Freehand New York

United States , New York Area - NY
NEW YORK CITY, 23 Lexington Ave
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100 reviews shown

8/10

Excellent

05 May 2026

Sebastian

Large rooms by New York standards with huge, comfortable beds.
Decent shower but smaller bathroom, ample towels.
No in room amenities - not even water glasses, which feels quite stingy.
Older building and fittings means there is a fair bit of noise - either from the street, aircon units if you are facing a light well (very dark) or from hallways.
Staff helpful when needed.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

05 May 2026

Fred

Overall, the stay was acceptable, but it didn’t quite live up to a 4-star standard. The property felt somewhat dated, with dim lighting and signs that it could benefit from better upkeep. The bed was soft and comfortable, which was a plus. However, noise was an issue, the rooftop HVAC system was quite loud, and the windows didn’t seal properly, allowing constant outside noise to come through.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

05 May 2026

Kelly

The Freehand is a bare bones hotel with no amenities. Nice bars and cafe, however, which were fun. The rooms are very basic and didn’t have a space for a toiletries bag, just a small ledge (mine fell into the toilet and ruined all my makeup and medications). No coffee machine or mini bar but there was a small fridge. No shelves or drawers for clothes. I stayed here because it was around the corner from the conference I was working, and it’s pretty cheap compared to other nyc hotels. Also the front desk staff were super rude and gruff. The bartenders were nice.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2026

Lillian

Easy check in and out. Very good location. Nice rooms. Would definitely go back

8/10

Excellent

03 May 2026

Melyssa

Convenient location. Safe. Had a good night sleep. Clean room, bed and bathroom. Service staff was nice; “Hero” (bellmen) was extra nice.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2026

Ronny

Hotel was great! Excellent location. Stylish and cool looking. Good room size especially for NY. Staff was helpful.
Windows I. Room are thin so lots of street noise but otherwise great stay!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 May 2026

Nitara

Great place! Highly recommend.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

02 May 2026

David

Great hotel, love the location and fun vibe

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

01 May 2026

LeeJay

Great

6/10

Pleasant

30 Apr 2026

Olivia

no drinking cup in the room, they give you a bottle of water to refill but the water cooler was empty and or operated at a trickle. Long line in mornings to pay for a coffee or breakfast. Staff was too \"cool\" to be helpful.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

30 Apr 2026

Anthony

Staff were attentive & paid attention to details. Great stay!

10/10

Exceptional

28 Apr 2026

Benecio

The clea

10/10

Exceptional

28 Apr 2026

Marcy

Room was very clean, staff really helpful, and the location was fabulous.

8/10

Excellent

28 Apr 2026

Jennifer

Love this hotel and the staff. Room was sadly less clean than when I would have stayed in the past

Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Apr 2026

Vladyslav

Best hotel in NYC period

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

26 Apr 2026

Darcy

This hotel was very clean and staff was friendly. It was in a great location to visit our son.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

26 Apr 2026

Rachel

Really cool vibe, great location!

Family

8/10

Excellent

26 Apr 2026

Daniel

Wonderful hotel with an exceptionally nice and helpful staff. My only criticisms are that there was no coffee maker in the room (I know lots of hotels are eliminating coffee makers but I don’t like that), no washcloths with the towels (washing flannels to our friends from the UK), and no glasses in the room. I also prefer a sit down breakfast place with wait staff rather than a place with a line where you have to pick up your order and carry it yourself. And I’m an old guy. Can’t we just get bacon and eggs with toast? Does it have to be a breakfast burrito, et al? But I like the place and have already recommended it to others.

Self

2/10

Poor

26 Apr 2026

Sam

I’ve stayed here probably 20 times. This time was very different. Window AC unit installed in our room, leaving the window semi unsealed to the street where construction was happening.

10/10

Exceptional

25 Apr 2026

Ryan S

Beautiful hotel and friendly staff.

