Hotel Review

Smyth Tribeca, a Thompson Hotel, is a modern four-star luxury boutique hotel in Tribeca, a coveted swatch of real estate in New York City known for its strong hold in arts, fashion, and culture. From the cast-iron buildings to the cobblestone streets to Michelin-starred restaurants, Tribeca is one of my favorite parts of town and serves as the perfect emblem of the city’s evolution, from its industrial past to its vibrant future. For me, the location is one of the most important determining factors when choosing where to stay, so it’s no wonder that its Tribeca location was one of the best parts of my hotel experience.

Recently renovated, the Smyth Tribeca houses 100 rooms and suites that are fashion-forward but comfortable, with polished wood walls, chrome lamps, plush beds, and marble bathrooms that feature floor-to-ceiling frosted glass showers. The hotel attracts a mixed crowd of business travelers, jetsetters, tastemakers, and families, so there’s a little something for everyone.

PROS

-Both check-in and check-out were a breeze. I’m not a happy camper if I have to wait to check-in/check-out.

-Water is complimentary — can’t believe some hotels don’t get something as simple as this. Just call housekeeping if you need more bottles.

-The location is perfect — nestled in the very heart of Tribeca, next to tons of restaurants, bars, parks, etc. It’s also adjacent to Le Pain Quotidien, one of my favorite quick-eat cafes. It’s also near a subway stop with Time Square only about 15 minutes away.

-The room was very spacious and comfortable (by New York City standards!).

-The city New York City views through the floor-to-ceiling windows were beautiful, especially on a sunny fall day!

-The service was great — attentive, hospitable, and warm. From the front desk to the housekeeping staff to the concierge, the service was fantastic.

-Loved the understated palette of neutrals dotted throughout.

-The bedding was luxurious, with a surfeit of fluffy pillows.

-While there’s no spa in the hotel, you can get special treatments in your room upon request — love this feature!

-Loved that there were exclusive perks such as the personalized Urban Zen shopping experience.

-A beautiful, state-of-the-art fitness center was available, but it wasn’t 24 hours.

-Loved the cozy, intimate lobby with the blazing fireplace. My sister and I spent hours here, chatting over coffee.

-There was a NORMAL hair dryer that was actually functional.

-The toiletries were from the C.O. Bigelow brand — love them!

-WiFi is complimentary — yes!

-Room service was very quick and efficient. I also love that it’s 24 hours.

-Lots of outlets near the bed — perfect for digital travelers.

-Asked for a late checkout and it was as easy as could be.

-There’s a house car for guest use on a first-come, first-serve basis.

CONS

-There was no personalized welcome note — this small gesture goes a long way.

-The lighting in the bathroom is not ideal for vanity purposes.

-Breakfast was not included.

-There was no separate bathtub, and I didn’t appreciate that the shower area pretty much has no privacy –there’s only a frosted glass dividing the bed and bathroom areas.

-The curtains were not black-out curtains, so lots of light seeped in early in the morning and woke me up at dawn.

-There was no coffee/tea maker in the room.

-Room service was a little too hyperactive for me. They first came around 8:50a and I recognize it was my fault for not putting my “Do not disturb” on the door, but they came 4 more times before I checked out at 2p. I felt like they were trying to rush me out and it wasn’t appreciated.

-No social media activity before, during, or after my stay.

-No pre-arrival communication.

-Turn-down service was disappointingly ordinary.

Duration: 1 night, October 15, 2015 

Bottom line: There were a few things that the hotel missed the mark on for me, but the location is absolutely fantastic, with its close proximity to subway stops, restaurants, nightlife, etc. While I’m a big fan of luxury boutique hotels and provided that there are dozens of them in the Tribeca area, I’m likely to check out another property next time and scope out the luxury hotel boutique scene a bit further. I’d still recommend this hotel to anyone with more modern/contemporary sensibilities towards luxury boutique hotels — it’s a great option if you’re looking for an unfussy, stylish home base in lower Manhattan.

*Disclosure: I was a guest of the hotel, but views are my own and accurately reflect my stay. My room was on the 8th floor in 806.

**My policy: there will always be full disclosure about whether my stay was hosted by the hotel or paid for with my own money. And even if the hotel decides to offer complimentary services, my review will never be swayed one way or the other. After all, if my experience was sub-par, and I continue to falsely rave about their services, no one will benefit–not me, not you, not the hotel (they’ll never improve!). So, trust that you’ll receive 100% truth in every review.