The James New York Rating: 4.5 Pearls

SoHo, Manhattan, New York City

Sky Lobby

The James New York isn't just located in Soho, it is Soho. The hotel has adopted the neighborhood's character as its own, which you can see in its interior design (inspired by Soho's airy, formerly industrial lofts) and its use of local Soho products (including the turndown chocolates; air plants; pillows; and pet amenities). It also honors the neighborhood's cultural heritage as a hub for artists and other creative types: The hotel hired New York artist Matt Jensen to curate hallway displays from up-and-coming artists on each floor, and purchases all of the books in the hotel from Printed Matter, a non-profit that supports artists.

Some of these details might escape guests' attention, but others, like the free Wi-Fi and free lobby snacks (don't miss the lobby wine and cheese daily reception), will not. It's these sort of intimate touches that define a true boutique hotel experience, and make guests feel truly cared for.

• Free daily newspaper delivery
• Daily housekeeping and nightly turndown service with Kee's Chocolates
• 24-hour concierge
• Luxury car service in a Lexus RX 350H available weekdays between Wall Street and 14th Street; make reservations when you book, or through the concierge when you arrive
• Pedicab service available on weekends for 20 minutes (or 1.5 miles) of service, except in the winter. Free tours of the neighborhood available.
• 24-hour room service
• Same-day laundry, dry cleaning, and shoe-shine service

View on a Larger Map

Though it's lost much of its edge since the days when starving artists squatted in the neighborhood's then-abandoned (but now historically preserved) cast-iron industrial buildings, Soho -- short for "South of Houston" -- is still a hub for New York creative types, but also draws the young, beautiful, and moneyed in droves.

Over the years, as real estate prices rose, artists' studios gave way to art galleries, which in turn gave way to retail. Pioneering fashion-forward boutiques like Anna Sui have in recent years been joined by more mainstream retailers like J. Crew. Be-seen restaurants like Balthazar and Mercer Kitchen now fill the area.

Soho is a safe place to wander during the day and, since so many of its dining and drinking establishments are still hopping, at night. Guests will have no problem hailing a taxi anywhere to and from the hotel.

The James New York sits near the southern edge of Soho, just steps from TriBeCa. Together the two neighborhoods embody New York's haute bohemian downtown shopping and nightlife scene. Greenwich Village, meanwhile, is walking distance to the north. The Financial District is just beyond TriBeCa to the south.

Canal Street, the border between Soho and TriBeCa, is an international bazaar of shops packed with everything from T-shirts to designer knockoffs. Late at night Canal clears out, though, and can feel a bit desolate. If visitors head east on Canal Street, a very different world awaits in Chinatown. This growing neighborhood, slowly taking over what used to be Little Italy, is at once an adventurer's dream and a smelly, crowded mess that some visitors might prefer to avoid.

• One block from the 1, 2 subway lines; two blocks from the A, C, E lines
• 7-minute walk to the N, R subway lines; 10-minute walk to the 4,6,J,N, Q, Z lines
• 20 minutes by subway to Penn Station
• 25 minutes by subway to Times Square and the Theater District
• 25 minutes by subway to Columbus Circle and Central Park
• 30 minutes by subway to Rockefeller Center
• 20 minutes by subway to Battery Park, where the ferry terminal to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island is located
• 20 minutes to South Street Seaport, a waterfront shop and restaurant hub in the Financial District
• 25 minutes by subway to the Museum of Modern Art; 30 minutes by subway to the American Museum of Natural History
• 45 minutes by subway to the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Corner King Studio

The rooms at the James successfully mimic the aesthetic of the archetypal Soho loft -- an industrial building turned airy, arty apartment. The reclaimed wood floors, white walls and bedspreads, innovative black-and-white privacy screens, high ceilings, and flat-screen TVs hung on giant concrete pipes make you feel like you've wandered into the live-work studio of a successful neighborhood artist. Assuming that artist is a remarkably thoughtful host, that is: The rooms feature numerous specialized details, including turndown treats from Soho chocolatier Kee's, floor heating in the bathrooms, reading lights on the headboards, an eco-friendly pillow menu, bottled water by the bed, and high-end toiletries.

All rooms include:

• Large flat-screen TV
• Rain showerhead
• Robes and slippers
• Minibar
• iPod dock
• Reading lights attached to the headboard
• Turkish cotton towels
• Floor heating in the bathroom
• Glass wall between bathroom and bedroom with remote-control privacy screen
• Large dispensers of organic Intelligent Nutrients shampoo, conditioner, and body wash
• Coffee/tea maker
• Iron and ironing board
• Large windows that open outward (uncommon in New York)

Room types:

• King Guestroom: 315 square feet, no work area (every other room type comes with a table and chair)
• Deluxe King Guestroom: 315 square feet, with views of the Hudson River
• Corner Queen Guestroom: 340 square feet, with large windows on two walls
• Corner King Studio: 380 square feet, with large windows on two walls

The fitness center

• Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel
• Free lobby snacks: coffee and pastries in the morning; water and fruit in the afternoon; wine and cheese in the evening; and cookies late at night
• Bright, 24-hour fitness center on the 17th floor
• Stylish rooftop pool and bar, Jimmy
• David Burke Kitchen: Serves local and American cuisine; open for dinner daily; weekdays for breakfast, lunch and dinner; and for brunch on weekends.
• The second-floor Urban Garden features landscaped greenery, a chef's herb garden, a bar, and an outdoor dining area
• Two Mac computers in the lobby available to use 24 hours a day, plus free printing and faxing
• In-room spa services available from Relax and Rejuvenate
• 800-square-foot event space with video conferencing capability

• Free use of sleeping pads and dog bowls provided by upscale Soho pet shop Doggy Style, plus treats and toys available for purchase
• Cleaning fee
• No weight limit, although the hotel recommends that guests with large dogs book a larger room