The newly opened Crosby Street Hotel in Soho has received so much excitement amongst travel sites, bloggers and twitterers (I’m not very twitter-savvy, is the correct term ‘tweeter” or “twitterer”…anyone?) in the past two weeks, that I just had to include it in this week’s post. Even if you are a Manhattanite and have no need to check in to one of 86 fabulously designed rooms or 17 suites, you should check out the Crosby Bar…one of the “hot” places in town right now for breakfast or after-work drinks (or afternoon tea … after all, this is a “british run” hotel).
I checked out the Crosby Street hotel this morning for a breakfast meeting (so what if it was 60 blocks out of the way). Coming out of the grayness of the Soho streets and the rain and into the hotel lobby is like watching The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy opens the door from her sepia-toned house into the technicolor land of Oz – it’s a feast for the eyes.
Aubergine, fuschia, teal, black, tangerine, lime … so many colors seem to burst from every corner in hotel that it’s almost dizzying. They aren’t colors that I would ordinarily think of putting together — but somehow it works without giving you a color overdose. At least for me it did.
The Soho and Haymarket hotels in London that were featured in my September blog (see London) are owned by the Firmdale group – the husband and wife team (Tim and Kit Kemp) who are also responsible for the Crosby Street Hotel. Kit designed all the hotels interiors and her design influences (modern and whimsical yet distinctly British) are everywhere — every room in the hotel, including the guest rooms, has its own individual color theme and quirkiness.
The guest rooms at the Crosby are unusually spacious with high ceilings and floor to ceiling windows providing incredible city views. There is no shortage of amenities: Every room is WiFi and equipped with flat screen TVs and iPod players. Luxurious bath products from London perfumer, Miller Harris, are provided in every guest bath. All you need to remember is to bring your toothbrush.
According to Mr & Mrs Smith, the luxury travel specialists, the Junior Suites on the 10th and 11th floors are the most spacious and provide the best views. Introductory prices start at $495.
