I love boutique hotels, and the Blake has great style and a certain "facelift" charm. I thought the renovations just added character! You have to consider that you are not paying luxury prices for a stay here, so clearly certain things won't be perfect.
The huge ballrooms and open spaces were very cool and the staff was great. The room was comfy. Had some issues with water temperature. I'd still rather stay at The Blake over some cookie-cutter boring hotel, but that's just me!