations, great location, and the rooftop bar with the view of the Chrysler Building was ::chef's kiss::

4

Martha D

5 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 5 nights

Be aware of hidden charges at this hotel. We paid upfront but at check-in we were charged extra $40 per night due to the "usage of the facilities" ...according to them that amount includes the ACCESS to hotel bars and restaurants... we paid to find out that sadly those services were CLOSED during our stay... the upper floor bar was open only one day and the restaurant and other bar remained closed... but the "facility charge" remained!! We feel robbed

8

Christina

16 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great: Beautiful hotel. Super cool rooftop bar. Great service. Perfect location. Big room, cozy feel. Could be better in my opinion:. Rooms could benefit from an upgrade to more modern, and new windows that keep sound out better. And improved lighting, at least in the bathroom.

8

Lauren

1 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice hotel close to a nearby wedding. Rooms small- but expected for price. Heat didn’t work at first, but hotel fixed it. Was annoyed facility fee that wasn’t disclosed on Expedia when I booked. Otherwise, was satisfied and would stay again

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Cleanliness

Many reviews found rooms clean, yet others reported worn or dirty carpets, musty or mildew odors, pests, and maintenance lapses.

Related guest reviews

4

Gloria

12 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 6 nights

My stay at Freehand was overall just okay. Check in was easy and staff were friendly and provided bottled water. The room was smaller than expected but I'm told hotels in New York are generally smaller than other places. I really wanted to like Freehand because it's in a good location and close to the subway. However, there were bugs in the shower drain. They looked like gnats and are most likely due to a moisture and lack of proper cleaning issue. I most likely won't be staying at Freehand again in the future.

2

Kathryn

20 Jun 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The front desk staff was very nice but it was all downhill after that! The halls are dark and narrow. The room was dirty and worn down. There was a dirty Starbucks cup under the bed from a previous stay, broken blinds, and dust everywhere. I was pretty creeped out staying there and happy I was leaving the next day.

6

Daniel

25 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Cleanliness was fine. Nothing over the top

10

Younghyun

30 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Clean room and good amenities

8

Samantha

21 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Easy check in, friendly desk staff. Felt very safe staying solo for business. Room was spotless. Would happily stay here again.

4

Keith

11 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

The property was fine. The room was the issue. The first couple days we didn’t notice much about the room other than very dusty. It smelled a little musty but it’s an old building so that’s understandable. But after showing for a few days (there isn’t a working fan) we noticed when we would get back from our activities and the room would have a very strong mildew odor. The water from the shower is not draining properly and the steam is not ventilating anywhere. We had to close the bathroom door and stuff a towel under the door just to sleep. I thought about changing rooms but we only had one more night and I figured all the rooms were like this. Next time we’ll be doing an airbnb or staying somewhere else.

4

Erin

20 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

black mold was all over my room

8

Andrew

17 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Staff were very friendly and helpful! The room was spotless every morning! I gave four stars instead of 5 because there was no heat in our room for the whole 3 nights we were there and sounded like the whole building was having issues as well. They did give us a space heater and extra blankets which was very nice. I would still recommend this hotel to anyone visiting NYC.

8

Tiziano

18 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Didn’t see a bar. Staff was nice. Mattress was worn out and awful. Carpet in rooms is yucky. Paint needs a fresh up in the whole place.

4

Philip

3 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Carpets in room is disgusting

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Rooms

Rooms are generally very small with tiny bathrooms, limited storage, and dim lighting; thin windows can let in street noise. Some units offer pleasant decor or views, but space is tight for more than one or two people.

Related guest reviews

4

Karl

28 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

The property needs to be fully renovated. The air conditioning is too loud and dated. The windows are thin, not sound proof and you hear everything on the street. The bathrooms are tiny, with sinks smaller than ones on airplanes.

6

Steve

7 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very nice property and good location, but even though I was on 12th floor, windows so thin I could hear every ambulance, fire truck and police siren in Manhattan. Couldn't sleep at all. Highly recommend earplugs.

6

Debra

16 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Bathroom incredibly small even by NYC standards. Worn and dated. Bed was comfortable. Room was clean.

6

kathy

23 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Bed was extremely comfortable. Hotel is dimly lit, both in the rooms and the hallways. You will not get a warm fuzzy feeling visiting this hotel.

10

Emma C

30 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Loved this hotel! Room was very modern and well designed. The room was a bit small but was plenty of space for one person. For 2 people with large suitcases it could be tight but that's how it is in Manhattan! The hotel has a great location with a subway stop 1 block away and a fantastically walkable location. Overall it was a great value and I'd definitely stay here again.

8

Heather

16 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Good for short stay. Room was extremely small. The bathroom was the size of a closet. When washing our face water would get all over because sink was barely bigger than a dinner plate. Lighting was awful and flickered. Maid left dirty washcloth near bed.

