This NYC Boutique Hotel Has Opened An In-House Tattoo Parlor

01.03.2024 - 01:15 / forbes.com / Art

Common hotel amenities often range from happy hours, a fitness center and in-room dining, to a complimentary shuttle and spa services. Imagine something different such as getting a tattoo during your stay.

UNTITLED at 3 Freeman Alley, a boutique hotel located on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, opened an in-house tattoo parlor in mid-February 2024. The New York City property, which is based at the end of a passageway off of Rivington Street and near The Bowery, is touted as currently being the only hotel in New York City to have an onsite service of this kind.

According to Gadi Peleg, founder of GPG Hospitality which owns UNTITLED at 3 Freeman Alley, this ink offering correlates with the property’s location within the Lower East Side that is noted for its uniquely diverse vibe.

This longtime NYC neighborhood is known for having much street art and still maintains a sense of edgy grit, a nod to its history amid its ever-changing look. UNTITLED’s alleyway location has a neat backstory.

The hotel is situated amid a major NYC street art spot. Surroundings walls reflect former horse stables turned marble factory turned residences that are also filled with graffiti tags, paste-ups and messages from many visitors.

“It has always been a hub for creative people to push the boundaries of art,” explained Peleg. “I felt that the neighborhood required that we also push the boundaries of what a hotel can be. I had not heard of another hotel with a tattoo parlor and thought that, if ever there was a hotel that needed one, this was it.”

Tucked away in a corner of the hotel’s lobby, through a gallery space featuring art by local artists, guests can get tattooed at Unscripted Ink, from the resident tattoo artists, Liv Novotny and Sarah-Michelle. The tattoo parlor is a permanent fixture.

A complete list of services at Unscripted Ink, include the application of made to fade link, can be found on the parlor’s website.

It might be thought of that getting tats at such a hotel is limited to guests. However, while guests can book an appointment, Peleg said that as of right now customers are often from the neighborhood.

“While the parlor location is very convenient for guests of the hotel, it was actually conceived to be a New York tattoo parlor,” explained Peleg. “And so far, most of the clients have been locals.”

Advance appointments for Unscripted Ink are recommended, and can be made through their website, but walk-ins are welcome.

UNTITLED at 3 Freeman Alley opened in 2023. Described as an “urban-chic destination with a minimalist, modern design,” the creative-focused hotel contains 200 guestrooms, a coworking café known as The Gallery, a boutique gym and a 11^th-floor indoor/outdoor rooftop bar called UNLISTED.

Various artwork