The James New York

The James has a lot of perks but it’s MAJOR negative is the $40 plus tax (!!!) a day “amenities fee�. As a solo business traveler I don’t think I had the benefit of any of these amenities, from wine hour that was on the raised lobby level to morning coffee that again was in an area of the hotel that you don’t naturally pass through. I’d rather have my $40 and buy my own coffee and wine. Otherwise the room was nice, albeit small even for NYC standards. But it was very clean and the room had nice views over Soho. The roof bar was insanely busy and very expensive. The restaurant was very nice however. I’d stay here again if the room rate was low enough to incorporate the $40 fee, otherwise I’d choose a different Soho hotel without the mega fee.

We stayed at The James several years ago, and were exited to return. The rooms are beautifully designed with large windows, hard wood floors and structural concrete columns that all form a cohesive aesthetic. And the location is fantastic, convenient to SoHo and the trains. But it feels like the hotel has not had the attention to details warranted. From the start of the booking process, we ran into little oddities and neglects. The phone reservation service did not know the hotel offered family suites, despite listing them on the website (she asked me to read the website to her). I ended up having to book regular rooms and call the front desk to modify the reservation. Once we arrived, the rooms were nice, but many details were amiss; the HVAC panel in the closet was open, the corner king had one curtain sealed closed, defeating the benefit of a corner room; the shelf holding the hot water was loose (it was missing a peg); there were stains on the curtains; etc. None of these were big problems, but these did not live up to the promises of the hotel. Finally, the concierge and bellhop were frequently away from the desk. On multiple occasions we waited a while, to no avail. Overall, the location is nice, but the hotel feels a bit neglected and underwhelming.

Rooms are nice and clean, although small very comfortable. The high ceiling and large window gives the room a spacious feeling. The linen and cushion are extra orderly comfortable. And they offer free water bottles in the room with us really comfortable and nice. BUT for the price they charge - the gym a small old fashion equipped. To get the free coffee and (un-eatable) cookies they offer for free you have every morning to run the elevator between the different lobby and cellar level (G, L or C) be sure that it’s is definitely not where it written it should be. And also they say it offered from 6 AM don’t expect to find it before 0730. (Just go to the small coffee across the street - it costs 3$ but tastes also a a coffee. Don’t go for the room service breakfast it’s extremely expensive and horrible !!! Also the location is great and the rooms (especially the shower) are fine and the art hanging in the corridors is nice - there are many more better options just around the corner for this better a price!!

Had an amazing one night stay at the James SoHo - Was doing business in the area and wanted a, convenient, clean and comfortable place to spend the night. I found all that and more at the James. Was greeted on the ground floor by the bell man and took the elevator up to the lobby area. Was informed I had been randomly upgraded for my one-night stay to the incredible penthouse suite (see photos). The room was beautifully decorated and clean, modern four-room suite with awesome sweeping views of lower Manhattan. Many cool features including soaking tub, rain shower (with great water pressure), automatic lighting modes and curtains. In addition to the incredible room, enjoyed a drink at the hip rooftop bar with pool and deck. Excellent service experience. I have no idea if "standard" rooms come close to the standards and comfort of my suite experience, but definitely will return on business and/or personal visits.

I booked the penthouse for a special occasion and I was profoundly disappointed by the value proposition. Yes, the view was breathtaking and it was a well-decorated room in terms of the interior design but that is the only positive element that I experienced in my stay. My biggest complaint about the penthouse is that it had so many technical problems. The main toilet room near the showers had a door that would not close and the lights did not even work. In addition, the speaker system also did not work, and when I asked the hotel staff for help they just simply said "it did not work" and made no attempt to alleviate the issue or suggest any alternative solutions. In addition, the space was not that clean -- the sofa was dusty and the "leather" chair was full of wrinkles and was almost tearing at the seams. The floor was also not particularly clean either. The complimentary wine was a nice touch, but that is expected given that it is around ~$1,500 per night. I am profoundly disappointed to have spent such a large amount for a special occasion that was largely ruined by technical failures and poor condition of the space -- not to mention the other inherent problems of the hotel (such as slow elevators and loudness of the rooftop bar) that I have not even explored in this review. I guess the final straw was when I expressed these issues at check-out, the receptionist just simply acknowledged the problem nonchalantly and said that she would get it "checked-out" with no offer for any remedy whatsoever. I would have expected a far comprehensive customer service given the claim that the hotel is "up-scale" and commanded such a large premium accordingly. I would not say don't stay at the hotel, but I would definitely say avoid the penthouse at all costs (you can get the view at the bar) and be aware of some insufficiencies in the customer service department.