Three NYC Hotel Rooftops Where You Can Catch a Movie and Feel the Breeze

Outdoor movie screenings enjoy a long, illustrious history (think drive-ins). But a hotel rooftop can do the trick, too. Here’s where to catch a flick (and drink something other than Diet Coke) during the long, hot New York summer.

Yotel Rooftop Film Club  Yotel Times Square, the impish, (sometimes) budget hotel on 42nd Street, has a big footprint, which translates into ample roof space for settling in with a big-picture summer movie. Screened Sunday through Wednesday, this summer’s fare reels out Top Gun, Dirty Dancing, Clueless and Some Like It Hot, among others. Seats are provided, first come, first grabbed. Headphones are provided, too, so no worries about precarious outdoor sound systems. Reservations are a must (movies sell out), $16.82 online — and add $10.55 for a taco and beer or sangria. Yotel’s roof bar is also nearby.
Yotel Times Square, 570 Tenth Avenue at 42d Street; 646 449-7700.

Mad46 Rootop Movie Nights  Stylish Mad46, the freshly renovated roof bar atop the 19th floor of the Roosevelt Hotel near Grand Central Station, hosts movie nights on select Tuesdays. Catch American Hustle next week (July 14) with Sex and the City (July 28) , Anchor Man (August 11) , Ghostbusters (August 25) and Goonies (September 15). On the movie night menu: draft beer ($6), house wine ($8), a featured cocktail (a different libation sponsors each film), and $12 eats (truffle popcorn, guacamole and chips, kale and vegetable dumplings, warm pretzels and cheddar dip, flatbread pizza).

Roosevelt Hotel, 45 East 45th Street; 212 661-9600.

McKittrick Hotel’s Summer Film Festival  OK, it’s a faux hotel (it’s actually a Chelsea warehouse — good luck spending the night). But the McKittrick Hotel, better known as home to the holistic theater experience Sleep No More, is showing movies on its Gallow Green rooftop this summer, and that’s good enough for us — especially since the collection was curated by Amy Poehler. And what are her favs? Rushmore, Hannah and Her Sisters, The Apartment and Rosemary’s Baby. The series is sold out, but you can sign up to be notified of additional screenings.
McKittrick Hotel, 530 West 27th Street.