IHG’s Crowne Plaza brand has opened a new flagship hotel in Manhattan, right in the heart of Times Square. The 22-story property, called Crowne Plaza Manhattan Times Square, offers 685 guestrooms with city views and sits close to Rockefeller Center, the Broadway Theater District, and Central Park. The building itself has some history behind it, too, since it was originally constructed for the 1964 New York World’s Fair.
The hotel was developed by Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Company, known as ARTIC, and will be managed by Highgate. Tarek M. El Sayed, Managing Director and CEO of ARTIC, said the goal was to transform the landmark property while still holding onto its original character. He also pointed to the United States as a key market for the company going forward, noting plans to keep investing in existing properties while looking for new opportunities.
What’s Inside?
The hotel includes a bar and restaurant called Fifty-First Street Social, meant to be a spot for everything from morning coffee to evening cocktails. A 24/7 marketplace offers grab-and-go food and travel essentials for guests short on time. There are also multiple meeting and event spaces for business travelers, including a smaller area called The Studio for more focused sessions.
A few other features round out the property:
- The Manhattan Level, located on the upper floors, with expansive suites and skyline views
- The Broadway Suite, a 22nd-floor penthouse with its own terrace
- Large-scale murals and artwork by artist Tiago Magro throughout the property
- Weekly Socials and Daily Rituals programming, featuring food, drink, and wellness touches tied to the destination
Ginger Taggart, Vice President of Brand Management for Global Premium Brands at IHG Hotels & Resorts, described the opening as a defining moment for Crowne Plaza. She said, “Guided by our New Modern design philosophy, every aspect of the traveler experience has been thoughtfully developed to meet the needs of today’s blended traveler—from flexible social spaces and elevated food and beverage offerings to signature experiences that are truly tailored to what the next generation of guests expect.”
Part of a Larger Push
Crowne Plaza now operates more than 400 hotels worldwide, with close to 150 more in the pipeline. The brand says roughly half of its global portfolio is either newly built or recently renovated, and this New York property adds to that count. IHG expects Crowne Plaza to add more than 36,000 rooms in the coming years, which would grow its overall footprint by more than a third.
The Times Square opening also comes as IHG continues to lean into the idea of blended travel, a term the company uses to describe guests who combine work trips with personal time.
