Times Square is about to get a lot more interesting. Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Extell Development Company have unveiled plans for The StandardX Times Square, a massive 1,800-room hotel at 255 West 45th Street, right in the heart of Manhattan's Theatre District. The property is expected to open in the second half of 2028, and it's not just a place to sleep. Guests will find an enclosed free-fall thrill ride high above the city, an observation deck more than 1,000 feet (around 305 meters) above Manhattan, a rooftop pool, and a rooftop bar and lounge.
This will be the first StandardX hotel in North America. Extell is the New York developer behind landmark towers like Central Park Tower and One57, as well as the W Hotel Times Square. The building at 255 West 45th Street will combine hospitality, dining, and entertainment, and it promises to change the city's skyline. The project is a one-off flagship, not a template for future StandardX openings, according to Hyatt.
The StandardX is the younger, more irreverent sibling of The Standard. That brand was founded in 1999 and has flagship hotels in New York, London, and Bangkok, plus European addresses in Brussels and Ibiza. The idea behind the spin-off is simple: keep what makes a Standard hotel special and drop the rest. Rooms are simpler and service more relaxed, but the brand's design sense and attitude remain intact. The hotel serves as a base, while the surrounding neighborhood is the real attraction.
There is only one StandardX so far, in Melbourne's creative Fitzroy district. The 125-room boutique hotel has a rooftop, several dining options, and a busy events calendar that ranges from wine tastings to DJ sets. The format is designed to connect travelers with local life instead of keeping them inside the hotel. Times Square works on a very different scale, and Hyatt presents the new hotel as a one-off flagship, not a template for future StandardX openings. Its design will reflect New York's theatrical character, with bold colors, sculptural shapes, and unexpected touches. The guestrooms will be expressive but uncomplicated. The public spaces will bring together design, music, and the social energy The Standard is known for.
Restaurants, bars, and nightlife venues will run from street level to the top of the building, and they are meant to attract New Yorkers as well as hotel guests. The aim is to bring the cultural spirit of The Standard, High Line and The Standard, East Village to a very different part of the city. Details on the dining and nightlife concepts and on creative collaborations will be announced later.
For Amar Lalvani, Chief Creative Officer at Hyatt, The StandardX takes The Standard's core idea of being part of the city and makes it simpler and easier to access. “Usually, that means putting people in the middle of an interesting neighborhood, with everything happening right outside the door. In Times Square, a lot of it will be happening right inside the building,” he said. “I love that. It's energetic, theatrical and completely over the top. We want to embrace that, have some fun with it, and create something that could only happen in New York. And only right there.”
If you're planning a trip to New York around the opening, keep an eye on your travel budget. Brits won't give up holidays, they're just getting smarter about them, and that might mean waiting for the hype to settle before booking a room. For now, the free-fall ride and the observation deck are enough to make Times Square a destination in itself, even for locals who usually avoid it.
The hotel's scale is unprecedented for the brand, and it's a bold bet on the future of Times Square. With 1,800 rooms and a free-fall ride above the city, it's set to be a landmark. The 2028 opening gives travelers plenty of time to plan a visit. Whether you're a thrill-seeker or just want a drink with a view, this is one hotel that's hard to ignore.
