Sohotel

The Sohotel is located in a traditional New York City row house that has been home to hotels since 1805 -- with parts of the current building dating back to as early as 1840. Sohotel's chic but eccentric bi-level lobby features eclectic decor with trendy vintage accents like a zebra-print couch and armchairs, purple rugs, and exposed-brick accent walls. The exposed-brick walls, lightbulbs, and pipes work with reclaimed wood coffee tables and shelves to add a trendy industrial-vintage vibe. A standout decor piece is the hotel's iron staircase, which features subway tiling and the word "Bowery" in the traditional subway lettering font. This four-story walk-up may have no elevator, but staff are available to help carry luggage. This mid-range spot may be slim on features, but it remains a hotspot for younger, budget-minded travelers who want a walkable location outside the hustle-and-bustle of Midtown. While the hotel's trendy downtown location attracts a youthful crowd, rooms that can sleep up to five people make Sohotel ideal for families or small groups. 

The Sohotel is located in a busy, high-traffic area on the corner of Broome and Bowery Street in Lower Manhattan. The hotel is on the edge of the city's Chinatown and trendy SoHo neighborhood and shares the block with a few restaurants and bars. This convenient location offers easy, mostly walking-distance access to hip downtown neighborhoods like Nolita, Little Italy, the Lower East Side, Tribeca, and the East Village. However, major Manhattan landmarks, such as the Empire State building, are a drive or subway ride away.  Guests can get to LaGuardia Airport in about an hour and JFK International Airport in just over an hour via public transportation. Penn Station, Grand Central Terminal, and Port Authority Bus Terminal are about 15 to 20 minutes away by subway. - Two-minute walk to Bowery subway stop (lines J and Z)

• Three-minute walk to Grand Street subway stop (lines B and D)
• Five-minute walk to the New Museum
• Seven-minute walk to the Tenement Museum
• 15-minute walk to NYU and Washington Square Park
• 15 minutes to Battery Park (ferry access to Statue of Liberty) via public transport
• 15 minutes to the Empire State Building via public transport
• 20 minutes to Times Square via public transport
• 20 minutes to Central Park via public transport
• 35 minutes to the Metropolitan Museum of Art via public transport

Not too surprising for Manhattan, all 96 of Sohotel's rooms are fairly small, though contemporary, clean, and functional. The colorful and contemporary (if minimal) decor in rooms mirror the eclectic taste of the hotel as a whole, and feature dark wood floors and furniture, spunky yellow and purple walls, and exposed-brick walls. Bathrooms can be downright tiny, but have trendy subway tiling and C.O. Bigelow toiletries. All rooms have flatscreen HDTVs, iPod docks, Therapedic mattresses, and free Wi-Fi. Most rooms also come outfitted with small desks, rods with hangers (in lieu of proper wardrobes), and nightstands. There are also a range of rooms that can accommodate families or groups of four to five people. Though well-insulated windows help block street sound, some guests note noise from neighboring rooms. And some rooms show surface signs of wear and tear, like cracked walls, floors, or tiling. 

The Sohotel has few features outside of its 24-hour reception, luggage storage, free Wi-Fi, and free tea and coffee service in the lobby. But the hotel does have three different bars/restaurants associated with the property. The trendy gastropub, Randolph, can be reached directly through a door in the lobby of the hotel that leads directly to Randolph Beer. Here, guests will find a large selection of craft beers. Those in search of cocktails will be directed down the block to Randolph at Broome, which serves a selection of cocktails, all-day breakfast, snacks, and main dishes. Piacere, a pizza and wine bar, is also located just a few doors down from the hotel.