CITY ROOMS NYC SoHo

From the exterior, this five-floor corner building feels much larger than it actually is, with sharp corners that show off an asymmetrical design of concrete and glass. Around the corner from Canal Street is the entrance, which -- along with the pushy handbag vendors approaching off the train -- could seem a little sketchy at first. For instance, the windows and exterior walls are itching for a good scrub and signage could be improved. The buzzer door leads into a small but clean lobby area -- nothing more than a front desk and two leather chairs. A television in the corner plays sitcoms, and there is a guest computer in the corner next to a shelf with activity pamphlets.

Guests come here simply because of the low prices -- some of the lowest in the area -- and therefore use their extra money to explore. Hence, other than waiting to get on or off the elevator, it is rare to run into fellow guests.

Hotel Azure is situated on the corner of Canal and Lafayette -- an intense traffic-laden area of Manhattan with semi trucks and cars barreling from either direction (this is the main thoroughfare between the Holland Tunnel and the Manhattan Bridge). Along with pedestrian traffic, vendors selling faux designer goods, and the entryway into Chinatown across the street, those looking for a true urban feel will be sure find it here. Though the area is technically SoHo, this is not the heart of the neighborhood. Guests will be able to easily walk to more pleasant areas for a trendy selection of restaurants, bars and nightlife not only here in SoHo, but also TriBeCa, Nolita and the three "villages" (East, West and Greenwich), as well as the Lower East Side.

The Canal Street 6 subway station is directly in front of the hotel for a quick ride uptown or farther downtown. Taxis are also plentiful along this route.

There are only 28 rooms in this elevator building -- renovated in 2012 -- that take up four floors above the front desk. Guests will not want to overpack, as there is not a lot of room to store luggage in the rooms, which are decidedly small, even by New York City standards. Decor consists of navy blue carpeting and white walls. Beds -- queens, kings or two twins -- have black and blue headboards, white duvets, and pillow-top mattresses. Each room has an AC unit, work desk, narrow cupboard-style closet with a safe (free), coffeemaker, and 32-inch flat-screen TV. Mini-fridges are available upon request. Bathrooms have blue tiling with walk-in showers and a shelf that holds a nice selection of toiletries. Smaller rooms have sliding doors due to space.

Double-paned windows help keep out noise from Canal Street but lower floors will experience more horns as well as vibrations from the 6 train that runs below the building.

Due to the small size of the hotel, guests should not want or expect to spend many of their waking hours on the property. In fact, this dearth of amenities is a way to help keep prices down. Other than the rooms themselves, hallways, and elevator, there is only the small lobby, which is nothing more than a front desk, two leather chairs, desktop computer for guest use, and tourist-related reading materials.

The staff member (usually just one per shift) on duty is a good person to ask for nearby restaurant suggestions, though they will most likely offer up information that is already listed on the website. The lobby computer and free Wi-Fi will come in handy for researching local hot spots, of which there are many nearby.

Luggage storage is possible, but items may not necessarily be locked up -- rather they might be sitting in the lobby area, due to lack of space. The property has safety measures in place, though, with 24-hour staff, cameras, and a buzzer for the front door.