AFTR/IMG · ROOM · LE-BAIN · CONF APPROXIMATE
Le Bain
Overview
Penthouse discothèque on the 18th floor of André Balazs's Standard High Line hotel, conceived by French nightlife impresario André Saraiva and anchored since opening by a house-and-disco programming ethos that has sustained long-running residencies (Eli Escobar, DJ Moma, Tony Humphries, François K) against a backdrop of Hudson River views and a plunge pool on the dancefloor.
Le Bain opened in 2010 (by one account 'one night in spring, almost summer') as the penthouse discothèque of André Balazs's Standard High Line hotel at 444 West 13th Street in the Meatpacking District. The concept was shaped by André Saraiva, the Paris-based artist and nightlife operator known for Le Baron, who designed an anti-velvet-rope ethos into the room: grittier than the adjacent Boom Boom Room below it, with an astroturf-covered floor, a disco ball, Hudson River and Manhattan skyline views from an open rooftop deck, and (its defining architectural quirk) a small indoor plunge pool set directly into the dancefloor. The sound system, a Funktion-One installation completed in 2009 by Sound Investment AV (whose engineers spring-mounted speakers to prevent low-frequency bleed into the VIP suites beneath), gave the room a physical relationship to music uncommon in hotel-rooftop contexts. Eli Escobar has been in residence since the venue's first weeks, programming Night People on Saturdays in the early years before anchoring Dance Dance Dance (the long-running Wednesday night party he has co-run with DJ Moma) which became one of the most consistent house-and-disco fixtures in contemporary Manhattan nightlife. Tony Humphries has maintained an ongoing monthly residency documented continuously from at least 2016, playing deep, soulful house. François K's Funky Sensation (a deep-house and disco all-night format) has run periodically from at least 2019. The venue also hosted Giant Step's sporadic events from 2011 through approximately 2018, with guests including Questlove, Gilles Peterson, Danny Krivit, Spinna, and Ron Trent, beginning with a 2011 Fania Records Hammock House launch featuring Joe Claussell and Rich Medina. Occupy The Disco (the trio of Tad Haes, Josh Appelbaum, and DJ RuBot (Ru Bhatt), mentored by Robbie Leslie) established their Paradisco residency at Le Bain around 2012–13, running Sunday-afternoon winter parties of soulful house and classic disco that connected the venue explicitly to the Fire Island Pines–NYC continuum (a 2015 Paradisco edition was a benefit for the Fire Island Pines Historical Society). For a hotel rooftop, Le Bain has kept unusual programming continuity: its Funktion-One system and city views have made it a standing New York room for legacy house DJs who otherwise have no permanent home here.
Oral histories & archival media
Archive plates
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Sonic profile
Cultural role
DJs, promoters & people
André Balazs
Owner · Developer and owner of The Standard Hotels chain; The Standard High Line was his first hotel built from the ground up. Le Bain sits on its 18th floor.
André Saraiva
Designer · Paris-based artist and nightlife operator (Le Baron, Paris/NYC) who shaped Le Bain's concept as an anti-velvet-rope 'penthouse discothèque.' His precise ownership or operational role beyond concept/design is not confirmed in available sources.
Eli Escobar
New York house and disco DJ, producer, and founder of Night People; co-founder of the Williamsburg club Gabriela · In residence since Le Bain's 2010 opening; originally Night People (Saturdays), then co-founder of Dance Dance Dance (Wednesdays). His 15th anniversary at the venue was marked in September 2025.
DJ Moma
Resident DJ · Co-resident with Eli Escobar for the Wednesday Dance Dance Dance series; documented at Le Bain from at least 2014.
Tony Humphries
Resident DJ · Newark-born house legend; monthly Le Bain residency documented continuously from at least 2016 through 2025+. Known for deep, soulful house sets.
François K
DJ and producer; co-founder of Body & Soul and Deep Space · Funky Sensation all-night residency, documented at Le Bain from at least 2019 onward. Deep house and disco programming.
Tad Haes
Promoter · Co-founder of Occupy The Disco; Paradisco resident at Le Bain c.2012–present.
Josh Appelbaum
Promoter · Co-founder of Occupy The Disco; Paradisco resident at Le Bain c.2012–present.
Ru Bhatt
Resident DJ · Also known as DJ RuBot; co-founder of Occupy The Disco. Paradisco resident. Robbie Leslie served as mentor to the trio.
Robbie Leslie
DJ · Legendary Saint-era DJ; mentor to Occupy The Disco / Paradisco collective. His connection to Le Bain is through mentorship, not a direct residency.
Danny Krivit
DJ and edit-maker; co-resident of Body & Soul · NYC house and disco legend; appeared at Giant Step events at Le Bain, 2011–c.2018.
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Parties & residencies
Dance Dance Dance
Wednesday night house-and-disco party co-run by Eli Escobar and DJ Moma; one of the most consistent recurring club nights in 2010s–2020s Manhattan. Documented on RA from 2019; Mixcloud evidence from 2014.
Night People
Eli Escobar's original Saturday night residency from the venue's 2010 opening. Preceded Dance Dance Dance in his Le Bain tenure.
Paradisco
Sunday-afternoon winter party run by Occupy The Disco (Tad Haes, Josh Appelbaum, DJ RuBot). Soulful house and classic disco; began c.2012–13. A 2015 edition was a benefit for the Fire Island Pines Historical Society. Mentored by Robbie Leslie.
Funky Sensation
François K all-night party; periodic residency at Le Bain documented from at least 2019.
Giant Step at Le Bain
Sporadic events 2011–c.2018 organized by Giant Step (which relocated from Hudson Hotel). Featured Questlove, Gilles Peterson, Francois K, Spinna, Ron Trent, Danny Krivit, Jazzy Nice. Launched at a 2011 Fania Records Hammock House release party with Joe Claussell and Rich Medina.