8/10

Excellent

25 Apr 2026

Mark

Comfortable, hip, well-situated hotel in Nomad/Kips Bay. Reasonably priced. Easy one block walk to subway. Fine restaurants nearby, including excellent breakfast cafe next door. Rooftop bar nice, but check to see if access restricted due to private parties. Dinner restaurant next door changed from New Mexican to Italian. Will return.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

25 Apr 2026

Silvia

Great location

Self

8/10

Excellent

22 Apr 2026

gabriel

Clean room

Self

10/10

Exceptional

22 Apr 2026

Joelle

Clean room nice staff and food options are located in the hotel

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

22 Apr 2026

Alice

This staff was very helpful in getting my mother set up in her room and throughout our stay

10/10

Exceptional

21 Apr 2026

Richard

Third time staying here. First time was great, second time bad, but wanted to give them another chance. This time was good. Solid hotel. Nothing too fancy, but the room was nice, bed is comfortable and it’s a relatively convenient location for getting around the city. The extra fees for amenities aren’t worth it and feels like a money grab, otherwise fine.

10/10

Exceptional

21 Apr 2026

Patrick

I loved the stairway and my room was modern and immaculate

Self

10/10

Exceptional

21 Apr 2026

qais ghazi ahmad

10/10

Exceptional

20 Apr 2026

Rachael

Nice, good sized room with lots of amenities-perfect location!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

20 Apr 2026

Camille

AC didn’t work in our room :/ Lobby is loud and restaurant often has long wait so be advised

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

20 Apr 2026

Paul

Clean and comfortable room. A lot of street noise and window to the street is beyond filthy on the outside. Also, the running water was all very hot, i.e., no cold water from any of the faucets. They did provide a bottle of water as a solution .

Self

8/10

Excellent

20 Apr 2026

Andrew

Pleasant surprise, close to the Flatiron Building and to the 23rd St subway Station.

Business Friends

8/10

Excellent

19 Apr 2026

Emma

Hotel was beautiful and great location - the rooms were a little worn down but clean!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

19 Apr 2026

Louise

Personally, I need more gluten-free selections but what little the breakfast room had was good. The staff was very accommodating and pleasant. I didn't try the bar. I had a comfortable room with good light. I'd like to stay at the Freehand again.

Self

8/10

Excellent

18 Apr 2026

Nicole

Clean room. Comfortable bed Water available at all times in lobby. Room was very warm on arrival. Left for dinner, and came back to newly installed air conditioner! Coincidence or great service?
Bathroom is quite small, but all toiletries and towels stocked for you. There is a fridge, but again very small. Sufficient for a couple water bottles. Overall nice place for the price in NYC.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Apr 2026

Bennett

Cool and hip.

8/10

Excellent

18 Apr 2026

Dukens

Rooftop was closed.
Bathroom is extremely small

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

18 Apr 2026

Kevin

Good features, good food available on site.

Self

4/10

Poor

16 Apr 2026

Victoria

Fridge didn’t work, bathroom had bugs, lights barely worked

Self

6/10

Pleasant

15 Apr 2026

amorette

Fridge was incredibly small even for a 1 night stay & no microwave

Self

10/10

Exceptional

15 Apr 2026

Jennifer

Very convenient location. Breakfast/lunch restaurant downstairs was good and made getting coffee easy. Staff was friendly. Rooms were comfortable. Grateful for the space for our suitcases.

Friends_and_family Friends

6/10

Pleasant

14 Apr 2026

Inna

Not planning on returning back to freehand. This is usually the hotel I get booked for work travel and we also have clients stay here as well. Used to really like it but the last visit wasn’t great. The guy at the front desk was annoyed at our arrival and you could tell. Not sure if that was why we got a smaller room. I’m all about interacting with another human, but if they’re going to be grumbly about checking people in then I’d rather just have a check in kiosk than feel uncomfortable. First time I’ve ever been asked for my ID and my partners ID (that wasn't the main issue just flagging) Cleanliness was okay but you can see the wear and tear in the rooms, beds were not as comfortable and reminder for those that need coffee, freehand doesn’t have coffee makers in the room, but they do remind you they have a coffee shop downstairs. Also would add that shower was lukewarm and ran cold after a few minutes. Understood it’s an older building, but we were in a rush so there wasn’t time to ask about it. For the price point, you’re better off staying elsewhere. Will be recommending we switch to a different hotel for work related travel.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Apr 2026

Jerrica

Had a wonderful stay. The staff was AMAZING, room was unique and fun! WOULD STAY AGAIN!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

12 Apr 2026

Andrew

Clean room. Consistent. Great staff.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 Apr 2026

Kerry

Clean room, eclectic decor and super friendly staff. We’ll be back!

