Lex Boutique Hotel

Squeezed in between two older brick buildings, the six-story Lex NYC stands out with its sleek, modern black-and-gray facade. The six-story building has a stylish, modern lobby with a textured silver accent wall that coordinates with the reception desk. Long, bar-style seating offers trendy, angular bronze stools that pair well with metal-faceted ottomans arranged near a chic black couch. This space provides the only public area for guests to lounge. Lex NYC is a good choice for budget-conscious travelers seeking to explore the city from a more tranquil base, as the hotel is located in a mainly residential neighborhood, although there's plenty of good restaurants and bars in the immediate vicinity.

The Lex NYC is on lower Lexington Avenue between Gramercy Park and Murray Hill neighborhoods. It's located directly across the street from the historic 69th Regiment Armory and right around the corner from a pedestrian-only stretch of East 25th Street across from Baruch College. Several green spaces such as Gramercy Park (which is private and requires a key), Madison Square Park, and Union Square are within a 15-minute walk. It's also three blocks south of Curry Hill, known for its wide range of excellent Indian restaurants, and a three-minute walk to the Jazz Standard on 27th Street, one of New York's best jazz clubs. The 28th and 23rd Street subway stops (the 6 line) are about a five minute walk in either direction from the hotel, and run along Manhattan's East Side from the Bronx to the Brooklyn Bridge. The 23rd Street N and R stop is about an eight-minute walk away, and runs diagonally along Broadway and into Queens.- Five-minute walk to the subway (6 line)

• Five-minute walk to Madison Square Park
• 13-minute walk to Union Square
• 15-minute walk to Empire State Building
• 18-minute walk to Grand Central Station
• 20-minute walk to Penn Station
• 15 minutes to Times Square via public transport
• 20 minutes to Port Authority Bus Terminal via subway
• 25 minutes to Battery Park via subway (ferries to Statue of Liberty)
• 25 minutes to the Metropolitan Museum of Art via subway
• 45 minutes to LaGuardia Airport via public transport
• One hour to JFK Airport via public transport

The 48 rooms at the Lex NYC are streamlined and stylish, with wall-to-wall carpeting, white walls, Royal Suites bedding, and sleek wood-plank accent walls behind the beds. All rooms have single queen size beds, save for the Junior Suites, which have two queen beds. Superior Queen Rooms and Junior Suites have small balconies, but views are mainly of brick walls. Rooms are compact but well-designed, and the black-and-white tile bathrooms are chic and snazzy, and surprisingly roomy, with shower/tub combos, hairdryers, and PURE toiletries. All rooms include individually controlled air-conditioning, small desks and chairs, wardrobes, safes, and irons and ironing boards. Amenities include 40-inch wall-mounted flat screen TVs and free Wi-Fi. Rooms do not have coffeemakers or mini-fridges, though the latter can be requested, as can cribs. Free bottled water is provided. Rooms at the back of the hotel tend to be quieter, though the views are mostly of the brick walls of other buildings. Some guests have complained about poor sound proofing.

This is a small, boutique-style hotel, with no gym, restaurant, or common areas aside from the lobby. But it's bright and stylish, and has affordable rates for Manhattan. A continental breakfast of pastries, croissants, coffee, and fruit, is served daily in the lobby, and is included in the room rate. The front-desk staff help with directions and recommendations, and will store luggage. Pets are welcome, but the fee is hefty, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.