Belnord Hotel

The outside of the hotel is quaint and charming, with tasteful awnings, gold trim, and flower boxes. The lobby is located up a set of stairs and there is no doorman or porter -– which is inconvenient when carrying large suitcases, if unsurprising given the low price point. The lobby is basic but pleasingly decorated, and does not have the feel of a budget hotel. Black leather couches and chairs line the windows and there are thoughtful touches such as a chandelier, a fireplace, and an old-fashioned telephone. There is also a digital flight display that shows departing flights out of the area’s three major airports.

There are not a lot of common spaces for guests to gather or relax, a con given the extremely small size of the rooms. While the lobby does have seating areas, it is small and busy, and not particularly inviting. Guests are mostly NY tourists looking for a good value a bit off the beaten path.

Those looking for a hotel with more character and old-world grandeur would do well at the Wolcott Hotel near the Empire State Building, which has a spectacular lobby and plenty of New York charm. It's still a good value, though guests will have to pay a bit more for the location.

The Belnord is located on the Upper West Side, around the corner from Broadway on 87th street. It is one block from the 1 subway train, which goes to both Midtown and downtown Manhattan. The hotel is a 10-minute walk to Central Park, a 12-minute walk to the Museum of Natural History, and a 15-minute walk to the Beacon Theatre. With the exception of the museum and park, there isn’t a lot of sightseeing on the Upper West Side, so guests have to take the subway to access most attractions.

The hotel does not have a restaurant on-site, but Amsterdam Avenue, around the corner, has plenty of eateries, bars, and convenience stores, including Zabar’s, a large food emporium. Columbus Circle, a 10-minute subway ride away, also has plenty of food and shopping.

The 119 rooms are very small. For guests on a short stay or only looking for a place to sleep, this many not be a problem, but some folks may find the small size uncomfortable. The decor in the rooms is dated, with thin, pastel comforters on the beds, nondescript wood headboards and end tables, old-fashioned wall lamps, and a single piece of floral artwork. Wood floors are a nice touch, however. Amenities are quite limited: The rooms do not have irons and ironing boards (these are available upon request) or no coffeemakers. Each room does have a flat-screen TV.

The Double Room contains a double bed and one end table (that’s all that will fit). There is no closet, but there is a small space under a single shelf with hangers that can fit a luggage rack. There is only room for one suitcase to be open. The Twin Room we saw was a bit larger but not by much; it had two twin beds, an end table, and a small closet with shelves. There are no dressers. Each room has a private bathroom, which is also tiny but clean and sufficient with toiletries (Pantene hair products), a hairdryer, and plenty of towels. There are no racks to hang the towels.

The rooms at the Newton Hotel up the block are a bit larger, but they are sometimes pricier and there are shared bathrooms. For the price, it's probably hard to do too much better than the Belnord Hotel. But if you're willing to pay just a little bit more, the Pod 39 and Holiday Inn NYC - Manhattan 6th Avenue have more to offer. Pod 39 is funky and stylish, and its (also small) rooms have smart design touches, like storage under the bed and double flat-screen TVs for guests in bunk beds. Holiday Inn NYC - Manhattan 6th Avenue offers more updated rooms (it opened in 2008) while still being a good value, and is in a more central location -- though prices here can occasionally spike out of the value range.

A small business center in the back of the lobby has two computers and a printer, although there is a fee to use the computers. The business center also contains a large coffee machine, the only coffeemaker in the building (the rooms don’t have coffeemakers).

There is free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, although guests have complained that the connection is slow and finicky.

Other budget properties around the city offer a few more features. Holiday Inn NYC - Manhattan 6th Avenue has a small fitness center and a business center that is free of charge, and an on-site restaurant.

Pod 39 and Pod 51 have on-site restaurants and bars, and offer hip places to hang out.