Kastel Hotel Bar / Lounge

SoHo, New York –

Considering its austere unmarked entrance on the side of the Trump SoHo Hotel, patrons trying to find the upscale hotel bar Kastel would do better to look for the line of fashionable models and corporate types having their names crossed off the guest list at the door.

An exclusive haunt for socialites and celebrities – as well as those deemed stylish enough to mingle with them – Kastel is a small but elegant cedar-walled den where affluent business people and hotel guests lounge on black leather banquettes or have candlelit nibbles at chrome cocktail tables in the evening hours.

Later on, the early crowd gives way to throngs of hip young scene-seekers chatting over drinks as the DJ begins spinning house and dance faves from his elevated perch, while successful artists and fashionistas mingle by the swanky black bar backed by iridescent tiles to savor specialty cocktails whipped up by outgoing mixologists.

The lively but low-key vibe picks up considerably after midnight, when flashing strobes and pounding beats get the chic party girls dancing on the banquettes in an intoxicated groove, careless of the high-heeled damage they’re inflicting on the cushions beneath their feet.

Surprisingly unpretentious, Kastel balances exclusivity with a vivacious vibe to create a hot nightspot perfect for both fashion and film luminaries and those who just want to bask in their glow.