Soho Hotel London – Deluxe Junior Suite

If you blink, you’ll miss it. But, if you’re in the know, tucked down an unassuming street, in the heart of Soho, you’ll find one of Hollywood’s favorite London haunts: The Soho Hotel.  It’s one of 10 Firmdale properties in the greater London area, and is particularly attractive to the media jetset because of its basement screening rooms ( one of which can hold over 100 guests ) and discreet location bang in the center of London’s nightlife district.

I’ve long heard rave reviews of Firmdale Hotels mostly entertainment industry friends who swear by The Crosby Street hotel in NYC and either The Ham Yard, Covent Garden Hotel, or the Soho Hotel here in London. Not that the other properties aren’t equally as cool, but those seem to be the names most often mentioned. I’ve been eager to stay at one for a long, long time, but have never pulled the trigger.

Why?

London is full of pedigreed 5 star hotels that offer bespoke, round the clock service, and I’ve been lucky to stay at quite a few of them. While Firmdale Hotels are affiliated with Mr and Mrs. Smith, there isn’t really any reward program hack to access them, and they certainly aren’t cheap paying cash.

Sure, you could use Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts or Virtuoso to add benefits to your stay and lower your check out price, but it’s not the same as using points and leveraging elite status which is why most people read my blog.

As a result, I’ve prioritized the long list of other properties that provide reviews of properties readers can access via points. I’d also mention that my taste tends to lean classic luxury vs eclectic chic. So if I were to splurge, I’d prioritize putting my head to rest at the Savoy, Ritz, Connaught, Claridge’s, before plopping down the cash needed for The Soho Hotel.

But…. finally I’ve stayed at a Firmdale property thanks to my wife’s work trip. And maybe my attitude towards classic luxury has changed?

The Soho Hotel first impression

The moment you enter the lobby of the Soho Hotel you know you’re in for a wildly curated and stylish stay that melds the old with the new. For instance, at check in, the desk clerk will present you with a key from a cubby that houses it like an old time inn, but the key itself is a modern fob.

We were quickly checked in and escorted to our room by a bellhop.

En route to the elevators, off to the right, you’ll find hotel’s restaurant: Refuel. If you’re wondering where there are large, decades old, gas cans used as decoration to divide the bar from the restaurant it’s because prior to being the Soho Hotel, the building was a parking garage. I love the thought behind the art and how an array of patterns, textures, and color swatches have been mish-mashed together.

For someone who prefers understated neutral tones and subdued style…I really did love the hotel’s aesthetic.

Just past the elevators you’ll find the Drawing Room which you can have tea, coffee, hang out, etc. It’s a great spot to people watch, or just write a blog post.

Something I’ve never seen before…a well stocked, nearly full honor bar. If you’re a guest at the hotel, you can help yourself to whatever you’d like, write down what you had, and they take your word for it. This is a 24/7 honor bar as well.

 

The Room

There are 96 rooms featuring nearly floor to ceiling windows, custom made bed linens and bath products ( Rik Rak is made exclusively for Firmdale ). There hasn’t been a single detail overlooked. Everything, while individually interesting, just makes sense. While I’m not sure I’d want my home done in this particular color palette, it makes for an incredibly refreshing hotel stay. We stayed in a roughly 550 sq ft Deluxe Junior Suite on the back of the building.

The room couldn’t have been more sun-drenched and I loved the layout. It felt much larger than the 550 sq feet it’s advertised as, and every nook and cranny had an outlet, mood lighting, or a place to sit.

The closets

I don’t think I’ve ever been as impressed with closets as I have at the Soho Hotel. Instead of just creating a mundane, uninspired place to store your clothes while on your holiday, the Soho Hotel decided to wrap them in padded wallpaper, give them a fancy crown molding, and fit them useful shelves and full length mirrors. It’s one of the best city room closets I’ve ever seen.

It’s not often you see mini bars which feature half bottles of Krug.

The Bathroom

Dual pedestal sinks, large soaker tub, 3 sets of RikRak shower gel/shampoo/conditioner for the sinks, tub, and shower.

Water pressure was good; however, the seal in the tub was a bit faulty and it didn’t hold water. I’m not a huge bath person, but when there is a tv in front of the tub and you’ve walked 15k steps…a super hot bath fit the bill.

Food

I had room service on several occasions and it was quite good and very fast. Also…no delivery fee which was a welcomed surprise.

Fitness Center

Simply. A great gym featuring a punching bag, core balls, versa climber, cardio, free weights. The space isn’t huge but it’s exceptionally well equipped, and there is a shower if you’d arrive pre check-in and want to get a workout in.

Overall

If you’re looking to plop yourself down in a very cool hotel that provides bespoke service with an eclectic chic vibe, and you’re willing to throw down 500+ pounds a night – this may very well be your spot. It’s effortlessly cool with a young, hip, seductive vibe that makes guests feel like they’re on they know somebody who knows somebody.

In a city filled with old world charm, legacy 5 star hotels with world wide recognition, the Soho Hotel does it very differently, and very well.  My wife also looooooved it…so who knows – maybe we’ll be making use of our Capital One Venture X travel credit at a property like this where we will at least offset part of the cost, earn 10x points in portal, and treat ourselves in the future.

Other London Hotels we’ve reviewed

• Marriott:
  • Hotel Xenia London
  • Marriott Park Lane
  • London Edition
  • JW Marriott Grosvenor House
• Hyatt
  • Hyatt Regency Churchill
• IHG
  • Intercontinental Park Lane
  • Kimpton Fitzroy
• Hilton
  • Waldorf Hilton 
  • The Biltmore London 
  • Conrad London
  • 100 Queen’s Gate
• Airport
  • Hyatt Place Heathrow
  • Hilton Garden Inn Terminal 2/3