Soho Grand Hotel

March 11 2008: Stayed here a few times when in town for business and have never been disappointed. It's a great hotel with all the best amenities. Stylish, sleek and chic. Lively and hip clientele. Always love the music they have pumping in the lobby and bars/lounge.  

Rooms are small but very, very clean and they use frette linens and the beds are great. They have luxe robes for guests, too. No complaints here but it is expensive to stay here but then again anywhere you stay in The NYC is pricey. You get your money's worth here as long as you are OK with a small room and tiny bathroom.

Oh and they have bikes for you to cruise the city. I did this one time I was in town for business in the early fall and it was great little bonus! 

Staff is accommodating and very friendly. Food is great, too. Can be wait in the bar/restaurant and can get very crowded...so call in advance but still no guarantee even if you are hotel guest.

If you want to experience NYC with a hip and fashionable crowd then stay here. You are in the heart of SoHo for great restaurants, people watching and shopping. 

Date of stay: February 2007
Purpose of stay: Business

February 12 2008: The SoHo Grand isn't quite as grand as it was on my last visit a few years ago. The inattentive staff and the faux-coolness of the lobby area (a velvet rope at breakfast??) aggravate the over-hyped feeling. Had my company not paid for the recent trip, I would have stayed elsewhere.

There are, however, lots of famous people noodling around the lobby, if you enjoy celebrity sightings. The lead actor from the gladiator movie "300" checked in at the same time as me, sadly sans loincloth and avec pants.

I'd say our room was only decent, given the $450 per night price--neither cozy nor luxurious. A rattling air unit next to the bed belched heat and anti-freeze with equal furor, depending upon its mood, not ours. There was no desk in the room to use for work, although there is a drab business center downstairs. The small bathroom has Malin + Goetz beauty products which smell really good though.

Had I been in town for a truly romantic New York hotel experience, I would have been sorely disappointed. That said, the irises sent to our room were quite lovely, and facilitated by the concierge (though of course the sender gets all the credit).

I just got the overall impression that the place is due for a little nip and tuck. And given all of the newer, prettier, younger competition in the great downtown area, the hotel better go under the knife soon.

Date of stay: September 2007
Purpose of stay: Business

June 12 2007: The Soho Grand exemplifies New York chic. Right in Soho which is the heart of downtown New York. It is very modern and sleek- a highlight is the central staircase which looks like it was made from an industrial sized cheese grater- cool, though. Rooms are small- but that is pretty much par for the course in New York. They are very luxurious, though, with beautiful linens and all the amenities hotel-goers expect these days. The location is perfect - right in the middle of Soho -great shopping, restaurants and night life. To experience hip, sophisticated New York, the Soho Grand will do it.

June 15 2007: Hip NYC hotel with a great lobby and well-appointed rooms.  Amenities for business travel but even better for tourists because of the SoHo location: superb shopping is walking distance, and excellent restaurants are a walk rather than a taxi ride away.  Expensive but good value for the money.

June 12 2007: Last year we stayed at the Soho for one night.  Room is slick - very modern, cozy, European.  Staff was excellent - helped get us great tickets to Spamalot.  Champagne late in the evening after an engagement party hit the spot and the next morning over eggs the celebrity viewing occurred as well.

Great hotel and look forward to our next chance to visit.