Times Square’s Next Hotel Comes With a Free-Fall Thrill Ride

A new hotel planned for Times Square is leaning hard into spectacle. The StandardX Times Square is described as a 1,800-key property that is set to open in the second half of 2028, making it one of the larger hotels on the drawing board for midtown Manhattan.

The amenities are the headline. Plans include an enclosed free-fall thrill ride, an observation deck more than 1,000 feet above Manhattan, and a rooftop pool. Together they push the hotel closer to an attraction in its own right than a place that simply offers a bed for the night.

The brand is a small one. So far there is only one The StandardX in the world, located in Melbourne, which means the Times Square property would be the first in the United States and a major test of how the concept scales in a far larger market.

With opening still roughly two years away, details such as room rates, ride pricing and whether the observation deck will be open to non-guests have not been spelled out in the reporting. Travelers eyeing a stay will need to watch for announcements closer to the opening date.

Sources: Euronews