In New York City, your favorite restaurant is the dining room you do not have. A crowded subway car passes for your psychologist’s office—it’s where you can cry in peace. Hotel lobbies can double as home offices, although not all are made equal for such tasks as ploughing through your inbox or taking a meeting that was initially meant to be dinner, became drinks, and is now a coffee date that still needs to feel “nice.”
As someone who has worked remotely for the past few years, I take pride in keeping a running list of lobbies with private-feeling nooks, comfortable couches, decent Wi-Fi, and an ambient noise level that doesn’t make it impossible to hear yourself think. It’s a surprisingly rare combination of factors, especially because some hotels lean into their lobby’s role as a post-work drinks hangout or a buzzy date night spot. Others clearly don’t want people lingering in the lobby at all. (I won’t name names, but if you’ve ever seen a lobby sparsely decorated with two wood-backed chairs and a tiny marble coffee table, you know what I mean.)
Most staff at the spots on this list are perfectly happy and aware that not everyone who hangs out in the lobby is a hotel guest, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some unspoken rules: First, order something—whether that’s an espresso or two, a snack, or a cocktail—every hour or so you’re in the space, and tip like you would at a restaurant. Don’t take a Zoom call, or any call longer than five minutes or so. And lastly, accept your fate in the game of outlet roulette and refrain from bothering other guests with your charging cord. It’s not their fault you didn’t plan ahead. Here’s a list of five hotel lobbies in NYC perfect for working in.
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It’s easy to see why this sleek, midcentury modern-inspired lobby in the heart of downtown Brooklyn location gets so busy—it’s as comfortable as it is fashionable. Bring headphones if you need to get in the zone, and grab a spot at the long communal table studded with outlets and reading lamps; the Wi-Fi is fast and reliable, and the coffee counter has above-average cold brew. The sunroom adjacent to the lobby is a perfect place to take calls without disrupting your neighbors, but the environment here is generally more social than other spots on this list, making it more ideal for coffee meetings than extended work sessions.
