If hotels could host their own personas, the Soho Grand Hotel would be the effortlessly chic, plus one, at a friend’s dinner party. The moment they walked in the door, they brought a sense of familiarity, but you’ve never actually met them before. As the night goes on, the warmth of their personality, ease of conversation and smell of C.O. Bigelow body wash, engulfs your senses and you’ve completely fallen in love. THAT’S what the Soho Grand Hotel feels like.
Location: 310 West Broadway New York, NY 10013
Overall Score: 4/5
Price: $$$
Atmosphere
This trendy neighborhood already boasts quite a name for itself, so it takes a special kind of hotel to be able to stand out in the hustle and bustle. Which, by all means, the Soho Grand Hotel has done. People from all over the globe flock to stay there, and the SGH plays host to some of the biggest names amongst A-list celebrities, like: Katy Perry, Mel Gibson, Reese Witherspoon and George Clooney. So, odds are, you may run into someone famous! *If anyone knows where Keanu Reeves stays, please let me know – asking for a friend* Anyways, tucked away on West Broadway, you’ll find an attractive brick building with an understated metal overhang leading to the front doors. Side note, when people say “celebrities/wealthy people stay there”, I usually assume there’s Bentleys parked everywhere, the doors are made of imported crystal and the carpets are weaved from the hairs of albino unicorns. HOWEVER, for the list of fancy people that stay at the Soho Grand, the hotel seems anything BUT a stuck-up establishment. Maybe that’s why the hotel is loved by so many? It’s understated, yet beautiful; homey, but not homely; private enough, but not cut off from the world (you’re still in Soho).
After walking through the doors, you’re greeted with a friendly hello, followed by a quick message that this in fact is not the front desk, and that you need to take an elevator upstairs to check in. OK – cool – simple enough. We take the elevator up, and are greeted by a very dim lit hallway, that seems to lead to a foyer – which is also very dim lit. Honestly, after all that traveling, I looked like hell; so having dark lighting made me feel like less of a slob (dark lighting for the win!). The main level of the hotel is incredibly warm and inviting – dim lighting and all. Attached to the small foyer is a huge open lounge area with couches, arm-chairs and coffee tables – which is connected to the Grand Bar.
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