Theater lovers are starry-eyed over this Broadway-themed hotel

Did family members lack creativity this holiday season, bestowing you with cold, hard cash? View it as a Broadway blessing, and take advantage of one of the most affordable times to travel to New York City. 

The Theater District envelops Times Square and sits adjacent to Hell’s Kitchen, which pulses with nearly 20 queer bars and clubs within walking distance. But where will you lay your head for those brief hours when you’re not chasing down the city’s best slice of pizza, dashing into the theater, or catching a drag show?

Civilian Hotel, a 27-story hotel with 203 rooms, provides intimate quarters in the City That Never Sleeps, while its highly theatrical design offers plenty of wow factor, memorabilia, and hidden gems among the public spaces.

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Conceived by hotelier Jason Pomeranc and designed by architect David Rockwell (also known for his scenic designs, including the recent revival of Take Me Out and Kinky Boots), Civilian is all drama in the best sense. Located on 47th Street and 8th Avenue, catching a Broadway show is merely minutes away, even if you’re enjoying happy hour at The Dickens, a multi-floor gay bar ideal for pre-show craft cocktails. 

Rooms at Civilian Hotel permeate with a vintage vibe. (Where’s Fanny Brice and her trunk of hats?) Deeply saturated accent colors like midnight blue and carmine red evoke Broadway’s lavish houses. While the square footage may not be as spacious as five-star accommodations, the attention to detail compensates for the cozy footprint. 

See and be seen

Where Civilian Hotel earns its standing ovation is its public spaces. Instagram-worthy artwork, collectibles, and theater designs permeate the space, so if your date is a dud, merely scan the walls for a vicarious trip to the Tonys. 

Rosevale Kitchen on the ground floor offers street views as pedestrians dash by, but head to the second-floor cocktail room for a more distinct vibe and a chance to pursue the collection. A high ceiling, exposed brick, and an intimate bar adorned with Broadway production photos set the stage for craft cocktails and light bites.

Head around the corner to the secluded Blue Room and adjacent glass-enclosed terrace, where you’ll discover a revolving collection of theater props, costumes, and objets d’art — an ongoing collaboration with The American Theater Wing. 

City views beckon (New Jersey, too, if you’re into that) at Starchild, Civilian Hotel’s rooftop bar, which features a retractable roof and glass-enclosed space to appreciate the skyline no matter what time of year and a custom Funktion-One sound system for surround sound of house, funk, soul, and disco. 

Throughout its public spaces, Civilian Hotel features more than 350 pieces of art that represent a century of Broadway history, including 41 custom sconces, each featuring a sketch of a Broadway theatre, illustrations by award-winning theater designers, including Clint Ramos and David Zinn, and archival photos from the New York Public Library that offer a behind-the-scenes look at the evolution of a Broadway show.

Drama beyond Civilian Hotel

Looking for even more drama? Check out these tips:

Broadway Week: Each January, Broadway goes budget-friendly. Well, at least relatively. Two-for-one tickets are available for some of our favorite shows, including Sweeney Todd,  Kimberly Akimbo, and & Juliet. Discounts for 2024 run January 16-February 4.

Museum of Broadway: Located just two blocks south of Civilian Hotel on 45th Street, the Museum of Broadway offers an immersive, kaleidoscopic look at Broadway’s history. Theater fans could spend hours among the costumes, design elements, and historical artifacts that trace New York City’s theater legacy from the 1700s to today. 

Off-Broadway is on fire: Plenty of shows find their homes in smaller spaces, putting audiences closer to the action and often offering more cutting-edge themes. The Queer New York International Arts Festival (February 7-17) showcases a global line-up of LGBTQ+ artists, and the downtown venue puts you in the perfect position to visit legendary New York City spots like The Stonewall Inn, Julius’, and Marie’s Crisis, home of show tune sing-a-longs.

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