Restored New York icon like a stay at Grand Central, without the tourists

The hotel

Nine Orchard Hotel, Lower East Side, New York City

Check-in

The lobby’s old-world check-in counter channels Wes Anderson.Credit: Stephen Kent Johnson

This highly-anticipated boutique hotel located in uber-hip Dimes Square finally opened in 2022, after a storied past. Well-respected banker Sender Jarmulowsky wished to expand his booming business and commenced building on the site in 1912. When it was completed in 1917 the New York Times called it the “first strictly high-class tall bank and office building” on the Lower East Side. Sadly Jarmulowsky died three weeks after it opened, leaving the business to his sons who promptly ran it into the ground, forcing its closure the same year. Over the following century the architectural icon was somewhat underutilised, serving as factories and warehouses, even remaining empty for a decade until work began on restoring the building and transforming it into Nine Orchard.

The look

The Swan Room magnificent ceiling has been meticulously restored. Credit: Stephen Kent Johnson

Guests enter the landmark building via the lobby that channels film director Wes Anderson with its antique-looking reservations desk set behind wallpaper-decorated walls. Be prepared to be completely awestruck by the adjacent Swan Room, for this is no ordinary cocktail lounge. Its high, ornate ceilings have been painstakingly restored and cleverly reflected in the mirrored tables that are surrounded in an eclectic mix of bespoke and antique furnishings. Light pours through huge arched windows that draw frequent comparisons to those of Grand Central Station. On the second floor, the former bank’s offices had windows overlooking the Swan Room to keep an eye on the day’s proceedings. Now, they’re exquisitely designed private spaces for functions and dining. Each of the building’s 14 floors have their own distinct works of art, commissioned by the hotel as part of their art program that focuses on local artists, or art inspired by New York.

The room

A Corner King room.Credit: Stephen Kent Johnson

The spacious rooms are designed to evoke the feeling of classic New York apartment-style living right down to the numbering. I’m in 7E, a Studio King on the corner of the building which has great views looking all the way up Manhattan and its huge windows are fitted with ledges wide enough to sit on to soak in the views. The room’s earthy tones are stylish and homely, with elegant, classic wooden furniture with doors and drawers fitted with leather pulleys for ease-of-use. Bespoke art adorns the walls in every room, right down to the figures painted on the bathroom’s ceramics that match your room’s key ring. Each room is decorated with a single, fresh orchard, and stocked with plenty of locally selected and produced goodies and amenities, including freshly baked cookies left on the side table during turndown service. To get you in the New York state of mind, the room’s high-end speakers feature specially designed playlists from a local DJ, or you can stream your own music via bluetooth. All information pertaining to the room is concisely, and welcomely, explained over a two-page document.

Out + about

The hotel’s spire acts like a beacon to lost travellers.Credit: Jason Schmidt

The original spire, which was reconstructed from photographs of the original building, can be spotted from blocks away, and act as a beacon to lost hotel guests in the often confusing terrain of New York. Once you get your bearings, though, you’ll discover a wealth of the Lower East Side’s independent boutiques, bars and restaurants within easy walking distance. The hotel’s close proximity to several subway stations make destinations such as Brooklyn one stop away, but they can also take you anywhere your heart desires in Manhattan.

Food + drink

The hotel’s charming French-bistro inspired diner, Corner Bar.Credit: Stephen Kent Johnson

An exotic cocktail (with combinations such as margarita with green strawberry, rhubarb, lime and chilli) in the glorious Swan Room is a must, not only for visitors, but for design and architecture buffs. Guests can use the room throughout the day as it serves as a grab-and-go breakfast bar with pastries and hot beverages, but at night, demand steps up as bookings open to the general public. The charming street-side Corner Bar is helmed by respected chef Ignacio Mattos and serves French bistro-style meals, great cocktails and there’s an extensive, well-rounded wine list (I even spy an orange wine from Adelaide Hills’ Jauma on the menu). Included in the price of the hotel room is a continental breakfast which includes a pastry and, on the day I dined, a chia pudding dotted with mixed berries. Pay an extra $US15 ($24) and upgrade to a perfectly executed omelette with Gruyère and cherry tomatoes.

The essentials

9 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002. Phone: [phone]. Rooms from $US670 ($1060) a night. See nineorchard.com

The verdict

Think Grand Central Station without the tourists; this is not just a luxury hotel, but a unique and unexpected way to experience a slice of New York’s history in one of its most exciting, up-and-coming neighbourhoods.

Our rating out of five

★★★★½

Highlight

The Swan Room’s small but well-stocked bar.Credit: Stephen Kent Johnson

The rooms are glorious, but nothing beats the splendour of cocktail hour in the Swan Room.

Lowlight

Coffee and tea-making facilities inside the rooms would have been appreciated.

The writer travelled as a guest of NYC Tourism and Nine Orchard.