Belvedere Hotel

The Belvedere, which has a handful of sister properties in New York (The Lucerne among them), bills itself as a boutique hotel -- but with 345 rooms, it may be a bit large to deserve the moniker. Still, it does have the personality of a boutique hotel, thanks to its history and level of service. (There's a full-service concierge, not a given in this category; the similarly priced Yotel hardly has any staff at all).The hotel was built during the 1920s Art Deco period, and the exterior windows on the first floor still have decorative arches and painted carvings. The hotel’s public areas also retain much of their original character. The lobby is attractive, with multiple seating areas and thoughtful period touches such as old telephones, a historic letterbox, geometric patterns on the terrazzo tile floors, red velvet furniture, and eclectic art. The busy lobby is well staffed with plenty of front desk personnel and doormen to accommodate guests’ needs.The hallways are a bit rundown and the elevator is old and can be slow during busy times. Travelers looking for a hotel that's more chic and mod should consider the nearby Chambers or Paramount.

In Midtown West on 48th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues, The Belvedere has an excellent location in the heart of the Theater District. There’s a virtually constant stream of people -- mostly tourists -- filling the sidewalks. The nearby Times Square is busy around the clock with food, souvenir shops, and sightseeing options, but the sheer volume of bike and foot traffic can induce sensory overload. However, the area is a convenient base for exploring the city’s sights, both on foot and via public transportation**. **Numerous subway lines are nearby; the hotel is one block from the C and E subway lines, and a five-minute walk to the multiple lines in Times Square (the 1,2,3, 7, N, Q, R, and shuttle to Grand Central Station).Lots of restaurants can be found on Restaurant Row and in Hells Kitchen. 9th Avenue, in particular, has many eateries and is less touristy and hectic than 7th and 8th Avenues.The Belvedere is in easy walking distance to:- Times Square

• Numerous Broadway theaters
• Museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Madame Tussauds
• Port Authority
• Restaurant row
• Rockefeller Center
• Central Park
• Columbus Circle
• 5th Avenue shopping
• Bryant Park

The rooms in The Belvedere are elegant and relatively spacious, decorated in warm earth tones and dark woods. The beds are very comfortable and come with modern bedding and plenty of pillows. The rooms include thoughtful touches, such as a recessed ceiling with striking crown molding (painted brown), a lovely chandelier, light switches with dimmers, a large closet with a bathrobe, and a flat-screen TV with HBO. The marble bathroom is sleek with modern fixtures, although the floor can be a bit slippery. Each room has a small kitchenette with a microwave, refrigerator, and personal coffeemaker -- highly convenient for those looking to save money on food. The air-conditioning units can be very noisy, and some rooms get street noise (not surprising given the busy location). Rooms on higher floors have city views, but most rooms have unremarkable views of neighboring buildings.

The Belvedere has all the expected amenities of an upper-middle-range hotel. There is a large fitness center on the second floor that is well equipped with treadmills, cross trainers, stair climbers, recumbent bikes, and free weights. Towels, water, and a restroom are all provided. The Belvedere also has a large business center with four computers, a printer, and an ATM, although there is a charge to use the business center. Two meeting rooms round off the hotel’s business services.The hotel offers a few dining options. The Belvedere Café’s breakfast buffet has two choices – a continental breakfast and full American breakfast. The breakfast is overpriced and the food is nothing special, especially considering the plethora of restaurants and eateries in the area. The Churrascaria Plataforma is a Brazilian "rodizio"-style steakhouse located in the hotel with its own entrance on 49th street. The steakhouse serves lunch and dinner and the prices are quite steep, as is customary for steakhouses in Manhattan. The Belvedere also offers room service; staff will order for you from either of two different restaurants and then deliver the food to your room.While Wi-Fi is provided throughout the hotel, there is a fee to use it in the Deluxe Rooms; the Executive Rooms receive free Wi-Fi. Paying for Wi-Fi this day and age is a pain, especially considering that many competitors in the area, such as The Out NYC and The Iroquois, have free Wi-Fi. Some guests have complained that Wi-Fi slows during busy times. The hotel also offers valet parking for a fee.