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

11 Apr 2026

Debra

This was a nice place to stay and in a good location. There is a small coffee shop/restaurant downstairs. I didn’t realize they had as much food as they did. Some vegan and GF too. I was bummed the rooftop chocolate bar was closed when I was there especially because the bar on the mezzanine level didn’t have Reisling Wine nor milk for Kahlua and milk. It was full to capacity when I was there with a lot of young people. The bed was comfortable and housekeeping did a fantastic job every day. I do wish the room had a hot pot for water. The black out shades were amazing and enabled me to sleep despite the noisy city.

Self

4/10

Poor

09 Apr 2026

Anne

When we arrived, our air conditioning was not working, room was 76F. We told the front desk and they told us they would take care of it while we were out. We explored the city and came back after a Broadway show at 11PM and fond our room was 85F because they put a space heater in it. We called the desk and told them and they told us they would send someone up. We asked for a new room instead and they told us they were fully booked, but when we looked online there were still rooms available. After 2 calls and 2 visits to the front desk, someone came up to the room an hour later and installed a very rickety window unit. It worked ok for the night. The shower drain was also very slow so water overflowed and flooded the rest of the bathroom. I could excuse some of these things if the staff had actually seemed like they cared and that any of this was urgent to them, but they did not. They did move us to a new room the next night and it was much better. So, I guess it is just the luck of the draw.

4/10

Poor

06 Apr 2026

ELIZABETH

I travel a lot and stay in a range of hotels. Freehand is overpriced and over rated. Staff were pretty cold and unfriendly, aside from the guys who help with the bags. No complimentary tea or coffee, just overpriced weak rubbish from the in house cafe. Rooms are dated, which is allegedly part of the charm, but pretty unclean as others have said. Doesn’t feel like a boutique/design forward experience, wish I’d stayed somewhere else. Gym was poorly equipped. Location is great, but that’s about the only good part. Horrible experience

Self

10/10

Exceptional

06 Apr 2026

Christopher

Staff are very friendly! Easy area to get around NY with easy access to subway

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Apr 2026

AMY

The cutest boutique experience! Great location and staff went above and beyond!

Friends

8/10

Excellent

03 Apr 2026

Jennifer

Staff is super friendly and helpful.

6/10

Pleasant

02 Apr 2026

Sydney

Small rooms, and we had an issue with our hot water which was never really resolved. Staff was nice though!
The restaurants and bars were fine.

8/10

Excellent

01 Apr 2026

Guillaume

Great hotel, conveniently located. Enjoyed the breakfast area, the fairly large room for NYC at this price. However the noise level from the street on the 4th floor is not one for people with a light sleep…Still a good bargain as we paid $275 a night for a corner room.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

01 Apr 2026

Vivian

Hidden fees upon check in. Walls are thin, lots of loud people in the hallway

8/10

Excellent

30 Mar 2026

Molly

Bathroom needs a bigger sink and toilet

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

30 Mar 2026

B.Robert

The room was clean and neat. Property was decorated nicely. Unfortunately, the heat was broken and had a portable plug in and heard a lot of street noise

Self

6/10

Pleasant

30 Mar 2026

E Shanice

Heat didn’t work at all, we had to request space heater which I guess is fine. Bathrooms are really small, sink is the height for a toddler, the shower curtains are short, water gets everywhere! Tv barely works, only certain channels 1-3 at most. It doesn’t allow for screen cast, but other than that, it was just ok.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Mar 2026

Tyler

My room was clean and housekeeping was very meticulous in their upkeep of the room. The front desk staff was also very professional. It’s convenient to have the coffee shop and restaurants downstairs, as well. The main downsides were the lack of a gym in the hotel and the sometimes loud street noise coming from 23rd street. If you can, ask for a room that doesn’t face 23rd unless you are a very deep sleeper!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

