Finally a Morgans hotel in downtown Manhattan. The Mondrian Soho is the third in the iconic boutique chain’s youth-oriented Mondrian sub-brand, following the original in Los Angeles and an audacious sequel in South Beach. The design is inspired by Jean Cocteau’s surreal 1946 version of Beauty and the Beast, and comes courtesy of Benjamin Noriega Ortiz, whose baroque sensibility bears a decided family resemblance to Wanders’s work in Miami — and who, not coincidentally, was chosen to update Starck’s work at the original Mondrian. There’s no mistaking where you are — that’s the benefit of a strong brand identity.

It’s a look that the guest rooms wear well. With a few carefully focused details, some clever furniture design and a generous helping of white space, they make the most of their square footage — and the floor-to-ceiling windows certainly don’t hurt either. They’re not as ostentatious as some other rooms you could name, but they’re more than comfortable enough for the purpose.

The purpose, of course, leans less towards barricading oneself in one’s room, and more towards the social pursuits. Imperial No. Nine is Sam Talbot’s chic seafood restaurant, with another healthy dose of Cocteau in the décor, and the nightspot, the Chinatown-themed Mr. H, has been an instant hit.

Style: Cutting-Edge

Atmosphere: Happening

270 Rooms - Rates start at $US 369