Faena’s Eccentric Triumph Arrives on Manhattan’s High Line

Alan Faena has unveiled his third namesake hotel in Manhattan, injecting bold theatricality and exuberance into the Chelsea skyline. Faena New York officially opened on 9 September 2025 at 500 West 18th Street, adjacent to the High Line. The lobby—described by the hotelier as “a cathedral”—features a vast mural by Diego Gravinese depicting a mythical Colossal Woman emerging from an ocean vortex, alongside a glowing gold-leaf spiral staircase, setting the tone for an exuberant stay that embraces both 1980s flair and contemporary energy.

The Faena’s Eccentric Triumph—as the opening has been called—reflects the hotel’s mission to offer more than lodging. Its design balances high drama with community-minded warmth, aiming to serve an inclusive cross-section of New Yorkers rather than a narrow elite. Alan Faena, quietly outspoken and self-effacing, sees the space as hallowed ground for connection, not self-celebration.

Faena New York joins the brand’s flagship in Buenos Aires and its Miami Beach outpost, expanding Faena’s global artistic hospitality footprint. This Manhattan edition spans ten floors and features 120 rooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling windows that frame sweeping views of the city or Hudson River, with select suites offering private terraces.

Wellness is integral to the hotel experience. Guests now have access to Tierra Santa Healing House, a spa inspired by South American rituals and designed to evoke renewal. Culinary and nightlife offerings include La Cava—a wine-cellar hideaway—The Living Room lounge, the speakeasy El Secreto, and La Boca, chef Francis Mallmann’s first New York restaurant featuring live-fire cooking.

Alan Faena previewed the hotel’s concept to guests in March 2025, positioning it not merely as a design object, but as an evolving cultural platform within a burgeoning global hospitality network that includes expansions to Tulum, São Paulo, and Saudi Arabia.

The hotel occupies Bjarke Ingels Group’s striking One High Line building, a twisted travertine structure that both anchors and complements Chelsea’s contemporary architectural landscape.