Search

Destination Design: Yotel

This past May when I was staying in NYC for ICFF, I went past the Yotel and its groovy exterior a few times. I didn’t know it was a brand new hotel, but I just found out that it just opened this past June. It looks like a unique place to stay and affordable enough that I might try it out next year!

The interiors are very Karim Rashid-esque but with more of a club vibe. Kind of like a disco airplane. Hotel check-in and check-out are done like an airport self-service kiosk, assisted by the Yotel crew. Each room is even called a “cabin,” but you can expect a decent amount of leg room.

In case you’ve checked out and don’t want to tote your luggage around all day long, enjoy while their giant robotic arm, called Yobot, stores your luggage in a secure bar-coded bin.

There are some seriously fancy glowing elevators that take you up to the concierge desk, AKA Mission Control. The hotel also offers 20,000 square feet of interconnected public spaces with food and beverages, free Wi-Fi, and other activities.

There’s a funky lounge, a leisurely terrace with bamboo trees, a restaurant, and StudioYO – a flexible event space for yoga, seminars, or private events.

The NYC location has 15 First Class Cabins and three VIP 2 Cabin Suites. Some even come with private outdoor terraces and hot tubs, and are strategically located throughout the hotel to ensure optimal views of Manhattan.

The beds convert to a sofa with the flick of a switch for more floor space, and each room offers rain showers for ultimate relaxation. Plus, a 32″ flatscreen TV with an MP3 connector so that you can play your own music through the TV speakers.

Not only is there a Yotel in NYC, but there are a few other locations: London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Amsterdam Schiphol.

Are you packed yet?

What: Yotel
Where: 570 Tenth Avenue, New York, NY 10036 (map it)
How much: The hotel’s introductory rate in NYC starts at $149/night through Labor Day. Then rates will start at $200/night.
Highlights: Each “cabin” comes with a moving bed, free Wi-Fi, and luxury amenities. Very close to Times Square and the Javits Center so you’re right in the center of all the action. Plus, I’d like to mention the 24-hour CVS across the street has saved me from late-night starvation on more than one occasion. Yotel has other locations in London and Amsterdam.
Design draw: Neon! Cool airport-style auto check-in/check-out, a luggage-handling robot, aerodynamic room designs, and super city views.
Book it: yotel.com

Photos courtesy of Yotel.

Go virtually on vacation with more design destinations right here.

Jaime Derringer, Founder + Executive Editor of Design Milk, is a Jersey girl living in SoCal. She dreams about funky, artistic jewelry + having enough free time to enjoy some of her favorite things—running, reading, making music, and drawing.