28 Mar 2026

Heather

Staff is great and location is easy to get around town.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

28 Mar 2026

Jill

The check in staff was courteous. The room was clean and had cool decor.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

28 Mar 2026

JOANNE

The rooms were roomy and comfortable. I would prefer the ability to have tea or coffee in the room or available with a call.
The bathroom sink was too tiny to be useful and the shower pressure too light to wash my long hair. One day there was only tempid water.
But the location was good.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Mar 2026

Naomi

Great vibe

10/10

Exceptional

26 Mar 2026

Brooke

Great location, beautiful hotel. Italian restaurant jus opened next door, will def stay again.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Mar 2026

Sarah

The room was

8/10

Excellent

25 Mar 2026

Courtney

Hotel is charming and staff are wonderful. Lighting in room is poor and some lights were broken.

Family

4/10

Poor

24 Mar 2026

Koushik

So many basics missing: lotion in the room, drinking water cups in the room, etc. Would not stay again

10/10

Exceptional

23 Mar 2026

Claudio

We very much so enjoyed our stay at the freehand hotel. The staff are excellent people and extremely welcoming and supportive. They will give you great directions and help you at a 10 out of 10 level. The restaurant is fantastic with excellent food and amazing staff. They make good drinks and very good pizza. The hours can become a little bit tricky at the restaurant because coming back from an event I would like to enjoy a drink. . The hours can become a little bit tricky at the restaurant because coming back from event I would like to enjoy a drink or more food so they should maybe just keep it open a little bit longer. Overall this hotel experience was at six out of 10 it does. It needs a lot better value for the amount of money that I am paying I would just like to re-say it was a totally fine experience with great people however it was very loud at night time. It’s not ideal spot to stay. It is quieter than other regions. However, it’s extremely loud and the room the windows were a little bit dirty and so is the floor and it smelled very bad and it was here in the drain. That is why I read the freehand hotel in New York City is six out of 10.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Mar 2026

Michael

We had a fantastic time, Close to great shopping, trains, it's a great location.
The staff are really great, low stress, willing to help with any issues, Loves our time in NYC will definitely return!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Mar 2026

Elizabeth

Front desk staff was so friendly and accommodating. Can’t wait to come back. Also the water pressure in the shower was incredible!!!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

22 Mar 2026

Ann Marie

Efficient room but great work/social area and excellent bar and coffee spot.

Business

8/10

Excellent

22 Mar 2026

Yvette

Buena ubicacion y segura,

Friends

8/10

Excellent

22 Mar 2026

AXEL

Very clean and cozy… great people vibe… very convenient and centric location.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Mar 2026

Nichole

Very cool hotel and unique

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Mar 2026

Anne

Fun place to stay in NYC.

8/10

Excellent

19 Mar 2026

Sam

Clean, quiet, stylish. Comfortable mattress, rain shower head, well thought out layout and furnishings in the room. Very pretty common areas.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

19 Mar 2026

Michael

All was fine.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

18 Mar 2026

Pol

Uncomfortable mattress. Also, got charged $120 for “facility fees”? That was for “three bottles of water, internet, etc”.

10/10

Exceptional

17 Mar 2026

George

A spacious room and shower in Manhattan?? Had me there, but clean facility, friendly staff, voucher for the restaurant/bar, happy hour and free breakfast make this place a 5/5. I'll be back.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

17 Mar 2026

Mita

Nice room. Incredibly helpful staff

8/10

Excellent

16 Mar 2026

James

Nice hotel. Great location. Comfortable and quiet room. Good bar and convenient cafe for breakfast.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Mar 2026

Ellen

Such a cute hotel with so much charm. The bathroom is tiny, but doable. Great location, bed was comfortable and our triple room was a bit spacious for NYC, rooftop bar had great views of the city. We will stay here again!

10/10

Exceptional

16 Mar 2026

Marina

Staff is great, convenient location. The rooms were very good and clean, my only note is the bathroom was a little bit small.

