An Unexpected Inn at the Quieter End of 14th Street
Anyone who has visited NYC in recent years knows how difficult it is to find a reasonably equipped hotel room for under $300 a night. Here's one, a converted brick rowhouse on a tree-lined block between the trendy Flatiron and Chelsea districts. The entrance is down a few steep steps into the small lobby. There are five floors - no elevator - with the cheaper rooms on the top two. One owner is a rabid movie fan, resulting in a decor that relies primarily on big movie posters from Hollywood Past. Rooms are named for film stars. We got Albert Finney. It was New York-compact - only a foot between the end of the queen bed and the wall. But there was a sitting area with two armchairs in front of the flatscreen TV. The room rate included a private bath, a fridge, free WiFi, a safe, and a self-serve continental breakfast.
But here's the thing: At check-in, we mentioned that we were celebrating our wedding anniversary. When we returned from a long walk, there was a vase of twelve white roses on our bureau to celebrate our special day.