New York Hotels Soho area
 

Hi, am planning to visit New York with husband btw Xmas and New Year. Am considering these hotels: Soho Grand, Tribeca Grand, The Maritime and Hotel on Rivington. Any thoughts or suggestions for others in this price range and area? (under $400). Thanks a lot.

The only one of the hotels you mention that's in Soho is the Soho Grand. The others are in order, Tribeca (south of Soho nearer the financial district), Chelsea (north of Greenwich Village) and the lower east side.

In Soho, the Mercer and 60 Thompson are nice boutique hotels. There are also trendy hotels in the meatpacking district (edge of Greenwich Village and Chelsea)--Soho House and the Gansevoort. There's also the brand new Gramcery Park Hotel in the Gramercy/flatiron district.

I have traveled extensively to NYC over the last 10 years w/an older work colleague who is a partner in a law firm and has impecable taste. He is very very picky about just about everything, including most of all, hotels. This is the kind of man who watches the bartender make his martini because if they stir it or let it sit to long (instead of shake it fast and pour it quick so no ice melts) he will ask them to remake it. When we went to NYC, I'd stay in Central Park South area and he always stayed at the Soho Grand after it opened. He loved it, and knowing him, this meant it had great service, class, was nice and also quet so he could sleep. SO while I can't give you a personal recommendation, I can tell you I listened to him complain about many many hotels, but he never complained about that one! He loved it there.

emd, so funny you mention that cocktail story when someone is asking about Tribeca Grand. I sat at the bar there one night, ordered my usual "Dewar's Dry Robroy straight up with a twist" and got a horrible sweet concoction. When I politely said to the bartender that he must have made a regular robroy instead of a dry one, he exploded. By the time he was done, he had informed me that a robroy IS made with sweet vermouth and a dry one simply means not so much of the sweet vermouth. He informed me that if I wanted one made with dry vermouth, I should have said so, and in the future to please learn what I want to drink. Duh. All over the rest of the world a "dry robroy" is made with dry vermouth -- different from ordering a "robroy, dry" to be very technical. The man sitting at the bar next to me listened to the rantings of the bartender and said it was incredible. Anyway, it was all too much ATTITUDE for me! By the way, I have no doubt that if I had been a 30 year old gorgeous female model like most of the other clients there, he would have smiled and politely remade the drink the right way.

LOL. They must have better behaved bartenders at Soho Grand, because this man would NOT have stood for any talk back from any bartender when it came to his "Bombay Saphire martini, up, dry, twist, shaken fast and NOT srirred." NO WAY!

Thanks for replies. I was under the impression that tribeca - meatpacking and chelsea were all pretty close to Soho......wrong? We usually stay with friends in front of the New York library so this time i wanted to try out an area with more nightlife and "hip"! Sadly the Mercer and 60 thompson are up in the over $500 for standard rooms. As is the Gansevoort. The Soho Grand has had some terrible reviews lately on trip advisor but I think it may be our best bet. Unless anyone has nice things to say about Rivington which has amazing rooms but not sure about the area which is described as Lower East side..

Those areas are closer to Soho than midtown, but they're not all "close." If you're just interested in staying in a hipper area (vs. a hip hotel) check the Four Points Sheraton Chelsea.

The Giraffe is a nice hotel in the Gramercy/flatiron district. Good restaurants nearby.

I stayed at the Soho Grand in January for business so my company was paying. If I had to pay the rate at this hotel, I certainly wouldn't stay there. It's true the location is good and my room was not as small as some of the people complain about on tripadvisor. However, the room wasn't great and the service was HORRIBLE. When I checked in it took about 20 minutes and there was only one person before me. In fact, at first no one was at the front desk and we had to ask another employee to get someone. When I called down for a wake-up call, no one even answered the phone, it just rang and rang. And check out was even worse than check-in. Lots of people checking out in the morning, two people at the desk and everyone's bills were missed up.

I think the doorman might have opened the door for us once but that's about it. If you have to stay in this area and this is all you can afford, than at least the room was clean. But value wise, you can do a lot better.

I just found out that if you register as a "grand guest" at Soho or Tribeca Grand which is free you get 10% off the cheapest rate, complimentary breakfast AND a separate speedy check-in and check-out counter! Sounds worth it...... or too good to be true...

I wonder how they can guarantee a speedy checkout if there is no one at the desk?

They already have all your details and send the bill home?

Darn. Yes, that's easy and common these days. I meant to say "speedy check-in" which does require some personal contact.

And check-in was when no one was at the desk!! As for speedy check-out, the day I was there, everyone would have gotten the wrong charge on their card. I think it's too good to be true!