I am looking for a 3 or 4* hotel for 4-6 Dec and have been trying priceline with no luck. I now think that I've left it too late and the options on the other websites are now limited and too expensive.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

What would you recomend out of Thirty thirty, Ramada Plaza New Yorker, Empire, Hampshire Hotel and Suites (all $230-$280)?

Check out quikbook.com, if you haven't already.

Adele, can't specifically comment on the properties you listed, but here are a few suggestions, they are NOT 4 star hotels, but they are clean, safe and well-located. The DaVinci http://www.davincihotel.com/about.htm weekend rates are about $150 for a double. And there is always Habitat on Lexington Ave. Also if you're searching websites, try hotelkingdom.com I recently secured a very reasonable rate at Hudson using that site.

I have stayed at the Hampshire Hotel and Suites and it was a small room but still nice and clean.

Try the Edison in midtown. also try these two on the Upper West Side. Neither is very far from the Empire - Lucerne and Beacon. If Beacon is available by all means go for it. Each hotel has a website