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Little-Known Hotel 17 Gets A Shout Out from the Grey Lady

Where: 225 East 17th Street [map], New York, ny, United States, 10010

The NY Times recently checked-in to a small, little-known hotel on the Lower East Side called Hotel 17 that houses both hotel guests and permanent guests like the gender-bending diva Amanda Lepore.

Hotel 17 however has made its mark on the pop culture world with Madonna and singer Jon Secada having stayed there during there pre-fame days. Woody Allen also used the hotel as a backdrop for his "Manhattan Murder Mystery" film.

Today, the hotel is described as a cozy spot, if a bit cramped, and as a place that forces you outside to explore the city. (ie. you won't have much room to relax or lounge around here.) it's also got distinctive decor:

My corner room on the eighth floor had adjacent walls with different wallpapers, neither of which quite matched the bedspread. Red blinds. Blue carpet. The dark furniture had the heavy look of an older era, and the molding was lacquered so heavily it seemed encased in amber. Everything combined to give a pleasantly noir-ish feel.

The good things about this hotel? It's in a great location, near East Village, Union Square and Gramercy Park. The building was recently renovated and reviewer Christopher Solomon gives the place high marks for cleanlinesss. Best of all, rooms are as low as $99. Now, the bad things. There are shared baths, some of the decor is falling apart and there are no extra amenities or services  or even a restaurant aside from the ice machine on the first floor.

Solomon's bottom line: a great spot for those who just need a bed to crash on at the end of a long, day on the town. Not recommended for those staying longer than two days or those looking for a romantic getaway. The shared baths sorta put the damper on that.

Related Stories:
· Check-In, Check-Out: Hotel 17 [NY Times]