I think cute is being down played on here. To me cute at it's best is that this guy is good looking in the way that particular features really appeal to me and almost always goes hand in hand with looks and a nice (sometimes sensitive) personality.
Hot is when I think a guy is so damn good looking that on first look its all good, you just couldn't pick out certain attributes.
Then again though a guy I know that I think is absolutely adorably cute I also find very hot at times. But probably when my hormones are raging abit more than usual lol. Nah, he's hot when he's looking very masculine, well-dressed yet rugged (get me a cold shower).
Cute is NEVER a bad thing. It's probably a far greater compliment than hot in terms of meaning you have more all-rounder features than just being a sex god lol. That kind of alpha male/perfect looks always gets boring if the guy is a dick or not interesting as a person. NEVER does a hot guy who is an arsehole get put in the cute category. But conversly a cute guy can always be put in the hot list. Get my drift?
See, Jake Gyllenhaal....stud muffin, cutest thing ever coz firstly he's got that kind of boyish appeal and charming sweetness but then there's pics of him with his shirt off and it's off to the hot list lol. But when he is at his absolute best looking (sexy-wise) and he says things that are lovely and sweet it'll be cute over hot. There's a huge link to personality that determines the difference.