Review of Hotel Roger Williams, by Andrew Mueller

Hotel Roger Williams' principal virtue is its location. On the corner of 31st Street and Madison Avenue, it sits in a spot which is at once conveniently central and surprisingly quiet. From the outside, the building appears generic to the defeat of description. Inside, it's rather different. In defiance of the worldwide boutique hotel trend towards austere, haughty minimalism, the Roger Williams communicates an overwhelming friendliness in the bright colours of its décor and the unforced good cheer of its staff.

The facilities

The mezzanine lounge functions a serviceable enough breakfast area, but isn't quite happening as an evening cocktail bar or meeting place. That aside, the Roger Williams has everything one would expect of a hotel of this standard: a fitness centre, and a meeting space (no restaurant, however).

The staff are smartly turned out, knowledgeable and friendly. Most crucially ­ and this is something of a treasurable rarity among New York hotels ­ they don¹t act like they're doing you a favour by letting you stay there. It is telling that the wakeup calls are done by an actual human being, rather than an automated voice ­ and actual human being, at that, which tells you what the weather is going to be like. The two free-access laptops in the reception area are another thoughtful touch.

The rooms

Hotel Roger Williams clearly intends to distance itself from the cliches of New York boutique hotels, eschewing the cliched palette of minimal blacks, greys and browns in favour of bright colours and pale woods. The room reviewed ­ a superior ­ was small, as New York City hotel rooms tend to be (the Roger Williams also offers bigger deluxe rooms, and upstairs rooms with private terraces).

The 193 rooms have flat screen television and wi-fi access (the latter is fast and appears to be free, but isn't - be warned). The wardrobe space is plenty for a short stay, and while there is a safe, it isn't big enough to stash a laptop. The minibar is generously stocked with drinks and snacks, but the prices ­ as is wearyingly often the case ­ are ridiculous, and especially insane in a city which hardly wants for open-all-hours convenience stores. Flat screen televisions and digital/clock radios with iPod docks are also fitted, and the bedside copy of Robert Kahn's guidebook "New York: City Secrets" is an excellent source of good ideas.