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Park Slope’s Holiday Inn Express feels startlingly modern in contrast to its supremely humble surroundings. The nine-story, pink-stucco tower soars above a collection of worn-out rowhouses, grease-stained chop shops, and pit-bull-protected auto lots. Still, given the slim hotel pickings in Brownstone Brooklyn, the inn’s a godsend for anyone visiting friends or family off the F or R lines. With its trimmed-down amenities—no restaurant, pool, or room service—this Holiday Inn can offer lower prices than its closest competitor, the more lavish New York Marriott near the Brooklyn Bridge. The ambience may leave something (okay, much) to be desired, but the location is ideal, just a short walk away from Fifth Avenue’s buzzy restaurants and boutiques, a ten-minute stroll to Carroll Gardens, and a half-block from the Union Street subway stop. The hotel’s 115 rooms are spacious by city standards and graced with modern touches like brushed-nickel bathroom accessories, bright wood furniture, and pillows conveniently monogrammed “firm” or “soft.” If you want a room with a view, you’ll have to snag one of the top floors: north-facing quarters get a sliver of lower Manhattan; south-facing rooms see all the way to the Verrazano Bridge. — Mina Hochberg

Pros

Short distance to several trendy neighborhoods in Brooklyn like Park Slope, Fort Greene, and Carroll Gardens.

Cons
The scruffy-looking block can be slightly alarming to those used to more upscale surroundings.

Perks
A deluxe continental breakfast runs 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.