Contributor/ Cat Turner
Best Known For
If nothing else, visit the Mondrian at dusk to walk down the ivy and fairy-light clad archway to the hotel entrance. Everyone should feel like a #MondrianMuse doing this. On arrival you are hit with a mix of pale blue and white French furniture with wonderfully over-sized animal feet and bank of mirrors to catch a glimpse of your post-air travel hair.
The Good Stuff
I was recently here for a week’s work and needed a solid SoHo base. Preferring to walk than take a cab in New York, the location was important. And The Mondrian is well-located for both city access and a stroll to Broadway or pretty Spring Street shopping and independent restaurants and cafes. The rooms are generous. Large enough to play and with floor to ceiling windows for admiring THAT skyline. Large, comfortable beds. Ideal for actual sleeping which I have found somewhat rare in New York in visits past. The hotel bar and restaurant are breathtaking on first visit (large glass ornaments are suspended from the largest sun room you will ever see) but on closer inspection the space is somewhat tired. The menu is also very small. The space comes to life in the evening where you can really sip a cocktail beneath the NY starry sky and stay warm and cozy.
The Vibe
A people-watching mecca, I was treated to numerous models and a surprise Richard Branson appearance. Well it was Fashion Week. His hair is fabulous by the way.
Inside the hotel – 7/10 – the decor feels somewhat confused with a Dr Seuss French Renaissance feel. The location of the reception is inconvenient. But the feel remains luxurious and the room is an oasis.
Outside the hotel – 7/10 – the location is good if you’re happy to walk or take the subway (one block away). The two entrances are conflicted – Crosby Street is beautiful, Lafayette Street is miserable and it’s virtually impossible to catch a cab from either.
