I find that i'd use cute as a
safer way of describing someone rather than hot, even when they're hot, not cute. As hot generally infers that you'd like to sleep with them, cute is a
safe answer to describe someone you may be attarcted to (unless you're with all your guy friends, so you say hot; it depends
)
I agree with Holo though and whoever else implied it
Hot = Causes sexual thought
Beautiful = Attractiveness that transcends appearance
Pretty/Cute = Somewhere inbetween