Web Buzz: Room-matehotels.com offers centrally located boutique hotels with a personal approach

Get to the heart of the action with a city-centric hotel group that offers a mix of stylish design and connectivity.

Name: Room-matehotels.com

What it does: A hotel group launched by three friends who were looking for hotels that they actually wanted to stay in. It began in Madrid and has expanded to 23 hotels in 12 cities in Europe, the United States, Mexico and Turkey. New hotels are planned in 2017 for Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Barcelona, Spain, among other destinations.

What’s hot: Each boutique property in the hotel group has its own name and distinctive décor. That personal approach extends to hotel guests, whom the staff is encouraged to treat as a friend, buddy or “room mate.” All hotels have a convenient central city location, offer breakfast until noon and free WiMate Total Wi-Fi good throughout the city. I checked room rates for Hotel Grace in New York and found prices for its properties to be in the same range as those for hotel chains Hampton Inn, DoubleTree and Sheraton. Discounts were available for longer stays.

What’s not: I struggled to find more information about Total Wi-Fi, but when I clicked on the hotel description for Hotel Grace, I found out that some of the property amenities included a pool bar and sauna, as well as directions on how to get to the hotel. Excellent distractions, Room Mate Hotels.

— Jen Leo