The Time New York

With almost 200 rooms, The Time is a bit larger than most boutique hotels, but it certainly has the quintessential boutique ambience. Redesigned by the Rockwell Group as part of its 2015 renovation, the hotel is outfitted with natural materials, contemporary furniture, and original modern art. The lobby feels like a living room, with a large communal table and white wire patio chairs, gray sectional sofas, and branching bubble chandelier. Hallways, like the rooms, are dark, with lots of gray and white lightened up only by white doors and white wall-mounted room numbers. Most guests are business travelers or tourists wanting easy access to Midtown attractions. 

The Time is located on a well-lit but relatively quiet street, seven blocks north of Times Square's epicenter at West 42nd Street and Broadway. It's just far enough from the sightseer hordes to feel removed from the chaos, but it's still within walking distance of the city's most popular attractions. Central Park (10 blocks north), Carnegie Hall, Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park, the New York Public Library, the MoMA, 15 subway lines, and countless restaurants are all just a five- to 10-minute walk away. The hotel is also in the heart of the Theater District, surrounded on all sides by -- and within short walks of -- the major theaters.

The Time has a total of 167 guest rooms plus 25 suites. Decor is similar in all the units, with hardwood floors; dark walls in shades of slate, tan, beige, and gray; soft lighting; light-wood desks; glass closets; and the occasional pop of color in the contemporary Moroso-brand chairs. Look close: Samsung Smart TVs are hidden behind the large round mirrors. All have blackout drapes, irons/ironing boards, minibars, safes with built-in USB chargers, custom-designed Maison Martin Margiela bathrobes, and Italian Frette linens. Bathrooms are sleek and masculine, with slate-gray tiles, small vessel sinks with black taps, large lighted mirrors, and walk-in rainfall showers with black fixtures, but they could certainly do with some more counter space. Bath products are also by Maison Martin Margiela. Instead of "do not disturb" door hangers, rooms have illuminated panels outside the doors. Rooms start in the Standard Full category and keep going up in size, with Superior Queens, slightly larger Superior Kings, and even bigger Deluxe King Rooms and Double Double Rooms. However, the amenities don't differ much in the rooms -- it's primarily size that sets them apart. Suites have separate bedrooms with king-size beds and living rooms with pull-out sofa beds. The Penthouse is in a class unto itself, and is spread out over three floors. The bottom floor features the living room and a kitchenette plus a big bathroom, while there's a second bedroom with a king-size bed plus a big bathroom on the second floor. The Third Floor features a pull-out sofa bed. Other features include a sauna, a huge sofa tub, and a large patio. Note that ADA-accessible rooms are available. 

The Time features two full restaurants: LeGrande Lounge and Serafina. The former, unsurprisingly, has a typical lounge feel, with lots of cobalt-blue, gray, and brass decor and ample use of dark purple crushed velvet in the booth seating, sofas, and chairs. The emphasis here is on alcohol, with a small cocktail menu, a few wines and Champagnes by the glass or bottle, and a disappointingly basic beer list. There are also a few snacks available -- think tacos, sushi, and chicken skewers. Private dining is available.Serafina is open daily and has a cheerful vibe, with orange booth seating, yellow chairs, and a central, island-like wrap-around bar. The restaurant serves a la carte breakfasts with menu items ranging from lemon ricotta pancakes to filet mignon burgers. The lunch and dinner here is traditionally Italian, with carpaccio and bruschetta appetizers along with salads, a large selection of pasta, main dishes with lots of seafood options, and a large pizza menu. In 2017, the hotel opened Goldfinch, a street-level coffeeshop serving Stumptown coffee, juice, tea, pre-packaged sandwiches, and other light snacks.Other hotel amenities include a concierge desk, a small gym with modern weight-training machines and cardio equipment, access to the nearby Equinox gym, free daily newspapers, free overnight shoe shine, and free hotel-wide Wi-Fi. There are two meeting spaces: the second-floor BoardRoom, with a 20-person conference table and audiovisual equipment, and the penthouse-level Glass Pavilion atrium event space. There's no parking on-site, but valet and self-parking is available across the street in a secure garage.