Hotels With a Rooftop Bar in NYC: Where to Look

Rooftop one: The Refinery

Find it at 63 West 38th Street. Hat makers used to work here. The building dates to 1912 and is now a hotel. Inside there’s a bar. Outside, a deck. Then there’s a space under a retractable glass roof, with the Empire State Building right there. Want a casual drink with a skyline? Done. Bryant Park and Times Square? A short stroll. Check hours and reservations before you climb up.

Rooftop two: The Knickerbocker

John Jacob Astor IV built the original, which opened in 1906 at Broadway and 42nd Street. Years as offices followed. Now it’s a hotel again, at 6 Times Square, and the rooftop bar is St. Cloud, way above the crowds. Perfect for show night. The theaters are a short walk. Hours, dress rules and reservations shift, so ask. See our hotels near Broadway theaters page too.

Which one?

Times Square and the theaters? Knickerbocker. Midtown South, near Bryant Park and the Empire State Building? Refinery. Rather have a classic drink in an old lobby? Read about famous hotel bars and our historic hotels guide. Still picking an area? We’ve got where to stay in NYC and Times Square hotels.

The noise

Rooftop bars can be loud. Weekends are crowded. If you want sleep, ask for a lower floor, away from the bar. Just stopping up for one drink? Go early, because lines build fast.

Book it

Prices first: the hotel search page. Then lay out the trip in the trip planner and grab a table through the food map.

How to Plan Hotels With a Rooftop Bar in NYC: Rates, Subway Access, and Seasonal Timing

When researching hotel with rooftop bar nyc and planning around Hotels With a Rooftop Bar in NYC, comparing block-by-block walkability, express subway connections, and seasonal rate shifts helps you get the most out of every day in New York City. Across Midtown & Fifth Avenue and neighboring Manhattan and Brooklyn corridors, nightly hotel prices and ticket demand fluctuate with Broadway schedules, midweek corporate conventions at the Javits Center, and holiday travel peaks. Reviewing our NYC hotel prices by month guide alongside our where to stay in NYC neighborhood breakdown makes it easy to spot high-value travel weeks before you lock in your itinerary.

Comparing Neighborhood Walkability and Express Transit Around Hotels With a Rooftop Bar in NYC

Transit proximity matters just as much as the nightly room rate when moving between Midtown landmarks, museum mornings near Central Park, and evening dinner reservations in Downtown Manhattan. Choosing a hotel within a five-to-eight-minute walk of an express subway station—such as the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, A, C, E, B, D, F, M, or N, Q, R, W lines—saves both commute time and taxi fares. Travelers arriving via JFK Airport, LaGuardia Airport, or Newark Liberty International Airport should also check how directly their route connects to New York Penn Station, Moynihan Train Hall, or Grand Central Terminal when carrying luggage.

Booking Windows, Refundable Room Rates, and Total Stay Value in New York City

Before finalizing any reservation in New York, always inspect the all-in nightly price including New York City hotel occupancy taxes and any mandatory property or destination fees. Booking a flexible, refundable rate 30 to 45 days ahead lets you secure a proven room in a prime location and re-check live inventory two weeks before check-in if unsold Manhattan rooms drop in price. Pairing smart neighborhood selection with early morning arrival times ensures a smooth, stress-free New York City experience in every season.

Travelers who compare weekday corporate rates against weekend leisure pricing across Midtown Manhattan, Chelsea, SoHo, and the Upper West Side routinely save fifteen to twenty-five percent on comparable four-star rooms.

If your flight or train arrives hours before standard three o-clock check-in, nearly every full-service New York hotel bell desk will store your bags free of charge so you can start exploring Central Park, Fifth Avenue, or the High Line right away.

For families and small groups sharing a room, requesting a higher floor away from street-facing elevators and confirming whether two queen beds or a sofa sleeper are guaranteed in writing prevents surprises at the front desk.

Using contactless OMNY tap-to-pay at subway turnstiles and crosstown buses also caps your weekly transit spend automatically, making it simple to ride between Uptown museums, Broadway theaters, and Brooklyn waterfront parks without buying paper farecards.

Whether you are visiting New York City for a quick forty-eight-hour weekend getaway or a full week of sightseeing, balancing iconic observation decks and Broadway shows with unhurried neighborhood walks through Greenwich Village, the West Village, and DUMBO creates a memorable trip.

During peak autumn foliage weeks in October and the December holiday season around Rockefeller Center, reserving timed-entry observation deck tickets and pre-theater dinner tables ten to fourteen days in advance saves hours of waiting in line.

Visitors staying in Midtown East, Murray Hill, or near Grand Central Terminal also.

Common questions