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The Whitby Hotel
New York City, New York, United States · Firmdale Hotels · Apex Luxury
The Whitby opened in February 2017 at 18 West 56th Street, built from the ground up as Firmdale's second New York hotel, on a quiet Midtown side street two blocks south of Central Park and a few minutes' walk from the Museum of Modern Art. Its 86 rooms carry Kit Kemp's signature mix of pattern and color, and MICHELIN gave it Three Keys in 2025, the same as Crosby Street Hotel.
- 86 rooms
- Opened 2017
- Neighborhood: Midtown
- Interiors: Kit Kemp
About The Whitby Hotel
- The Whitby sits two blocks south of Central Park and within a few minutes' walk of the Museum of Modern Art, which shapes the cultural gravity of its block.
History
The Whitby Hotel opened in February 2017 at 18 West 56th Street in Midtown Manhattan, built from the ground up as Firmdale Hotels' second New York property. Stonehill & Taylor, the architecture firm that had designed Firmdale's Crosby Street Hotel in SoHo, returned for the project, this time creating an 18-story limestone facade that takes its cues from the elegance of nearby Fifth Avenue while incorporating the large steel-framed Crittall windows that have become a signature of Firmdale buildings. Flintlock Construction Services served as contractor for the 97,000-square-foot structure, whose excavation created three levels of below-grade programming — one of the deepest digs undertaken in that stretch of Midtown. The below-ground floors house a 99-seat Dolby-certified theater and function spaces.
The Whitby sits two blocks south of Central Park and within a few minutes' walk of the Museum of Modern Art, which shapes the cultural gravity of its block. Kit Kemp's interiors translate her vivid, layered British-boutique aesthetic into the language of an art-forward Midtown address: the 86 rooms and suites are individually designed with floor-to-ceiling windows and Kemp's characteristic density of commissioned artworks, textiles, and bold color. The Whitby Bar, with its celebrated bird-cage chandelier, and the adjacent Orangery — a glass-enclosed extension with a vaulted skylight — serve as the hotel's social heart. Several suite balconies and terraces create the Whitby's distinctive stepped silhouette as the building rises from street level.
The hotel was named a finalist at the 2018 NYCxDESIGN Awards and won the Best Suite category at the 2018 AHEAD Awards. In 2025 Michelin awarded the Whitby Three Keys, the same recognition given to the Crosby Street Hotel, confirming the pair as the highest-rated properties in the Firmdale New York portfolio.
The setting
The Whitby Hotel anchors West 56th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Midtown, on a quiet side street that belies the density of landmarks surrounding it. Central Park is a five-minute walk, the Museum of Modern Art and Rockefeller Center each seven minutes on foot — a trifecta of culture, retail, and parkland that drew Firmdale Hotels to this address. The surrounding corridor evolved from Gilded Age mansion territory into Manhattan's preeminent luxury hospitality enclave, where the concentration of landmark hotels along Central Park South and Fifth Avenue is unmatched in the Western Hemisphere, offering the discreet character of a boutique English townhouse in the city's most sought-after neighborhood.
Restaurants and bars
- The Whitby Bar & Restaurant — Restaurant · All-day menu of seasonal ingredients and fresh, modern Europ
Experiences
- Kit Kemp Design Thread Afternoon Tea — Vibrant, imaginative afternoon tea served at The Whitby Bar & Restaurant, available daily.
- Jazz & Oysters at The Whitby Bar — Friday evening event at The Whitby Bar with the new Sailor's Farewell Oyster Bar menu and live jazz by The Sam Taylor Trio.
- Calligraphy Workshop with Stephanie Fishwick — Intimate calligraphy workshop with Stephanie Fishwick, paired with the design-inspired afternoon tea.
- Voices of New York — Every Saturday at The Whitby Bar, a vocalist-focused series featuring new and established New York artists.
Amenities
- Fitness center
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN Three Keys (2026)
- AHEAD Americas Suite (2018)
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