The Mercer

"How did it strike you on arrival?The Mercer is practically synonymous with SoHo. The Romanesque revival building itself, built in 1890, is an icon of the neighborhood, and once inside, it's pretty much what you'd expect from a cool-yet-sophisticated downtown luxury hotel: muted colors and modern furniture; a wall of coffee table books; and guest rooms that seem outfitted by the ultra-cool furniture showrooms that inhabit the area. It all adds up to a quintessential downtown Manhattan experience. Nice. What’s the crowd like?Well-dressed and stylish, this has been a big fashion world hangout since opening in 1997. Most importantly: Tell us about your room.High ceilings and exposed brick give the guest rooms here a loft-like vibe, while the chocolate and cream color tones promote a sense of calm—a sharp contrast to the busy cobblestone streets right outside. Basic rooms are a little on the small side at 250 square feet (typical for New York), but the minimal design makes them seem bigger. We’re craving some deep, restorative sleep. They got us?Beds are perfectly comfortable and firm. How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that worth a mention?There's nothing much to steal from these minimally-designed rooms, but if we could take the sense of serenity that they provide with us, we definitely would. Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.Best part about the bathrooms: the bespoke house line of products (though all of that veined marble is nice, too). We all need Wi-Fi, so what's the what’s the word on that?Fast, free Wi-Fi. Anything stand out about other services and features?There's a private onsite gym with Technogym equipment, but you have to make an appointment to use it. And the Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant, Mercer Kitchen, remains a hip downtown staple after all these years. What was most memorable—or heartbreaking—about your stay?The staff at the Mercer will go to the ends of the earth to take care of any request for their guests. It's a big reason people keep coming back for repeat visits. Bottom line: worth it, and why?It's worth it—aside from the sleek and understated design (that just feels so SoHo), the location is in the heart of everything downtown. It sometimes feels like you're in the center of the world just to be hanging out in the Christian Liaigre-designed lobby." - John Wogan