One of the main reasons I like to stay at boutique hotels instead of your usual big box hotel chains is that you usually get something unexpected. Like, say…a 10-foot tall bronze cat in the lobby of my hotel in London, The Soho Hotel. 🙂
They describe their decor as “modern English style”, but more importantly, each of the rooms is designed in its own unique way. My room–a “Luxury Room”–was also very large, especially for London standards, with a separate sitting area.
Why I’m obsessed with The Soho Hotel:
- Rooms are decorated in all different colors and themes.
- The Fernando Botero 10-foot tall bronze cat sculpture in the lobby. I heard that they had to helicopter that piece into the lobby and then the hotel was built around it. The first time I ever saw Colombian artist Botero’s work was years ago in Chicago. Something about those oversized, cartoonish shapes appealed to me then. Seemed like a sign that I should book this hotel.
Nice welcome with sweets - Unexpectedly getting a voucher for 2 free drinks at the trendy Refuel Bar just for being a first-time guest to the hotel. I went on a Thursday night and it was packed with locals, not just tourists and hotel guests.
- Personal, hand-written note welcoming me to the hotel. Aw thanks, Deputy General Manager Jason!
- Huge room with a nice armchair + loveseat + coffee table area where you can watch TV or read the complimentary Times newspaper
- Fluffy king-sized bed
- A bathtub with walls so deep, I might be afraid of drowning if I didn’t love baths so much
- They even offer a traditional English afternoon tea, with sugar-free, gluten-free, and vegan options
- Theater screening room with a dinner and show package for ÂŁ40. When I was there, the movie offered was Suicide Squad.
Lots of gluten-free snacks! 
The Brits are serious about their drinking. This fridge was in addition to the wine offered in the minibar snack area. - It was probably just a coincidence, but the minibar was filled with gluten-free items I could eat. Bonus points for that.
- The location was perfect, very centrally located near shopping, restaurants and not far from multiple Tube stops, like Tottenham Court Road.
Room Amenities:
- Plush slippers and high-quality robe. I could tell the hotel cared about the quality because it was white with green piping, which appears custom to the hotel. If I seem picky about robes, I had just come from another hotel that had 2 robes, both of which had one of the belt loops missing or broken off. It’s annoying to have one belt loop dragging on the floor at all times.
- The cutest sewing kit I’ve ever seen. Comes with a tiny pair of scissors!
Cutest pair of scissors ever 
Rikrak Lavender and Eucalyptus Pillow, Linen & Room Mist - Calming aromatherapy spray for your pillow and linens. Who does that? Amazing.
- Free Evian bottles of water each day
- Complimentary organic dark chocolate bar
- Bose speakers for your phone–2 in the room and one in the bathroom.
- Cotton swabs, cotton pads, shower cap (in addition to the usual shampoo, conditioner, body gel)
- Two sinks in the bathroom
- A solid regular bathroom door for those of you traveling with a friend
Booking Tips:
- You should check for deals on sites like TripAdvisor and Expedia, which is where I booked. Generally I would recommend using a hotel’s own website, but shop around since the hotel site only offers the rate in British pounds and after doing the conversion, I’ve found that it’s more expensive there.
Address:
The Soho Hotel
4 Richmond Mews, London W1D 3DH
It’s located on a small side street, off of Dean Street, which is a bustling street for nightlife. You can also access the hotel through the back door, which goes into Refuel Bar and Restaurant on Wardour Street.
+44 (0)20 7559 3000
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