In the heart of the LES, near restaurants, bars, and nightlife
Less than five-minute walk to subway and Tenement Museum
Trendy industrial-style rooms with wood floors and cork headboards
Flat-screen TVs, electronic safes, and free bottled water in all rooms
Range of rooms, including suites, studios, and penthouses with kitchenettes
Free passes to Ludlow Fitness (two-minute walk)
Free continental breakfast served daily in basement restaurant
Concierge and laundry service
Free Wi-Fi throughout hotel
Limited extra features (restaurant/bar closed during our 2017 visit)
Entry-level rooms are quite small with limited amenities
Some complaints of dim in-room lighting and noise
In-room perks, like coffeemakers and mini-fridges, aren't standard
The upper-middle-range Sago Hotel, located in the heart of the trendy Lower East Side, offers a fresh, industrial-chic vibe. Its 20 rooms reflect a boutique aesthetic with wood floors, concrete accent walls, and windows overlooking city views, plus fairly roomy bathrooms with walk-in showers. Amenities and space are limited in entry-level rooms, though Studios, Suites, and the two-story Penthouse add room and high-end extras, like marble tubs, chic kitchens or kitchenettes, and furnished terraces. The hotel's trendy on-site bar and restaurant was closed during our 2017 review, though there were plans for a replacement, and a free continental breakfast was still being served in the space. The hotel also offers free passes to a neighborhood gym. By comparison, the nearby Sohotel is a more eclectic boutique property with a connecting gastropub, though decor isn't as polished.
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Scene
Design-conscious boutique hotel with modern, industrial-style decor
The Sago Hotel fits right into its Lower East Side surrounds with a modern, rustic-industrial vibe that's still fresh from its late 2015 opening. The narrow, 10-story brick building offers progressively classier rooms and suites as they ascend toward the crown jewel, a two-story penthouse with marble stairs, a kitchen, and a spacious furnished terrace, among other extras. The reception area doesn't offer much space to hangout, but the minimalistic decor features, which include wood floors, exposed brick and painted concrete walls, and a small marble reception desk, are a reliable indicator of the vibe in guest rooms. Guests are a range of fashion-conscious travelers who prefer the trendy LES ambiance to more tourist-trodden Midtown locations.
Location
On the trendy Lower East Side near restaurants, bars, and nightlife
The Sago Hotel is situated just off Delancey Street, sandwiched between two residential buildings, with a Starbucks on the near corner and not-entirely-unattractive public bathrooms across the street. Its Lower East Side (LES) location isn't as tourist-packed as other Manhattan neighborhoods, but its edgy, slightly grungy vibe -- in addition to its stellar restaurant, bar, and nightlife scene -- attracts lots of travelers. Nearby sights include the Tenement Museum, Katz's Deli, and the New Museum, while popular neighborhoods, like Chinatown, the East Village, and SoHo, are about a 15-minute walk. For sights farther out, guests can hop on one of the nearby subways -- Grand Street Station (lines B and D) and the Delancey Street / Essex Street Station (line F) are an easy walk. - Two-minute walk to the Tenement Museum
Rooms
Modern, industrial-chic rooms with wood floors and cork headboards
A minimalist, modern vibe and industrial details set the scene for the Sago's guest rooms. Natural wood floors are paired with gray walls, including a painted concrete wall, and details like rustic wood side tables, burlap ottoman stools, and cork headboards add to the fashion-forward look. Gray-green tiling in bathrooms offer a vintage-inspired backdrop for contemporary fixtures, like square sinks in fresh white and glass walk-in showers with slatted wood floors.Entry-level rooms are more than a little cramped and boxy (not uncommon in Manhattan), though bathrooms are surprisingly roomy. The biggest complaints from guests involve the low lighting and some noise issues, from either the street or neighboring rooms. Rooms are air-conditioned and include flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, free bottled water, and nice individual toiletries (like Gilchrist & Soames soaps), plus irons and ironing boards and electronic safes. But other typical amenities, like mini-fridges and coffeemakers, aren't standard. Rooms get swankier the higher they are, and suites, studios, and two-story penthouses add space and other extras, like marble tubs, private terraces, and kitchens or kitchenettes with stocked minibars.
Features
Free breakfast and free gym passes, but restaurant was closed in 2017
The hotel's main property feature was The John Lamb restaurant and bar, situated at the basement level. It matched well with the hotel's rustic-chic vibe, serving up lunch, dinner, and drinks to hotel guests and locals alike, in addition to a daily free breakfast for those staying at the hotel, with food service to a sixth-floor terrace outgrowth until the early evening. But, as of our spring 2017 review, the restaurant and bar had recently closed, though the hotel was already planning a new restaurant and bar for that space. In the meantime, a free breakfast (a small but nice spread of fresh fruit, pastries, yogurt, and cereal) was still being served in the restaurant's dining room.There are no other property features, but the hotel does provide free guest passes to Ludlow Fitness, just a two-minute walk from the hotel. The front desk is open 24 hours and staff offer concierge service and laundry service. Wi-Fi throughout the property is free.
