is it possible?
we're looking and researching and getting more confused about where is nice to stay where isnt very nice, what areas are good which to avoid
we have a set budget of $150 per night - is that a crazy cheap limit? will we never find anything suitable?

Nice hotel. NYC. $150. Ouch.

That depends on our travel dates. A room that costs $400 in December might cost $130 in January.

Most short term apt rentals are illegal and/or outright scams

What are your dates?

That is the most important issue.

It depends on when you're coming and what you mean by "nice". For that in Jan/feb you can get something. The rest of the year you will usually get basic and clean (but there are sometimes deals on hotwire or other discount sites for certain dates). For high season (Sept through week before Christmas you may get a room with a shared bath in a B&B.

Apartments are very dicey, depending on where you find them and how much research you do. Most are illegal (neither co-ops nor landlords allow tenants to do short-term sublets, and the city has not approved the apartments for transients). Some are outright fakes. If you want one you need to do a ton of research.

The way to find something at that price that's very nice is to look on travelzoo.com for specials (there are some right now for less than that) or if you're just 2, consider bidding on Priceline. Otherwise, $150 is a hard price to get, but how hard will indeed depend on your dates and days of the week. If that price is for more than 2 people, it's more difficult.

Ok, now I remember. You're coming for 2 weeks in Sept. Which 2 weeks?

Affinia's affiliated hotel, the Eastgate Tower, might come in just within your budget for a studio unit. Scroll to the bottom here:
http://www.affinia.com/Special.aspx?...ome-Suite-Home

You might also find something on quikbook.com for your dates (although the best deals are usually found closer to arrival.)

yes, two weeks in Sept...we did find an Apt through vacation rentals - the guy has two apts and both had positive feedback, only one is available for our dates. have yet to pay or book as the location is 44th and 9th and im not so sure about the area...looks busy and close to the hustle and bustle but we're still tossing between this and Chelsea apt

I think your limit is kind of nuts for peak season in Manhattan.

You will truly get what you pay for.

okay thanks GoTravel....

We stayed at a nice apt in Greenwich. It's more than $150 a night but for the location and what you get we think it's a great deal. It's called Jones Street Guesthouse. They have a website so you can check it out. We stayed there for two weeks in October and we're going for a week at the end of May. You might want to check it out.

Don't forget to check to make sure it is a legal rental.

TerryLFred probably means Greenwich Village (as opposed to Greenwich, Connecticut). Just clarifying.

Don't be discouraged...we snagged a travelzoo.com offer for a decent (according to tripadvisor.com) for $139/night just east of Chelsea. Includes small "gym" and free wi-fi.

We're travelling with our 15 y/o daughter so with only the 2 of you, you'll have that much more flexibility.

Room rates have really tumbled in NYC. You'll be able to find something if you keep checking the offers and follow-up immediately if you see something interesting.

I started out researching LOTS and LOTS of apartments and after a couple weeks, abandoned the idea altogether. Too much risk that I'd end up booking a phantom apt, etc.

Another thought: Hotwire.com I've used them numerous times. The result is a surprise, but you're provided with enough information about location, amenities, class etc to make the uncertainty a non-issue IMO. There are always some awesome prices on Hotwire, and you may even be able to "upgrade" to a 4-star on that site.

thanks for the links and replies!!
is hotwire like Priceline?

Hotwire is a little different from Priceline. On both, you select an area and a star level. But that's all you know with Priceline (other than what you can glean from other sites, like betterbidding.com). With Hotwire, the price is stated, but so are the amenities for the particular hotel and, often, the TripAdvisor rating, so you can "match" the hotel to the amenities and rating, and be fairly confident you know what hotel you are going to get. For that reason, Hotwire's prices are usually just a tad higher than Priceline's prices. I've used both, and generally prefer Hotwire -- in the past in New York, I've gotten the Westin Times Square and Hilton Times Square using Hotwire, and the W New York using Priceline.

great - thanks for explaining that sf7307...sounds like you did well with both sites!
betterbidding.com is great - wish more people would post their wins!