The Mercer

About The Mercer

The Mercer suits travelers who want a base in SoHo rather than Midtown, and who value a walkable downtown setting over a tower view. Couples on a long weekend can leave the lobby and reach galleries, cast-iron side streets and the Hudson waterfront on foot. Business travelers get a quieter address south of Houston Street, still within easy reach of Midtown meetings by subway. The building sits on Mercer Street itself, so the surrounding blocks are part of the stay rather than a commute from it.

The Mercer is a 4-star hotel, and the booking supplier rates it 4.5 out of 5 from 671 reviews. That score reflects how guests have judged the property, not an official grading, and it is worth reading alongside the star rating when you compare options. Expect a downtown address with the range of a full-service hotel: a staffed desk around the clock, dining on site and a fitness room. Rates move with season and room type, so check the total price with taxes and fees before you commit.

Rooms and listed facilities

The supplier's listed facilities cover the practical parts of a stay. Air conditioning, a safe and a minibar appear in the room provision, breakfast can be taken in the room, and a 24-hour front desk plus 24-hour security make late arrivals straightforward. Couples can ask about quieter positions away from the street; families about a cot, which is listed. Business travelers have a business center, internet access and free wifi. Wheelchair-accessible provision appears too. Confirm room type, bed size and the parking arrangement with the property before booking.

The listed facilities extend beyond the room. There is a fitness center, a concierge, laundry service, room service and a garden, along with restaurant and bar provision on site and a business center for working stays. A barber and beauty salon is listed as well. Parking and valet parking are listed, which matters in SoHo, though spaces can be limited on busy weekends. Ask The Mercer directly about the details you intend to rely on during your dates.

The setting

The Mercer stands at 147 Mercer Street in SoHo, Downtown Manhattan, on a block of the old street grid below 14th Street, where named streets replace the numbered avenues of the Commissioners' Plan. Penn Station is about 1.8 miles (2.9 km) away in a straight line and Grand Central Terminal about 2.2 miles (3.6 km); Times Square is about 2.4 miles (3.9 km) north. The 9/11 Memorial is about 1.2 miles (1.9 km) south, an easy walk or a short ride. Central Park begins about 3.0 miles (4.9 km) away. Subway stops near SoHo put the rest of the island within reach; check current service before you travel.

SoHo itself is the setting: cast-iron facades, side streets that bend away from the grid, and Broadway running diagonally nearby. LaGuardia Airport is about 7.5 miles (12 km) from The Mercer in a straight line and Newark Liberty about 9.5 miles (15.3 km), while JFK is about 13 miles (20.8 km). Observation decks sit about 2.2 miles (3.6 km) away, which puts a high view of the city within a short ride north. Confirm opening days and current fares with each operator before setting out.

Location and neighborhood

Evenings shape a stay in SoHo, Little Italy and Hudson Square. The three neighborhoods sit between Houston Street and Canal Street, and the eating changes block by block: Little Italy keeps its old red-sauce tables and pastry counters along Mulberry Street, SoHo mixes long-standing bistros with newer dining rooms in cast-iron buildings, and Hudson Square, west of SoHo, fills its ground floors with kitchens that open late on weeknights. Spring and autumn are the mildest seasons for walking between them. Book the table you care about before you travel; popular rooms fill early.

Foot traffic tells you where to eat. Mulberry Street north of Canal Street is the busiest stretch, with hosts standing outside and menus in windows; quieter, better-value Italian cooking sits a few blocks east on the side streets. SoHo's dining rooms cluster along the cobbled blocks near Houston Street and around the shopping avenues, where a counter seat at lunch is easier than a table at eight. Hudson Square is the calmest of the three and the easiest for a late reservation. From The Mercer you can reach any of them on foot in the evening.

Getting there and around

Almost everything here is walkable, and the street pattern helps: Broadway cuts diagonally across SoHo, and numbered streets take over north of Houston Street. The subway runs 24 hours a day; tap a contactless card or phone at the turnstile to pay, and check current service changes with the MTA before a late night out. The Mercer sits around 2.2 miles (3.6 km) from a major rail station and around 13 miles (20.8 km) from the airport. Congestion pricing applies to vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street, so leave the car behind if you can.

Nearby sights and food

The Brooklyn Bridge is within walking distance, and the pedestrian path gives a long view back at the skyline; go early to avoid the crowds. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum, at the southern tip, pairs free reflecting pools with a ticketed museum. Little Island and Hudson River Park run along the west side, good for an evening stroll before dinner. Statue of Liberty ferries leave from Battery Park; check sailing times and tickets with the operator.

Eating here covers a lot of ground. Little Italy still serves red-sauce classics, baked clams and cannoli, though much of the best Italian cooking has moved to the side streets and into SoHo. SoHo adds French bistros, Japanese counters, bakeries and coffee bars that stay open through the afternoon. Hudson Square leans toward neighborhood places: wine bars, trattorias and taquerias that fill after offices close. Reserve for Friday and Saturday dinner, and expect a queue at weekend brunch.

A day from The Mercer

A day from The Mercer can follow the food. Start with coffee and pastry on a side street in SoHo, then walk the cast-iron blocks and the shopping avenues while the stores are quiet. Cross into Little Italy for a late lunch of pasta or a slice, and take the long way back through Hudson Square for a riverside pause at Hudson River Park. In the evening, choose between an early Broadway curtain in the Theater District or a slow dinner closer to home; book either before you arrive. Finish with a late coffee or a stroll along Mulberry Street.

Distances

Facilities listed by the supplier

As listed by the booking supplier; a facility not listed here may still exist. Confirm anything important with the property.

• 24 Hour Front Desk
• 24-hour security
• Air conditioning
• Alarm clock
• Babysitting service
• Snack bar
• Barber/Beauty Salon
• Bars
• Bath
• Bathrobe
• Bathroom
• Breakfast
• Breakfast in room
• Business Center
• Car rental service
• Cleaning
• Coffee
• Concierge
• Crib
• Desk
• Dry cleaning service
• Fan
• Fireplace
• First aid
• Fitness Center
• Free Wi-Fi
• Garden
• Hairdryer
• Housekeeping
• Internet access
• Iron and board
• Laundry Service
• Elevators
• Luggage storage
• Massage
• Minibar
• Non smoking rooms
• Parking
• Pay per view
• Pets allowed