One of the oldest hotels in the city (built in1822), Sohotel housed Union soldiers during the Civil War. They probably wouldn’t recognize it today—in fact, people who visited just five years ago wouldn’t recognize it, as the hotel’s been inputting some major improvements. Flatscreen TVs and handsome bureaus now grace rooms; walls are chic exposed brick or painted a happy shade of yellow or blue; and the hotel opened a trendy restaurant in 2014. There are some lapses still, especially in the mattress department: If you get a stony one, ask to be moved (they vary by room). Also ask for another room if you’re placed in one ending in the numbers 21, 23, or 25, as these overlook a popular bar and can be noisy. Warning: This is not the place for people with mobility impairments, as there are steps to the lobby and many of the rooms.