6

Kathy

30 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

Good location, friendly helpful staff. Most of the outlets in the room didn’t work. Very small room. Sleeps4 but can’t imagine 4 adults sharing the space. Almost nowhere to put stuff down or away. Rooms desperately need shelves, bureau, hooks.

8

Christina

16 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great: Beautiful hotel. Super cool rooftop bar. Great service. Perfect location. Big room, cozy feel. Could be better in my opinion:. Rooms could benefit from an upgrade to more modern, and new windows that keep sound out better. And improved lighting, at least in the bathroom.

8

David

4 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

bathroom way too small

8

Barbara

29 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

nice room, but very small

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Service

Staff are often praised as friendly and helpful, though several guests reported rude or unresponsive front-desk service and slow resolution of heating or AC or billing issues.

Related guest reviews

8

Brianna

21 May 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Our overall experience here was great, I’d stay again. The only reason for not being 5 stars is not receiving new towels to replace what was on the floor, and refilling of the soap. However, all of these were addressed once we called the front desk. They were bro

2

Jamie

11 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

i was so excited to stay here for the first time! i booked two rooms over a month in advance for my birthday. but i never got the chance. when we arrived, the agent at the front desk refused to check us in, look at our reservation number, or speak with us any further than directing us to take a seat and wait for the manager. he claimed that our reservation had been canceled. that was not true but for some reason, he insisted and when the manager finally appeared, he was also extremely rude and insisted i needed to "take it up with hotels.com" he would not hear anything i had to say. this hotel basically made an error, blamed it on me and then continued to dig their heels in. many hours later after i had already booked rooms at a different hotel and tried to decompress so as not to spend my entire vacation fuming about being treated so cruelly for no reason, the manager called me and apologized and acknowledged that the hotel had made an error. too little too late.

10

justin

26 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Room was fine. Brandon the bellman was GREAT. Hip place with bar etc.

6

Karen

1 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Poor internet. Unresponsive front desk. Could not charge meals in attached restaurants to room because they were own/ran by someone else creating an embarrassing moment my first morning. Cute property. Cute room. Find parking garage before you go.

10

Susan

24 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

A very cool spot in midtown. Room was super comfortable, particularly the bed. Front desk service was speedy and helpful, arranged our taxi when we checked out. My second stay here and will definitely be staying here again!

8

Jennifer Loren

18 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The stay was pretty good. The front desk staff, on arrival, was exceedingly rude. All other interactions were pretty positive. The bellman was great.

10

Suzanne

28 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Perfect location; super helpful staff

8

Christine

5 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

I have a service dog and they tried to charge me a fee for the dog. I argued with the manager. When I checked in. He told me the fee would be waived. When I checked out the fee was added to my bill. I argued with a manager while I was checking out. Supposedly they refunded the fee but I won't know until I get my bill. Not service dog friendly

2

Joshelyn

5 May 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

When we contacted the front desk again to follow up on the room change and request additional fans, we were met with complete disregard. The front desk agent not only told us nothing could be done until the next day—despite it being 2:30 AM—but actually hung up on us mid-call when we asked for further assistance. This level of unprofessionalism is not only shocking but completely unacceptable. We had plans to travel upstate early Easter Sunday morning to be with family—the main reason for our visit—and the lack of sleep and extreme discomfort in our room made for a miserable night. To make matters worse, no effort was made the following day to address the issue or move us to another room. It wasn’t until check-out that we finally spoke with someone at the front desk who was kind and understanding, but unfortunately, by that time, there was nothing he could do to remedy the situation. This experience severely impacted our stay and tarnished our perception of the Freehand brand. For a hospitality provider, comfort and professionalism should be top priorities, and regrettably, neither were delivered during this stay.

10

Elizabeth

10 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The staff here have an INCREDIBLE vibe. So friendly, generous and helpful. Can’t recommend more. 7 stars

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Location

Consistently praised location near Gramercy and Flatiron with easy access to subways, dining, and sights; many find it walkable for Midtown and downtown.

Related guest reviews

10

Crystal

22 Jun 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Great stay. Convenient to midtown.

10

Thomas

8 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location. Recommend.

10

John Edward

22 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location, friendly staff, and a great cool vibe around the hotel. Would stay again!

10

Melissa

12 May 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Always love this hotel. The views are horrible (ha) but the rooms are super cute and beds are comfy. Really nice spot if you need something budget-friendly and close to Flatiron/Nomad neighborhoods - - or you are a subway rider as it has the main lines really close.

10

Richard

27 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Perfect location right off the 23rd Ave. 6 train. Starbucks next to the subway. Room with queen bed was perfectly sized for a small space. Nice bathroom with shower, although the shower took about 3 minutes to get to lukewarm. 3 elevators all running and very fast. I’d definitely stay here again.

