Serrano Hotel050

Serrano Hotel, one of the Kimpton boutique hotels, is a charming old hotel in the heart of the theater district in Union Square.

When my eight-year-old son and I checked in, the cheery front desk clerk welcomed us, and said, "It's all fun and games at the Kimpton" and he showed us cabinets stocked with dozens of board games from Chutes and Ladders to Sorry to Monopoly. Another staff member chimed in and said, "Hey, I think there's a special gift waiting for you in the room." My son was delighted. Couple that with the Chilean wine tasting happening in the cozy lobby, and we were off to a happy start. The Serrano most definitely welcomes families.

The Serrano's 236 guest rooms are tastefully decorated in whimsical, yet elegant shades of crimson, gold, and teal. We stayed in a seventeenth floor suite, which offered great urban views of Union square rooftops, as well as the surrounding house-covered hills of the city. The two rooms of the suite afforded us lots of room for working, game playing, family movie time, and sleeping.

My son immediately claimed the family room with the pull-out couch as his. I was not disappointed to be left with the lovely bedroom, complete with a luxurious king-sized bed, work desk, flat-screen television, and mini-bar.

The family room of the suite boasts a rolling end table and rolling hassock, flat screen television, three large windows, two reading chairs, and as, my son, says, "Lots of carpeted space to run and play on the floor in your socks!?"

The bathroom has a tub/shower combo, Aveda products, and two animal-print cotton robes. Child-size robes are available for loan or purchase, as well.

My son's gift bag included some small toys and a kids' comment card. The hotel also makes available a list of kid-friendly activities in the area, including parks, restaurants, and classes. Playards, high-chairs, and booster seats are available by request.

In-room child safety kits with outlet covers, toilet latches, and nightlights are also available. The concierge can recommend accredited babysitting services, 24-hour on-call pediatricians, car rental companies that offer child safety seats, and suggestions for other baby equipment rental.

Other amenities at the Serrano include room service from the Ponzu Restaurant, in-room spa treatments, pet packages, business center, same-day laundry or drycleaning service, 24-hour fitness center, morning coffee and tea service, and pay-per-view movies. A Walgreens drugstore is located half a block away for snack, diaper, cosmetic, or other needs. Within several blocks of Union square, teeming with department stores, restaurants, and boutique stores, including Borders books and Sears Fine Food.