My husband and I are escaping from the kids for a night in NYC in Oct. I am looking for a romantic, not too modern, elegant European style hotel. I checked postings here and on TripAdvisor, and am narrowing it to the Iroquis, the Michelangelo, the Belvedere and the Benjamin. Any thoughts? I am looking for something to slap us out of our 'married with children in New Hampshire' life for a day or two. We were thinking of trying to catch a taping of SNL, a nice dinner, etc. Any tips on how to get SNL tix? Even the dress rehearsal would work for us. Thanks.

Unless you know someone, the few SNL tickets given out are for family and friends of SNL and the talent.

You can jocky for tickets to the dress rehearsal.

All of your hotel choices are lovely. The Benjamin would be my first pick followed by the Michelangelo.

While I enjoy The Belvedere, it really could not be classified as "elegant." Save it for if you take the kids to NYC as it is well located and reasonably priced.

I would recommend The Benjamin as well.

The Belvedere is considered a good budget hotel, the other 2 are not. I'd choose the Michelangelo and go to a show you can't see on TV.

Saturday Night Live tickets have a multi-year waiting list. There is a complicated procedure to get on the list.

You CAN wait on line outside 30 Rockefeller Plaza on the day of the taping for last minute rush seats, but that is very unlikely to work.

Many of the SNL cast members (particularly Amy Poehler) perform at the Upright Citizens Brigade theater on a regular basis.

Another alternative is to try to get tickets to The Daily Show or Conan O'Brien.