Recently, I found myself needing to book a 1 night stay alone in New York City. My family was joining me the day after and we had a separate hotel reservation uptown, but for one night I was on my own.
It also happened to be one of the most expensive weeks of the year to book a hotel in New York City due to Columbia University’s graduation ceremony. Every hotel was AT LEAST 200% their regular price.
Thankfully, I had some Capital One points saved up and managed to snag a reservation at Arlo Soho for around $400 (yes, absurd, but honestly a steal compared to the rest of the market that week).
I’d seen a lot of videos about Arlo hotels on social media (they have multiple locations in New York). As an amateur hotel connoisseur, I was very curious to find out what this buzzy hotel chain was all about.
To keep things comprehensive, here’s my breakdown by category:
1. The Room: ★★★☆☆
The room reminded me of an upscale youth hostel in Hong Kong: sleek, compact, and minimalist. I booked the most affordable room tier, so higher categories might be more spacious.
The essentials were all there: mini fridge (with two complimentary cans of water, refreshed daily), a tiny desk, basic toiletries, and a fluffy white hotel bed. Thoughtful extras included a yoga mat, umbrella, and slippers — but notably no coffee or tea, or any kitchenette features.
The most unique design features of the room would probably be the large floor to ceiling windows and the open concept bathroom. The bathroom sink is well, more of a room sink, and I slept staring at the shower stall’s frosted glass (the water pressure in the shower was GREAT though).
Everything is designed to optimize for space – the room is TINY! Like, there is barely enough space to get up and move around. It is a serviceable size for 1 person, but it would probably be VERY TIGHT for 2 people. The yoga mat was a nice gesture, but you don’t have enough space inside the room to use it.
I’m not going to lie – for a room that cost me over $400 a night, I was disappointed. I get that space is at a premium downtown, but there are definitely similarly priced hotels with more comfort and functionality (e.g. the old Andaz Wall Street, now Hyatt Centric).
2. Sleep Quality: ★☆☆☆☆
Admittedly, I am not a very good sleeper and have chronic issues with insomnia so take this assessment with a HEAVY POUR of salt.
The biggest issue I had with getting good sleep at Arlo Soho was the NOISE. My God, I forgot how NOISY New York could be! Granted, when I used to live here, my apartment was the interior garden facing unit in a Brooklyn brownstone, and there was virtually zero noise.
The Arlo Soho hotel room was an entirely different story. First, there was the noise from the streets of Soho: the sirens, honking and screaming party-goers went on well into the early morning. The heavy duty glass windows of the room did help mitigate the noise, but they definitely were not sound proof.
Second, there was the ENORMOUS noise transfer from the corridors. I could hear entire conversations crystal clear when my neighbors were standing in the hallway (not so much when they were in their rooms though thankfully). When you’re in a hotel full of young, night-owl types, this becomes a problem if you’re trying to get sleep before 1 am.
Thirdly, and this was perhaps the MOST annoying – was the constantly CHANGING noise from the central air conditioning system. Holy cannoli…. it nearly drove me mad. To maintain the 69 degree temperature it was set at, the AC kept turning on and off in alternating spurts. So it would go quiet and right as I was about to fall asleep, a whoosh of loud air would start humming again, and continue for 10 minutes before going silent again (but not before making me wide awake).
I finally figured out at 4 am in the morning that by setting the AC at a freezing 66 degrees, I could get the AC to just keep going continuously instead of turning on and off. The constant loud but bearable white noise in the background finally let me fall asleep.
Thankfully, the bedding in Arlo Soho was extremely comfortable, warm and cozy – your classic cloud-like hotel bed cocoon. The pillows were too high and overstuffed for me though, so I just slept flat without pillows. The blackout curtains did block out all light source though,
I brought melatonin, ear plugs, and my ASMR sleep playlist with me – but I still didn’t manage to fall asleep until 4:30 am. Thankfully, my next commitment in the morning wasn’t until 11 am so I was able to get some decent shut-eye. But the next time I come to New York, I will MAKE SURE to bring the Benadryl too 😑.
3. The Hotel: ★★★★☆
From the moment you walk into the lobby, you can feel the fun, vibey atmosphere. Think sandalwood scent, buzzing energy, and a crowd that’s stylish, young, and social.
And while the rooms are tiny, the common areas are the real highlight. The entire hotel feels like a luxe airport lounge: plush leather chairs, wood accents, and tons of outlets. You can hang in the lobby “Living Room,” the interior Courtyard, or head up to the rooftop bar.
Arlo Soho also has a bunch of notable onsite bars and restaurants that even non hotel guests flock to:
- ART Rooftop bar – vibey rooftop bar and lounge that often hosts fun events like DJ sets, group workouts, pop-ups and more.
- Foxtails – a speakeasy tucked inside the hotel, featuring luxe mid-century lounge vibes, creative craft cocktails, and on occasion, live jazz performances!
- The Courtyard – outdoor courtyard in the hotel’s interior where you can enjoy great cocktails and happy hours.
- Lindens – onsite contemporary American cuisine restaurant featuring great oysters, crudo, burgers, and brunch.
The employees were friendly and accommodating — they happily stored my bags after checkout so I could roam the city luggage-free.
If I had to choose between a vibey hotel with meh rooms vs. a boring hotel with spacious rooms, I’d honestly go with the better atmosphere — especially for short trips.
4. The Location: ★★★★★
Soho is arguably one of the best neighborhoods to stay in Manhattan if you want to make the most out of a trip to New York. Doubly so if you’re under the age of 40, or just young at heart 😉.
Known for its iconic cast iron architecture, artist lofts and cobblestone streets, Soho is one of the most popular downtown Manhattan neighborhoods. It’s home to a mix of retailers, world renowned art galleries, and bars and restaurants with some of the best people watching in the city (you might even spot a celebrity or two!). It also conveniently borders other popular neighborhoods like the West Village, Nolita, and Tribeca.
You can hit up a buzzy speakeasy like the Up and Up, get dinner at The Corner Store (if you can snag a coveted reservation!), catch a late night comedy show at the Comedy Cellar, AND still wake up in time for your brunch reservation at Citizens of Soho the next morning.
The best part? You can get through this entire itinerary without getting into a subway or Lyft if you’re staying at Arlo Soho.
5. Overall Assessment: ★★★☆☆
Overall, Arlo Soho is a solid choice if you want to stay in the heart of the hustle and bustle of downtown Manhattan, and don’t mind the inevitable downsides that come with that. And honestly? If you’re trying to make the most out of a short trip to New York, that’s probably the best way to do it.
I would stay here again for a brief trip in a heartbeat (well, if the price is right, and with an Ambien for every day of the trip lol). I didn’t get to explore much of the onsite restaurants and bars during my stay, so that will be a priority next time!
However, for a longer trip where rest and relaxation is a priority, I like these alternatives better:
Good luck with booking your hotel and enjoy your time in New York – there’s truly no other city like it in the world ❤️.
