Hotel Indigo Lower East Side New York by IHG

I was upgraded to a king on the 24th floor for our annual company winter party at the rooftop lounge, Mr. Purple. The skyline view was stunning, especially at golden hour, and waking up to it felt inspiring. The room was cozy and the shower perfectly hot. Mr. Purple had great drinks, and the sliders and fries really surprised me. I tried the in-room breakfast too, but that’s the one thing I’d skip unless you truly don’t want to get out of bed. The front desk staff were friendly and welcoming, and the whole hotel felt fun but elevated. It was perfect for a quick NYC stay. I’d absolutely book again. 10/10 recommend.

The rooms were clean and comfortable, and the staff were good. I liked the views, with One World Trade Center and the Empire State Building both visible. The Lower East Side spot is handy for the subway, bars, restaurants, and shopping, and Katz's Delicatessen and Russ & Daughters are especially close. Mr. Purple is right there too, with a popular rooftop bar and club, great views, and a good drink selection. Just know that the 12th floor can get noisy when it’s open. There’s a $41 resort fee. It comes with $10 toward room service, $10 for the mini-bar, two 30-minute Citi Bike passes, and 100 minutes of local or international calls. Parking nearby is expensive. SpotHero had daily options for $30 about a 15-minute walk away or $50 around an 8-minute walk away. Within a minute on foot, it could run $70 to $100 a day.

The staff were great about helping once we asked. They moved us from the 12th floor to the 8th without much trouble, and the second room was bigger, cleaner, quieter, and had a nicer bed. They also quickly brought toothbrushes, found an umbrella, and held our bags. But the first night was awful. We heard and felt the club music from the 15th floor until 4am and got no sleep. A light from what looked like a fire alarm or CO2 device kept blinking, and a nearby washer or dryer ran on and off all night. The bathroom was dirty, the walls were dented, a light cover was broken, and the shade pulley didn’t work. We also had to keep the blinds shut because the window faced the adjacent room’s window at a 90-degree angle. When I asked to switch rooms, staff acted surprised and said we’d originally been put in a quiet room. It felt a bit like an act. We’d heard a rumor that new owners were putting money into the club instead of hotel upkeep. I don’t know if that’s true, but after that room, I could believe it. I lived in NYC for 10 years, so I’m used to noise and small rooms. My advice: ask for what you need, or make things easier and stay somewhere else.

We ended up with a complimentary upgrade because the room we’d booked wasn’t available when we arrived. Check-in was easy, and everyone we met was friendly. The problem was that the upgraded room sat four floors below the club, and it got very loud at night. I can only imagine it’s worse above the 11th floor. The hotel is in the middle of the Lower East Side, with Katz deli and other good food within walking distance. I wouldn’t call it kid-friendly, especially at night.