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Despite the very real possibility that New York City's beaches could remain closed this summer, Rockaway Beach is getting a brand-new luxury hotel that boasts a short, one-minute walk to the ocean.
The Rockaway Hotel, by IGC Hospitality and 7G Realty, is a 84,000 square-foot hotel with 53 guest rooms and eight long-stay residences that all have an Atlantic Ocean or Jamaica Bay view from its place on 108th Street and Rockaway Beach Boulevard.
Set to open in "Summer 2020," according to its website, online bookings aren't open until August for rooms that are currently priced between $250 and $475.
The hotel, which will "usher in a new wave of visitors to the destination," according to the hotel, has a 25-foot-by-40-foot heated pool that you can sip cocktails and snack at (it may be one of the only pools open since all public pools will be closed); a 6,000-square-foot rooftop bar; a restaurant called Margie's with 88 seats that serves American dishes with a twist for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner from chef Jeff Haskell; a street-side coffee shop called Greenhouse Cafe; as well as a spa and sauna.
Guests will have shopping, a surf school and other water activities, bird watching, access to bikes and live entertainment at their fingertips, the hotel says.
Designed by Curious Yellow and Morris Adjmi Architects, the building's inspiration comes from the surrounding "beach bungalow" community, incorporating elements from porches, clapboard and cedar exteriors as well as teak, linen, wool, leather and rattan inside to create an eclectic, retro and calming atmosphere throughout the hotel.
"With an upscale yet unpretentious design, inspiring artwork and a nearby surf break known around the world, The Rockaway Hotel will be the new go-to spot to stay and hang out in the Rockaways," Jon Krasner of 7G said in a statement. "Visiting Rockaway Beach is a right of passage for New Yorkers and we look forward to introducing the Rockaways to travelers from around the world."
The hotel’s public spaces and guest rooms will feature a rotating selection of artwork from local and internationally renowned artists. There are custom lights by artists Sam Stewart, commissioned works from Zoe Buckman, Hannah Whitaker and Kennedy Yanko, as well as featured artworks from Derrick Adams, Roe Ethridge and Herbie Fletcher.
It will also sponsor a virtual public art installation by Nancy Baker Cahill set to launch on July 4th, called The Liberty Bell Project, and it will sponsor and collaborate on a mural in September at the seaside playground, "The Big Yard."
We're just crossing our fingers the beach will be open.
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