USA Mondrian Soho, New York
Mondrian Soho 9
Crosby Street, New York City
Mondrian Soho opened in March 2011 on cobbled Crosby Street
and is the tallest building in the ‘hood: a 28- floor glass block (literally,
it backs onto Lafayette Street), fronted by a glasshouse restaurant and
accessed through a glass tunnel covered in ivy. How it got planning permission
is anyone’s guess, but the building certainly makes the most of its superior
height with floor- to- ceiling windows in all 270 rooms and suites. The views
from the upper floors are nothing short of flying- with- Superman fabulous;
those above the 10th have enormous, no- fronted picture windows in
the shower cubicles. The décor in the public spaces in dressing- up- box
theatrical, with attention- seeking chairs, fluffy- feather lampshades, oversized
chandeliers and a great deal of vivid- blue carper in the corridors. The
bedrooms are pretty white boxes with (yet more) blue carpet, steel desks and
white beds topped with blue- and- white, vaguely toile de Jouy cushions; the
white- marble bathrooms are very small with no hand basin (it is in the
bedroom, on top of the mini- bar). When the restaurant, Imperia No. Nine,
opened under handsome TV chef Sam Talbot it was panned by the New York Times
and cold- shouldered by the New Yorker, non of which seems to have deted its
popularity with the mostly out- of- town crowd who frequented it. Talbot has
since left, as has night club impresario Armin Amiri, who ran the intimate
Mister H lounge bar, which has its own entrance (and door policy). Based on
decibel levels and bums- on- seats, both venues appear to be doing very well
without them
Hotel USA Mondrian
Soho, New York
When to go
January for the sales in the surrounding SoHo boutiques.
Room to book
One of the corner rooms with wraparound windows, the higher
the better. There are two penthouse suites on the 25th floor: 2509
(on south- east corner of building).
00 1 212 389 1000; www.mondriansoho.com. Doubles from $ 395
Public, Chicago
Public hotel,
Chicago
Ian Schrager made his name with a nightclub (studio 54) and
then made his fortune with hotels that thought they were fortune with hotels
that thought they were nightclubs (Royalton, Paramount, Hudson etc.) as the
name suggests, Public takes a more democratic approach to things: less attitude,
fewer velvet ropes. The first property in a brand being launched by Schrager,
Public stands on a quiet street in the residential Gold Coast neighbourhood, a
10- minute stroll from downtown. Formerly the Ambassador East hotel, it has
been deftly spruced up. The 285 bedrooms are comfortable though surprisingly
neutral; public spaces are striking. Only the bathrooms disappoint, can be
packed at the weekend but is relaxed and welcoming, and is designed to
encourage lounging and conversation. The most dramatic change has been the
total renovation of the Pump Room restaurant. A long- time haunt of celebrities
from Barrymore and Bacall to Jagger and Newton- Jonh, it was one of the grand
old dining spots of the city. It is a footnote in pop history: Phil Collins
recorded No Jacket Required after he was turned away for not meeting the dress
code. Now the gallery of black- and- white photographs lining the entrance is
the only reminder of the starry past and anyone, regardless of attire, is
welcome to dine. The restaurant has been brought into the 21st
century with an affordable menu desived by Jean- Georges Vongerichten, and the
cocktails are excellent.
Bed room, Public
hotel, Chicago
When to go
Early summer, to take advantage of the proximity of North
Avenue Beach, on of the city’s best, which is just a few blocks away.
Room to book
Any superior king rooms on the ninth floor or above (so you
are higher then the neightbours) with a downtown view. 00 1 312 787 3700;
www.publichotels.com. Doubles from US$ 130
Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago
Chicago is rightfully proud of its architecture and when the
Aqua was completed in 2009 it was one of the more dazzling additions to the famous
skyline. The façade of glass and contoured concrete gives the illusion that the
building- which is the city’s 12th talest, and the world’s tallest
building designed by a fermale architec (Jeanne Gang)- is rippling in the
breeze from Lake Michigan. North America’s first Radisson Blu opened here last
year and is a 334- room property occupying the first 18 floors of the Towner,
catering to everyone from businessmen to bridal parties. The simple elegance of
the exterior is not quite matched by the lobby’s gold wall to bar tables that
appear to have candles inside them, there is a bit too much sparkling going on.
But you cannot fault it for facilities- pool, running track, a huge gym shared
with private residences in the tower- nor location. In just a couple of minutes
you can be shopping on Michigan Avenue, strolling Millennium Park or exploring
the collection at the Art Institute. Staff are friendly, and the bar and
Italian restaurant, Filini, both generate just the right amount of buzz each
evening. When booking, be sure to take the hightest room you can. The views of
the lake and the city are breathtaking, especially at dusk and dawn.
Radisson Blu
public spaces, the lobby's bar
When to go
Early September, when the heat has eased and you can still
catch the Roy Lichtenstein retrospective at the Art Institute.
Room to book
Avoid frumpier ‘Mansion House’ rooms in favour of the
‘Naturally Cool’. Rooms ending- 04 are corner rooms with balconies.
00 1 312 565 5258; www.radissonble.com. Double from US$ 208
