Equinox Hotel, New York – an achingly hip Manhattan hang-out that is not just for fitness freaks

What is it? Equinox is the Pure Fitness of North America, a chain of swanky health clubs where you’re likely to run into celeb­rities, models and those who look like celebrities and models. Reflecting a trend that has been happening in fashion for years (Bulgari and Ferragamo are just two examples), Equinox is now making a foray into hospitality, with its first hotel in New York and more to come throughout the United States.

So what’s special about it? Equinox Hotel taps into the wellness and fitness obsession, which has become something of a status symbol among wealthy millennials. With gym memberships on the rise, health stores sprouting like mushrooms after a rainstorm and the success of companies such as Goop, founded by actress-turned-wellness guru Gwyneth Paltrow, it’s perhaps no surprise that a gym company would want to create a “360-degree experience”, offering a full immersion into all things wholesome and holistic.

Is this place just for fitness freaks, then? While the branding of the property clearly aims to attract that demographic, the hotel has more to offer. Its sleek elegance has nothing to do with breaking a sweat, rather a modern take on the widely copied aesthetic championed by five-star brands such as the Park Hyatt and the Mandarin Oriental.

The vibe is luxurious without being showy, with a predominance of matte surfaces in dark hues that make for a palate cleanser in the urban jungle that is New York. The outdoor “leisure pool” is a lovely spot, where guests take in the Manhattan skyline without having to show off their swimming skills, or lack thereof.

So what if I am a fitness freak? Then this is the place for you. As you might expect, the gym is far from an afterthought but pretty much the raison d’être. Covering an entire floor, it is equip­ped with the latest machinery, an Olympic-sized indoor pool, yoga studios and all the bells and whistles of a fancy fitness centre.

Even if you’re not planning to work out during your stay, it’s worth checking out; the people watching is entertaining, especi­ally on a weekday morning (the gym is open to city-resident members).

What about the rooms? Bedrooms come with foam rollers, yoga mats and blocks, “medical-grade filtered air” and a mini bar that’s basically a health food store on steroids. Not an M&M or bag of crisps in sight, but rather odd-sounding and (one hopes) good-for-you delicacies such as charcoal and coconut-flavoured detox bites, crispy almond butter Brussels sprouts, kelp jerky and supplements including “100% seawater minerals that help to support cell renewal”, adaptogens from Moon Juice and guilt-free snacks from Los Angeles wellness mecca Erewhon.

Location, location, location? Equinox Hotel is situated in Hudson Yards, Manhattan’s latest retail and office wonderland, which opened to great fanfare – and not a little controversy – earlier this year. During our stay, the area’s shops and attractions, such as The Vessel, a spiral-shaped structure that was made for Instagram, were packed with tourists and locals, many of the latter being workers from fashionable companies such as L’Oreal and Tapestry (the owner of Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman), which have moved their US headquarters here.

On the far west side of Manhattan, Hudson Yards is a bit out of the way and once you venture out, you’re basically in no man’s land, surrounded by construction sites and warehouses. The complex, however, is connected to the High Line, the urban park built on abandoned rail tracks, which runs all the way down to Chelsea and the Meatpacking District.

Is it worth it? A night’s stay in an entry-level room will set you back a not insignificant US$700, so if you’re not into fitness and are looking for convenience, probably not. Those who know New York City well and want to try something different from the hip hotels downtown and the cookie-cutter chains in Midtown should approve.

Its main restaurant, Electric Lemon, has become one of Manhattan’s hot spots, in spite of recent, and quite pointless, calls for boycotts from some celebrities who have had issues with the company owner’s ties to President Donald Trump.