For many people, traveling can either be exciting or a bit anxiety-inducing. You get to experience a new place, but you may also miss the comforts of home. Traveling to a big city like New York can heighten those feelings. There is so much to see and do, and so much noise! If you are looking for a hotel that is in the heart of things, but still offers a warm and inviting place where you can feel at home, look no further than SoHo’s newest acquisition, Hotel Hugo.
This new edition to the Hudson Square area seemingly has it all. As a boutique hotel, it is small, but brimming in luxury. The minute you walk past its secluded outdoor seating lounge and into the lobby, the seduction of your senses begins. The curved walls made of Italian walnut paneling gleam in the soft light of the chrome fixtures hanging from the ceiling. The exposed concrete and industrial look of the pipes find warmth in the highly polished Italian wood, the chocolate browns and the soft pastel blue of the décor. Large glass paneling behind the concierge desk and in the hotel’s restaurant showcase vibrant vertical garden walls while floor to ceiling gray travertine rounds out the earth tones of this ideally situated little oasis. Hotel Hugo’s designer, Beverly Hills-based architect Marcello Pozzi didn’t stop at providing a delightfully visual juxtaposition. A soft floral scent in the air greets you upon your arrival and gives one a sense of having walked into a blooming garden at the height of spring. It’s not overpowering or sickly sweet, but comforting.
The hotel’s restaurant Il Principe doesn’t disappoint either. The understated but elegant chocolate tones easily flow into the restaurant décor and are further enhanced by soft lighting and the sweeping Italian paneling. Sean Largotta of Crown Group Hospitality was in charge of continuing the flow of the restaurant to match the hotel’s design and both the indoor and outdoor seating blend with the hotel’s overall theme of understated elegance. The private dining room, capable of sitting up to 15, continues to delight with another vertical garden and the natural lighting only a skylight can provide. Former San Ambroeus and Casa Lever chef, Carlo Bigi presides over the restaurant’s locally sourced menu. The Executive chef customizes the menu with vegetables, seasonal ingredients, fresh seafood, and handmade pastas while the drink menu inspires with classic cocktails reinvented by an Italian Mediterranean flair.
Once you’ve enjoyed the delights of the restaurant, your night doesn’t have to end. Boasting spectacular 360-degree views of the Hudson River and Manhattan skyline is the rooftop bar and lounge. The enclosed bar provides ample seating, colorful lighting, enchanting artwork, and floor to ceiling windows. A DJ is on hand most nights and the bar quickly becomes the place to be. Weather permitting; an additional space is also available upstairs. Entirely open, but with unobstructed views of the skyline, this extra space is not to be missed. Especially as the sun sets over the Hudson River, casting the city in a spectacular wash of rose and purple.
Hotel Hugo adds to its charm by being a short walk from Tribeca, the West Village, and SoHo. The many cultural experiences of these three neighborhoods and the shopping available will make leaving the area a hard feat. However, the 124 room Hotel Hugo will quickly feel like a second home on its quiet street. Each room comes with the highest standard of luxury amenities including custom made Italian furnishings, 300 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets and Côté Bastide Argan body care products. You won’t find a bad view of the skyline in any room, and the design of the top floor suites provide suitable accommodation to both the business and leisure traveler. Even if you bring your entire crew, space is abundant with the separate desk and vanity area that connects with an adjoining king room which also features impressively large closets. The hotel’s state of the art fitness center along with its expansive 500 square feet meeting room and event space complete the overall experience.
No matter if you are visiting the invigorating city of New York for business or pleasure, this boutique hotel will provide you with a happy mecca to serve as your home base. If you want low-key sophistication, high end luxury, an enviable location, easy access to some of the greatest culturally vibrant and significant parts of the city and the innate comfort of home then Hotel Hugo is your answer.
