SmarterTravel Spotlight: The Beekman Hotel in New York City

When walking around New York City’s Financial District, aka FiDi, it’s hard not to gawk at the titanic skyscrapers and shiny new buildings that make up this neighborhood on the tip of Manhattan. But if you keep your eyes level, you’ll find plenty of historical gems worthy of your attention—including the luxurious Beekman Hotel.

History 

The Beekman, which opened in 2016, is a modern luxury hotel that inhabits one of the city’s most overlooked historic buildings. The address originally was home to the Chapel Street Theatre in the original New York City theater district until it burned down, and in its place, the Temple Court building was built in 1883. It housed law offices during the Victorian era and was one of the city’s first tall buildings, but it was shuttered and largely ignored for the majority of the 20th century until it was declared a landmark in 1998.

The Atrium

The Beekman’s most notable feature is its nine-story atrium. Soaring above the lobby bar, the ornate and symmetrical atrium is awe-inspiring, and if you’re not afraid of heights, I recommend paying a visit to the top floor and looking down for a dizzyingly cool perspective. Even if you’re not staying in one of the hotel’s 287 luxury rooms, seeing the atrium is worth making a trip to the Beekman. You can grab a late-night cocktail in the lobby or stop in for brunch and live music on Saturdays and Sundays. As you can imagine, the tunnel-like shape of the atrium provides amazing acoustics.

The Turret Penthouses

If you think the atrium is impressive, the hotel’s turret penthouses will blow all your expectations of a New York City hotel room out of the water. After riding the elevator up to the top floor, you’ll find the suites, which are located in the building’s iconic turrets, slightly separated from the rest of the hotel. These twin suites, each with two floors, wood-paneled walls, and a stone fireplace, are like a fairy-tale cabin in the middle of the Manhattan. Plus, each suite comes with an 800-square-foot private terrace, so you can enjoy skyline views. At $6,500 per night, the penthouse suites are beyond the budget of most travelers, but they are fun to fantasize about.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 9 Famous Hotels in New York City
• The 20 Best New York Museums
• London vs. New York: Which City Should I Visit?

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Jamie Ditaranto is a writer and photographer always looking for her next adventure. Follow her on Instagram @jamieditaranto.