Broadway Hotel & Hostel

For those who have outgrown the no-frills backpacker experience but haven’t quite graduated to a full-service hotel, the hybrid Broadway Hotel & Hostel, which has been given a "boutique-style" makeover, fills the gap. On the ground floor, exposed brick, leather sofas and three large flat-screen TVs give the sprawling communal spaces a slick, urban veneer, but they still follow the traditional youth-hostel blueprint: TV room, shared kitchen, plus a computer area with eight credit card–operated terminals (if you have your own gadget, Wi-Fi is free). You won’t find six-bed set-ups here, though: The cheapest option, the small, basic "dormitory-style" rooms, jazzed up with striking color schemes, mass-produced art and ceiling fans (there’s AC in the summer too), accommodate a maximum of two in a bunkbed. The good-value "semi-private" rooms offer a queen bed or two doubles or twins, with luxuries such as down comforters, iPod docks and flat-screen TVs, but you’ll have to use the (well-scrubbed) shared bathrooms. Ensuite quarters are also available. Unlike most hostels, the Broadway provides free linens and towels, daily housekeeping service and 24-hour reception.