Civilian is a new Times Square hotel from Jason Pomeranc, founder of the Sixty Collective, designed by David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group. Its 203 charming and well-appointed rooms are inspired by the hotel’s location in the heart of the Theatre District and feature high-tech digital systems. Each red-or-blue themed guest room boasts fun design accents, luxurious linens, and tactile fabrics and curated artwork and amenities showcasing Broadway artists. The hotel’s public areas include a restaurant, garden, guest lounge, library and a rooftop bar with striking views of the city.
We spoke with Civilian general manager, David Lopez, to learn more about what makes this property special.
What’s the most requested room at the property?
Our Cozy Queen room has quickly become our bestseller. The room is well appointed and uniquely stylish and elegant.
What makes it so special?
The aesthetic is inspired by vintage theatre dressing rooms with each one punctuated by rich, bold colors, luxurious linens and tactile fabrics creating a jewel box effect. The rooms also feature sweeping views of the city.
What’s the nightly rate?
Starting at $169 per night.
A guest room at Civilian
What’s your personal favorite room?
My personal favorite is our Spacious Queen room. It has all of the same elegant design features of the Cozy Queen that I love, but with additional space offering even more comfortability.
What’s an interesting tidbit about the hotel that speaks to its status as an icon?
Our crown jewel is our Library also known as The Blue Room, aptly named for its entirely royal blue walls, ceiling, and leather and velvet banquettes. Here we house exclusive memorabilia from iconic Broadway shows such as props from the original Hamilton production, Moulin Rouge, Kinky Boots and Company. These artefacts have been thoughtfully curated by David Rockwell and Hamilton’s award-winning costume designers, Paul Tazewell.
What’s a special perk or amenity that you offer?
We have a great cocktail program at the hotel, but a special element of this is that it also features one of the largest vermouth selections in the city—perfect to check out if you’re a big vermouth drinker or want to explore something different. We also offer a selection of shortbread directly imported from Edinburgh—where the cookie originated—that are also delicious.
What’s your favorite design element on property?
Our exposed brick accents are my favorite part of the property. The façade shows off these huge archways from our second floor terrace, which gives the building an old-school New York charm, while still being steps away from the hustle-and-bustle of Broadway and Times Square.
How about one more fun fact about the property?
Something really great that we do is our curated and rotating Broadway-focused art program, from which we donate a portion of our proceeds to the American Theatre Wing to help in its mission of supporting creatives affected by Covid-19. It’s really important to us to give back to the Broadway community who inspired the hotel and continue to give so much to our community.
