Holiday Inn Express Brooklyn

The lobby is bright and airy, but small, with only a few places to sit. Guests are a broad mix of families, couples and young people, and generally all are tourists in town to explore the Big Apple. The nine-floor hotel has one elevator, which can feel small during busy times of the day. Although the common areas lean towards that generic chain-hotel feel, overall a relaxed and friendly atmosphere prevails.

The hotel is on the edge of Park Slope -- a family-friendly neighborhood known for its quaint brownstones and green sensibilities. The hotel sits on a quiet, residential side street that is also home to several auto-body shops, and the trendy restaurant Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is right on the corner. The R subway line is just half a block away from the hotel, and it will take about 30 minutes to reach New York’s main attractions from here. A five-minute walk brings you over to Fifth Ave. in Park Slope, where there are cute local shops and many dining options. You can continue on foot to Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Museum, and the Barclays Center (with many more train lines, and the Long Island Railroad) is also within walking distance.

The rooms are clean and comfortable, and the beds and quality bedding are nicer than one might expect for a mid-range hotel. A few of the King rooms have a whirlpool tub, with a glass wall between the tub area and the room -- though the glass is frosted, so no peeking through to the bathroom can occur. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, though only some have radios with an iPod connection available. Every room comes with a mini-fridge, microwave, and coffeemaker, and handicap-accessible rooms are available. Large windows have views that look out over the sprawling borough of Brooklyn.

The hotel features free Wi-Fi, and there is a 24-hour business center that consists of one computer and a printer/fax machine. There is a free continental breakfast every morning with all the basics -- cereal, eggs, pancakes, pastries, and more. The large breakfast room, with several tables and chairs, snack machines, and a TV, is open all day for guests to hang or work on laptops. There is a parking lot in the back with 28 spots available, for a daily parking fee. There is no fitness center, restaurant, or room service at this hotel, though the manager said that the popular Dinosaur Bar-B-Que restaurant across the street will deliver to your room.