When Eddie Perfect’s musical adaption of Beetlejuice first hit the stage in New York City, it made headlines for its immersive staging of Michael McDowell and Larry Wilson’s absolutely iconic portrayal of the ghost with the most.
The musical, which was nominated for eight Tony awards and has since made its return to NYC not once but twice since its closing, was beloved for its engaging performances and campy sets that made any viewer feel like they were going to step into the netherworld themselves, or simply just return to their own inner sense of strange and unusual.
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Beetlejuice is now making its third return to the NYC stages and stepping into the newly renovated palace theater, and with all of the excitement of a new chapter for the beloved show, what better way to celebrate than by stepping into the magical world of Beetlejuice for yourself! Tempo by Hilton in Times Square has unveiled the Beetlejuice Suite, a stunning, extremely accurate rendition of the inner world of the show.
The suite materializes the collision of Broadway magic and experiential hospitality. In an era where audiences crave not only to see but to live the stories they love, this collaboration becomes a fascinating case study in immersive branding and emotional design. The design draws directly from Eddie Perfect’s tonal universe: chaotic yet melodic, theatrical yet tender. The familiar black-and-white stripes do more than reference Beetlejuice’s suit, they establish a visual rhythm that mimics the musical’s unpredictable pacing. Every corner of the suite carries that same manic contrast between the grotesque and the delightful that defines both Burton’s original film and its Broadway successor.
But where the stage production uses sound, light, and choreography to plunge audiences into its afterlife carnival, the suite uses texture and proximity. The tactile, the crisp linens beneath the stark stripes, the matte finish of the wall murals, the warm glow of the Netherworld-inspired lamps, invites guests to engage through touch and stillness rather than spectacle. This marks a subtle yet significant shift: Beetlejuice’s world, once projected outward from the stage, now wraps inward around the visitor.
Beyond its surface spectacle, the suite’s design choices nod toward a more sophisticated emotional architecture. The mural of the Maitland Residence, a visual emblem of liminality between life and afterlife, serves as an anchor for reflection. It transforms a hotel bed into something symbolically resonant: a threshold between worlds. Meanwhile, the gallery portraits of the characters lining the living area act as a silent audience, invoking the meta-theatricality of the show itself. Guests are no longer merely watching Beetlejuice; they are performing their own private act within it.
Downstairs at Tempo’s restaurant The Highball, the fun continues with themed food and drinks, including the Netherworld including the Netherworld Swizzle cocktail, which is a vibrant, slime-green potion with a dark purple layer that pays tribute to the chaos and supernatural spirit of the show, mirroring the ghostly world. Midori and white rum bring a sweet, fruity profile balanced with fresh lime juice, while Crème de Violette adds a mysterious, ethereal finish, making for a visually stunning “potion” that captures the allure of Beetlejuice’s world.
Beyond the signature cocktail, Highball’s prix fixe menu expands this edible theater with what might be described as “postmodern comfort food.” Think familiar New York staples that have passed through the Netherworld’s aesthetic filter, a black-and-white dessert that riffs on the city’s iconic cookie, perhaps, or smoky bar bites that evoke the grit of the afterlife.
And yet, for all its camp and concept, the dining experience remains distinctly grounded in Tempo’s larger mission of mindful indulgence. Beetlejuice’s chaos finds a surprising serenity here: the dishes are refined, the service polished, the environment one of controlled whimsy rather than carnival excess. It’s a reminder that even in the afterlife, balance matters, that the best kind of absurdity is the one that knows when to pause for a perfect bite.
You won’t need to draw a chalk door to get to this suite, nor will you need a handbook for the recently deceased (though, the suite does have one!) All you’ll need to do is head over to Tempo By Hilton Times Square to see it for yourself! Hear more about it here!
