With a New Orleans theme and bold black-and-white decor, The French Quarters NYC offers a fun alternative to standard cookie-cutter hotels. This six-story building with a red-brick facade was a boarding house -- a single-room occupancy hotel -- which has been cleverly converted into studio-type rooms. Ornamental wrought-iron balconies provide a nod to New Orleans' architecture, while the on-site restaurant serves Creole-style fare. Apart from the restaurant and bars, there are few common areas where guests can gather and mingle. The reception area is small with charming black-and-white tiled floors and walls, framed oil paintings, and a reception counter tucked into a corner. This hotel caters to tourists seeking an alternative to the big hotel chains with a central location. It tends to draw couples and families on a city getaway.

In the busy Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, The French Quarters NYC is located on Restaurant Row, a stretch of restaurants that cater to the pre-theater crowd. Times Square is a short walk away and several public transportation links are nearby -- the closest subway station is on 49th Street, an eight-minute walk away.

• Five-minute walk to Times Square
• 10-minute walk to Diamond District
• 13-minute walk to Fifth Avenue
• 13-minute walk to Rockefeller Center
• 12 minutes to the Museum of Modern Art by public transportation
• 16 minutes to Grand Central Terminal by public transportation
• 18 minutes to Empire State Building by public transportation
• 24 minutes to Central Park by public transportation
• 34 minutes to Statue of Liberty by public transportation
• 40-minute drive to John F. Kennedy Airport
• 25-minute drive to LaGuardia Airport

The 22 guest rooms and five suites at The French Quarters NYC are pleasantly decorated in sharp black and white details. Armchairs are upholstered in black-and-white stripes, and black furniture contrasts with crisp white linens. Curtains and bed skirts are covered in black-and-white toile fabric. All rooms have exposed-brick walls, offering a decorative accent to spaces that can seem cramped because of low ceilings. Kitchenettes with mini-fridges, stove tops, coffeemakers, and sinks are also wedged into these spaces. Standard amenities include flat-screen TVs and DVD players, iPod docks, and free Wi-Fi. Irons and ironing boards and hairdryers are also provided. Bathrooms are modern and tastefully fitted with black-and-white tiles, pedestal sinks, and large walk-in showers, and L'Occitane toiletries. Rooms with two queen- or king-size beds are also available, which are convenient for families or groups of friends traveling together. The two-bedroom suites include separate living areas with pull-out sofas and additional flat-screen TV, and private balconies or patios with tables and chairs, some with scenic views of the New York skyline.

The French Quarters NYC is one of the few New York hotels offering a continental breakfast in its rates -- its modest offerings include bagels, muffins, rolls, fruit, instant oatmeal, and hot and cold drinks. The on-site restaurant, the Bourbon Street Bar and Grille at the French Quarters, serves Creole-style cuisine, in keeping with the hotel's New Orleans theme. Chicken and seafood dishes are served for lunch and dinner. Room service is available, and brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday. The restaurant also includes three bars, and hosts DJ nights toward the end of the week. Other services include private shopping and concierge services. Laundry, fax, and photocopying services are also available. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.