Self

8/10

Excellent

16 Mar 2026

Michael

This is a very quirky property. I’m not sure what it was before, but someone told us it’s a converted youth hostel. A few oddities: all of the furniture in the room is Lilliputian-sized. We joked it had been taken from a Kindergarten. Our heating/air conditioning didn’t work properly, one night it just never came on. The night it did work, there was a very bright green light on the thermostat, which, given its placement, was quite disturbing for sleeping. The shower is interesting - great water pressure, but I couldn’t find a reasonable temperature, it was always scalding hot. And the light above the shower was possessed - it went on and off randomly. There is virtually nowhere to put toiletries in the bathroom - they provide a stool under the sink, but stack it with your towels. One positive is the lovely bar and lounge area on the second floor - although again, the furniture is very small and low to the ground.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

14 Mar 2026

Rita

Friendly service, clean rooms and convenient location to all attractions.

10/10

Exceptional

13 Mar 2026

Michael

we had an awesome time at the Freehand. Close to restaurants, shops, and many attractions and the Underground railway.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

13 Mar 2026

Matthew

It's a bit tired and worn.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

12 Mar 2026

Brooke

My friends and I stayed in the two bunk room and were pleasantly surprised by this hotel for the price. Staff was friendly and helpful, the room was spacious enough for 4 girls, and the beds were surprisingly comfy. I would definitely stay here again and would recommend to anyone coming to the city!

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

11 Mar 2026

David

Reasonable price (for Manhattan) for a corner room. Nice location near 6 train. Friendly staff.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Mar 2026

Noah

Beautiful hotel in a quiet (for Manhattan) area. The room was spacious and cozy. Really enjoyed the cafe in the hotel, and 2nd floor bar and lounge area. Would definitely stay here again.

Friends

8/10

Excellent

11 Mar 2026

Zachary

Cool hotel. Friendly staff. Comfortable. Excellent water pressure. Awesome location. My only issue was that the room was a bit worn out. None of the power / usb outlets in the bunkbeds really worked (all were loose and anything plugged in would just fall out). Some lights would flicker, and one bulb on the ceiling was missing a cover. Minor issues. Overall a lovely place to stay!

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

10 Mar 2026

India

Great location, wonderful bar on second floor, lots of character, and friendly staff! Great price point for all that you get!

Friends_and_family Friends

6/10

Pleasant

10 Mar 2026

Linda

The bathroom was exceptionally small with the sink only 2 1/2 feet high so you need to bend over significantly to wash. Also the shelf extends 5 inches over the sink so you can't fully place your face over the sink. In addition, the elevator compressor hummed all night so I did not get a restful sleep. Otherwise the room was adequate for a short stay. Price and location are ideal.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

10 Mar 2026

Aaron

Great property and location

8/10

Excellent

08 Mar 2026

Nichole

Everything about this property from the location to the amenities and the cleanliness were fantastic. However, the walls are paper thin in that I heard every door that slammed & even heard the shower running next door. To be fair, there was an event/party that night, with guests who happened to be on my floor. And if not for that, I would give 5/5 stars.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

08 Mar 2026

Scott

Hotel is so unique and trendy! Smaller sized rooms, but that’s the charm! Decorated in a fun and unique way! Staff was so helpful. We needed a fan for white noise to sleep, they weren’t sure they had one. 10 minutes later the maintenance man knocked at our door with a brand new fan for us! Great location! Great hotel! Can’t wait until we can stay at freehand once again!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

08 Mar 2026

Chris

Great spot, safe, clean. I would stay here again.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

08 Mar 2026

George

Excellent, friendly, helpful, very clean, rooms very comfortable, bathrooms small but sparkling clean...a big person might have to maneuver a bit!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

06 Mar 2026

Malia

The rooms are charming. This was my first time in midtown. I loved the convenience to the subway and the overall decor and theme of the hotel. The price was cheaper around Christmas time, would definitely return back.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

05 Mar 2026

Noelle

Great locat

8/10

Excellent

05 Mar 2026

Rachel

Really enjoyed parts of the hotel stay. Location and bar were awesome. Loud sirens and activity were rough. Couldn’t sleep.

Partner