Davey Wavey’s take on The Out NYC Hotel!

As someone that spends quite a bit of time in NYC, I was admittedly a bit excited to try The Out NYC—which is billed as the first “straight-friendly hotel and entertainment complex in New York City.”

On a quiet but central block in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, The Out definitely stands out. Its three-story minimalist façade stands in contrast to the towering behemoths that define the city’s skyline.
The hotel’s lobby is modern, sleek and ultra white. Standing in it, despite my oversized tank top and jorts (it’s what the kids call jean shorts), I felt expensive. That’s no small feat.

After checking in, I made my way through the hotel’s maze of corridors. It’s surprisingly vast—and, though I was skeptical, it really did feel like a resort. To achieve this effect, the hotel’s designers built their rooms around three separate courtyards. One is a sundeck with hot tubs, another is an Astroturf lawn darted with oversized beanbag chairs and yet another is a bamboo forest. With overtones of Palm Springs, it’s a unique property to find in Manhattan.

The accommodations range from sleep share to suites—and most rooms are in the mid $200-range. Because they’re decorated so nicely, and because they make such good use of space, you hardly notice their compact size. While your room may not have a closet, you might be delighted to discover a massive mirror for your headboard—and an even larger mirror running the full length of your shower’s wall. Indeed, it’s a fabulous place to get laid.

Though the hotel claims to be “straight-friendly,” the reality is that most guests—or, at least the ones that I saw out and about in the hotel—are gay. Despite not encountering any hotel room doors propped open and moaning men inside, the hotel—truth be told—does feel a bit like a bathhouse. But in the best way possible. There is a certain air of sexual energy and excitement—so straights be warned.

The hotel also has a restaurant that’s too cool for vowels. KTCHN has upscale American food, and is currently open for dinner. It was decent and not overly pricey—though I’d recommend venturing out and eating in the surrounding neighborhood for a better meal.

For the more adventurous, The Out NYC is also home to XL—a hot nightclub with 14,000 square feet of high-tech party space. Seven nights a week, XL has events and performances promoted by club legend John Blair.

If you’re looking for something different—and especially if you’re visiting NYC during the summer—a trip to The Out NYC is definitely one of the many NYC hotels worth considering.

For more on The Out NYC, read our blog post profiling the beautiful property.