JIMMY has always been my favourite rooftop bar in Manhattan. Despite its location on the west side of Soho, it remains an unpretentious, benevolent beacon for both the self-fashioned influencer types and art nerds that parade regularly parade around Lower Manhattan’s eternally hip and trendy villages.
It’s but one of several spaces that makes ModernHaus SoHo such a prized hotel in New York City. The art-minded five-star rests heavily on its highly sociable, indoor-outdoor spaces and on any given day is crawling with celebrities (self-described or otherwise) and the kind of people who write “IYKYK” on their Instagram stories. It’s very much become an institution inseparable from New York’s status-obsessed social scene.
But despite its clientele, there’s not a single thing about ModernHaus SoHo that feels unapproachable for visitors of any type and inclination. The location is unquestionably valuable, the design is both fun and sophisticated, and the food is shockingly good without needing to be grand and stingy.
Location
The location strikes an ideal balance – removed enough from the main thoroughfares to offer respite from Manhattan’s constant hum, yet mere steps from the district’s renowned shopping, dining, and cultural attractions.
Such a balance is rare in the lower half of Manhattan, where chaos is par for course and endless distractions are to be expected. There’s something to be said about staying just far enough from the core of Lower Manhattan’s complex culture without feeling removed from it all.
To give you some bearings: it’s only a 20-minute walk to my favourite bar in Manhattan, Dante West Village, and you’ve also got easy access to Chinatown, Nolita and Hudson Square. For business travellers, the proximity to the financial district is invaluable, especially if you stay somewhere much trendier than FiDi.
Access to multiple subway lines is also a given, so you zip on over to star neighbourhoods like Brooklyn’s Williamsburg or Queens’ Jackson Heights quite easily.
Design
ModernHaus SoHo delivers on its name with a thoughtfully curated aesthetic that honors SoHo’s artistic heritage. The 114-room property occupies a former post-war industrial building that has been reimagined with architectural precision, respectfully but necessarily switching things up from the hotel’s previous life as an outpost for The James Hotel.
The hotel serves as a veritable gallery space, showcasing an impressive collection of contemporary art featuring works by Hans Hofmann, Alexander Calder, KAWS and George Condo. A mix of styles means the hotel has a modernist art school tinge to it, from the plentiful outdoor spaces to the small, inviting lobby.
This much focus on mixing indoor and outdoor spaces is usually something you’d see at historic luxury hotels in Europe, where gardens are a much bigger focus. Being able to have that in such an uncompromisingly urban setting easily sets Modernhaus apart from just about every other luxury hotel in Manhattan.
Art pieces aren’t mere decorative afterthoughts either, adding appropriate life and personality to spaces with placement so exacting they echo owner Jack Sitt’s curatorial talents. After all, these pieces were all taken from his private collection.
The lobby sets the tone with its soaring ceilings and modernist furniture. Crucially, the design manages to feel upscale without the pretension; as mentioned above, this hard-won balance is reflected throughout every common space. That’s only something studied design can achieve, and for that Modernhaus SoHo deserves its constant applause.
Rooms
Accommodations at ModernHaus SoHo continue the art-forward narrative but lean closer to the hotel’s industrial, Bauhaus-style base. Crucially, there are around 10 different room categories starting at 250-square-feet, which is slightly above average for Manhattan.
My Skyline King Studio is a joy to walk into after a requisite night out in West Village. It’s contemporary without being showy, drawing much of its pop from the outside with a frame of floor-to-ceiling windows all around the corner room with views of nearby cast-iron buildings.
An ergonomic desk set up is perfect for work while the light spills in early in the morning, and I appreciate how generously sized the Carrara marble bathroom is, with sweet-smelling Le Labo an important ambient detail.
The bed? Those Italian Frette linens feel luxurious and are clearly great at regulating body temperature. My visit was in October so the weather was fine and temperate, but I’d imagine this hotel is particularly valuable during the summer when guests wouldn’t want to sacrifice those views for the sake of blocking the heat out with those blackout blinds.
Food & Drink
When it first opened, plenty had been said about the hotel’s signature restaurant, Veranda, and chef George Mendes. It was touted as one of the biggest reasons to stay here. I’m not quite sure why that’s been switched out for Twenty Three Grand but David Rabin and James Julius clearly know what they’re doing.
The kitchen’s cooking doesn’t skimp on the servings; these are some of the largest dishes I’ve had in New York City, with pasta particularly impressive and classic New York entrees like Grilled Branzino dense with flavour.
But it’s the space that I remember the most. This beautiful indoor-outdoor approach opens up to Soho with retractable glass walls, making it seem almost like a restaurant you’d find hanging in Santa Monica instead of the comparatively brutalist concrete jungle of New York.
Abundant greenery help build up an image of a dynamic greenhouse stuck in the middle of Lower Manhattan.
The true scene-stealer, however, is the aforementioned JIMMY, the hotel’s 18th-floor rooftop bar. With its year-round indoor-outdoor setup, the space transforms seamlessly from summer cocktail destination to winter retreat in just a few steps. The outdoor area is ideal on any night that isn’t peltered with rain, given it’s a breezy – again, perfectly sized – space that has lounge seating scattered around a modestly sized pool.
That’s a pool that isn’t for swimming mind you, although I’d imagine more than a few people have ended up in there during one of JIMMY’s famous fashion industry parties. I can picture well-heeled locals sitting around with their feet dangling in the water, working their way through the well-curated wine menu on a balmy summer night.
There’s a third space. Hidden away in one corner of the building is Jumpin’ Jacks, a day-to-night space that’s a coffee-and-pastry situation by day and an intimate wine bar at night.
Amenities
ModernHaus SoHo elevates the boutique hotel experience with amenities typically associated with larger properties. The aforementioned rooftop pool – a rarity in SoHo – offers a sanctuary above the city streets, complete with attentive poolside service. The fitness center, while on the small side, features state-of-the-art Technogym equipment and complimentary yoga sessions on weekends.
Notably absent is a dedicated spa facility, though in-room treatments can be arranged with advance notice.
Service
The staff have been clearly trained in the art of discretion. There’s no hovering or overeagerness to break the calm atmosphere. And the front desk staff seem to understand the value of getting the process over and done with and sending you up to your room as early as possible. This is important for the more impatient travellers. And being in New York can turn anyone into an impatient traveller.
Value
Prices vary wildly from what I can see online but you can expect to pay around $450-$500 (USD) on an average night. That’s pricey of course, but approachable when considering that this is a five-star hotel in SoHo.
Making up much of the value is the location and design. This hotel has an immediate calming effect, which is a direct result of understanding that true luxury is not necessarily opulence and bigness. It’s thoughtful curation, proving the value of a New York hotel that makes up for its lack of historical context with contemporary perfection.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Modernhaus SoHo
Address: 27 Grand St, New York, NY 10013
Contact: +1 212-465-2000
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