8

Bernice

12 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location in the Flatiron district making it near a lot of good dining options and attractions. Room was clean and comfortable although the bathroom was quite small. Bag check staff were super friendly and helpful.

10

Emma C

30 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Loved this hotel! Room was very modern and well designed. The room was a bit small but was plenty of space for one person. For 2 people with large suitcases it could be tight but that's how it is in Manhattan! The hotel has a great location with a subway stop 1 block away and a fantastically walkable location. Overall it was a great value and I'd definitely stay here again.

10

Tanya

13 Oct 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Cool place to stay in a great location.

10

Maximilian

7 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 7 nights

The Freehand hotel is a hip and stylish place with a charming vibe. Situated in a beautifully preserved historic building, it exudes warmth and coziness. The staff were exceptionally friendly, always ready to assist with a smile, and the rooms were spotless, adding to the overall comfort of the stay. The location is unbeatable, making it the perfect base to explore Manhattan. Highly recommended!

10

Graeme

13 Jul 2024

·

Stayed 5 nights

Great location, great rooftop bar, easy to get to public transport , and short walks to many local attractions

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Dining

The café and restaurants, plus the rooftop bar with views, receive positive feedback, but some guests encountered closures, limited hours, or higher prices.

Related guest reviews

10

Suzanne

6 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Perfect location for visiting our daughter who lives in the Gramercy neighborhood. Our room was clean, comfortable, and surprisingly spacious. The housekeeping and front desk experiences were exceptional. We also really enjoyed the three on-site restaurant/bar options. We look forward to staying here again.

8

Tyler

2 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Prettier in the pictures. When I visited the neon Freehand sign was busted. The hallways and rooms were very dimly lit. The room had no view. And I was charged a resort fee for an onsite restaurant that was "closed for a private event" and a bar that was closed for the month.

10

Bryan

24 May 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Interesting, unique hotel in a great location, good and helpful staff, rooms are clean but generally small, which is not unusual for NYC hotels--convenient on-site restaurant, bar and coffee shop, plus a rooftop bar with beautiful views.

10

Catherine

7 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The property is gorgeous, historical and old timey feel but also incredibly elegant and cool. We loved our stay and were greeted by kindness and calm which is all we can ask during a stay. My only complaint is that all the bars were listed to be open until 1 am or late and that was just not the case the night we went. We were quite disappointed as that was major part of our booking but the people at the front were kind to give us some recommendations on what to do next.

8

Howard

30 Jun 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Freehand is a modern refurb of a classic NTC hotel so it retains some of the period features. Nice bar inside and great rooftop bar. Brilliant location on Lexington which is close to the centre (walkable to most of central manhattan) but out of the tourist zone and low traffic. Restaurant is good and breakfast in diner style cafe not bad.

10

Sarah

29 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Had a wonderful stay! The staff was accommodating, the room was clean, short walking distance to beautiful parts of the city, and the rooftop bar had a spectacular view!! Would definitely recommend to anyone interested in staying in Manhattan.

4

Michelle

3 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

No vallet parking. The Commodore restaurant was permanently closed although their website lists it as a facility. The room was dark, carpet was ripped and frayed with holes in it. The air-conditioning didn't work at all. The bathroom sink was ridiculously small. The bed was very lumpy. The hallways were dark and humid. The hotel was conveniently located to where we neede to be in Gramercy and the east village. That was the only positive. Will never stay here again.

8

Ronald

27 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

The hotel is nice. Rooms are small. Bathrooms have zero place to put anything. The staff is excellent all across. Food at the restaurant is terrible.

8

Paul

29 Oct 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great location , lovely staff . Good restaurant and 2 nice bars .

8

Gabrielle

12 Jun 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Restaurant was a bit overpriced for what it was. Cafe was nice. Staff and housekeepers were lovely.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	US$137
February	US$130
March	US$186
April	US$227
May	US$270
June	US$297
July	US$242
August	US$231
September	US$349
October	US$365
November	US$271
December	US$357

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16 $634	17 $402	18 $366	19 $431
20 $413	21 $540	22 $814	23 $520	24 $520	25 $463	26 $434
27 $211	28 $367	29 $317	30 $317

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $372	2 $398	3 $398
4 $271	5 $398	6 $563	7 $585	8 $398	9 $553	10 $397
11 $292	12 $364	13 $397	14 $398	15 $398	16 $398	17 $398
18 $271	19 $398	20 $398	21 $398	22 $449	23 $398	24 $397
25 $273	26 $338	27 $398	28 $474	29 $398	30 $447	31 $518

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Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Cozy Queen

Premium Queen

Three Company

Gw Suite

Deluxe Queen

Premium King

Premium Quad

Deluxe Corner King

Solo Room

Private Quad

King

Gallery Suite

Guest reviews

Very good

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property policies

Check-in instructions

Security deposit

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about Freehand New York

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Prices for upcoming dates