A Look Inside Newly Opened The Ned NoMad Membership Club And Hotel Through Renowned Curator Richie Akiva

For membership clubs and fine hotels, style is everything. This is especially true at The Ned NoMad, which is the newest membership club and hotel in New York City. Located at 1170 Broadway, the space was previously home to the NoMad Hotel. After the hotel closed in 2021, Membership Collective Group (MCG) took over the 117000 square foot space. MCG, which is owned by Ron Burkle, is best known for its other membership clubs and properties including the Soho House. Burkle and Soho House founder Nick Jones tapped global hospitality powerhouse Richie Akiva to be their New York counterpart and takeover as hotel curator. Akiva, having run New York nightlife and the most coveted society galas for the last twenty years with intricately designed venues such as The Darby Social Club and Butter NY, along with 1OAK globally, is known for throwing the most exclusive global events from St. Tropez to Capri as well as his annual Met Gala event.

After the first The Ned opened in London in 2017, it was only a matter of time before a New York outpost was created. This hotel and private club hybrid provide a truly unique experience. Housed in a Beaux-Arts style building also known as The Johnston Building, it was built in 1903 as a store and office. Like many New York City buildings erected during that era, it has unparalleled architectural details including multiple rotundas and a limestone facade.

Unlike a typical hotel, even most luxury hotels, The Ned NoMad was renovated to honor the original details and charm of the building. It almost feels like stepping back in time, while going beyond the standards of the modern hospitality industry. Design is truly paramount to the experience.

Akiva tells me, “The littlest details are the most important things. While not everyone notices them, the people who do notice them, that small percentage of people are the people you want to impress. That’s who we do it for.”

The Guest Rooms

There is nothing about the 167 guest rooms at the Ned which feel anything like an ordinary hotel. There’s no standard furniture or generic landscape art from room to room. MCG’s design team created 1920’s style spaces complete with vintage pieces, original art, and even hand-knotted rugs (no commercial grade carpet here). There are even bespoke lighting fixtures.

While the bathrooms feature new tiles and fixtures, the timeless style of these spaces is visually in concert with the aesthetic of the room as a whole. In addition to generous showers, suites even have classic claw-foot tubs, for the ultimate throwback experience.

While guest rooms can be booked by the public, they do not have access to all of the membership spaces, which makes the Ned feel even more exclusive. However, they have access to the first floor of Little Ned and to Cecconi’s, which are both also open to the public.

Art

One thing that makes The Ned special is the incredible selection of art throughout the space. Called A Different Century, The Ned’s collection was curated by Kate Bryan and Anakena Paddon. Their selections were inspired by the fact that the building was once owned by Caroline A. Johnston, during a time when it was incredibly rare for women to own buildings. The curators explain, “This collection asks what A Different Century might have looked like and what representation means, now and then.”

The nearly 300-piece collection spans the public and members-only spaces throughout the building and features a list of prominent names from the New York art scene with a mix of museum-level talent as well as newer voices including Patricia Cronin, Rashid Johnson, Marilyn Minter, Laurie Simmons, Hank Willis Thomas, Glenn Ligon, Kevin Beasley, Cassi Namoda and Ariel Mitchell.

Cronin who has several pieces in the collection including Zenobia in Chains and Beatrice Cenci tells me, “The Ned NoMad’s beautiful Beaux-Arts building is the perfect context for my watercolors of the Neo-classical marble sculptures made by the first professional female sculptor, Harriet Hosmer. Ghosts from the past updated for today when women continue to push forward to take up public space.”

Ned’s Club

Just off the lobby is Ned’s Club level, which is a members-only space. This area consists of several rooms including a jaw-dropping atrium. The atrium is covered in glass and has an indoor/outdoor vibe that feels like a garden during the day. At night, the space transforms into a lounge with nightly live performances on stage. Akiva tells me, “We have had weekly programming from live jazz bands to top New York DJs as well as pop-ups by Miguel, Badius, and Robin Thicke. There are major acts in the works for future performances and we will continue to surprise guests with exciting musical programming.”

There’s also a Club bar, The Little Ned (a two-story pub-like bar), The Magic Room on the second floor, The Rooftop bar and lounge, along with The Library which can be used as a workspace during the day with Wifi for laptops. Akiva tells me “This was one of the few spaces that didn’t change too much from when it was the NoMad Hotel but we wanted to incorporate it into the membership club and update it to really impress members and guests. It possessed so much character and charm and was a natural element. We changed it but we kept it as a library to preserve its New York history and architecture.”

Located next to the lounge is The Ned’s Dining Room. It has the same kitchen as Cecconi’s but features a more high-end menu. With wood-paneled mahogany walls, original stained-glass windows, and a parquet floor, it has a sophisticated old-fashioned charm. Still, even with racing green fluted leather dining chairs, floral banquettes, burl wood tables, and Murano glass pendants, it feels equally comfortable and exclusive.

Little Ned

Little Ned is a small bar space located on the first floor that’s accessible to members as well as hotel guests. However, there is a mezzanine open to members only. This space features 1920s-style booth seating, with upholstery that was inspired by The Ned London. There are also comfy club chairs to sit on surrounded by burl wood tables. Best of all, there are views of The Empire State Building.

The Magic Room

One of the most noteworthy spaces at The Ned NoMad is the Magic Room. The interior design was influenced by Art Deco at 1930s cabaret clubs. There’s a stage with a gorgeous dark high gloss painted ceiling overhead and a plush ambiance. This intimate space will feature live shows as well as event programming. Akiva notes that little details like the lanterns on the chic wooden bar being properly dimmed, placement of the DJ to be a focal point of the room, vintage throw rugs to create a dance floor space and other design elements all contribute to the guest experience.

There’s also an outdoor terrace decorated with Muran glass lanterns overhead and a classic checker floor below. This design was inspired by The Ned London’s Rooftop.

Cecconi’s

The first floor is home to Manhattan’s first Cecconi’s location. It has a beautiful hand-chipped mosaic and terrazzo-stripped floor, which is a unique take on the brand’s signature stripe. With navy velvet banquets, golden-yellow leather chairs, and a polished timber bar, the design was inspired by classic mid-century Italian trattorias. This space is open to the public for walk-ins, although members and guests are allowed to make advanced reservations.

What’s Next For The Ned?

Akviva revealed the hotel is working on a signature scent in collaboration with a top super model, which should be launched by the holiday season. There will also be lineup of New York Fashion Week programming. A spa and additional concierge services are coming soon.

The gym, while open is still being upgraded to have state-of-the-art equipment for members and guests to access. MCG is also working on an additional location at the American Stock Exchange in the Financial District. It is slated to open in 2024.