I have found some exceptional rates for two hotels for our 5 day stay late May/early June. We have been to NYC several times and will just go there to "hang out". Any sightseeing we'll do this time will be the things you do on your 4th or 5th visit to the City, rather than the first-timer circuit. We're a family of 3, daughter age 15.

The choice is between the Holiday Inn (6th/26th) and The Roosevelt. The price is about the same with the Roosevelt slightly higher. I understand that the HI is new and rooms are small. I understand that the Roosevelt has a grand lobby and tired rooms, with an outstanding location.

Would love any comments or insights. I think I could be very happy at either, but please give me your thoughts. Just for fun.

I think the "outstanding location" you report at the Roosevelt is only outstanding for a first time visit of typical first time sightseeing. It's not really in a neighborhood with a lot of decent restaurants or an area where people live. I don't know where you've stayed before, but I think you should consider staying in a NEW location for you. The Holiday Inn is fine and a good location for shopping. But maybe you should consider staying further downtown or on the upper west side.

I haven't stayed in the Holiday Inn, but that's a nice location, as mclaurie said. I stayed in the Roosevelt for business once, and your description, I think, was pretty accurate. One thing I did notice, however, was that the windows were pretty old, and let in a lot of street noise.

In the past we've stayed at a relative's house in Jersey because extremely basic rooms were pushing $300. That money could be so much better spent doing something fun in the city. Now, since NYC deals abound on Travelzoo, we will stay in the city, thus my desire to "get it right".

I think you can do better than the Roosevelt. The restaurants around there, with exceptions, are either cheap and geared to office workers or expensive and oriented towards expense-accounters and tourists. But it is near subways.

What kinds of things do you want to do?

The above poster is advertising. Don't listen to him. Most short term apartment rentals in NYC are illegal.

The Roosevelt's location is horrible, not outstanding. If I had to pick from those 2 options, the HI would be the obvious choice.

OK, the Roosevelt is out. I would like to know if there is any difference (only with respect to availability of neighborhood cafes and other non-chain places) between the Holiday Inn 6th/26th and Hampton Inn Madison Square Garden at 116 31st Street.

I realize it's 5 blocks north, but sometimes in any big city 5 blocks can mean a "whole new world".

Thanks in advance.

The Roosevelt does have good transportation options near it. It is a rather typical NYC hotel of the nice lobby and older rooms. You can do worse, you can do better (but for probably more $$). In what part of the city do you plan to spend your time? Also, how much time do you plan to spend in your room?

The interesting thing about the location of the Hampton Inn is that it's closer to some very interesting Korean stores and restaurants (as well as a few other Asian restaurants). To be perfectly honest, West 26th Street is pretty dreary and has no ambience of any kind whatsoever, though it's close to Chelsea, where there are a lot of stores and restaurants. It's certainly the destination of choice if you were gay, but with a family, I'm not sure.

If you stayed at the Hampton Inn, which is also a brand-new hotel, you could try some of the interesting Korean barbecue restaurants in the immediate vicinity. There's also Bob's the famous "dollar" store of Manhattan nearby. Otherwise, the neighborhood has little to recommend it. It's busy and crowded both day and night (depending on exactly which street you're on), but you're closer to a major subway connection at 31st street (on 26th you have only the 1 Train, which is on 7th Avenue.

By the way, I'm completely and utterly in disagreement with Gekko about the Roosevelt location. It's next door to Grand Central. Granted the neighborhood is completely dead at night, but you're basically next door to subway lines that will take you to either the east or west side as well as across town, and you can walk to most Broadway theaters in about 10 or 15 minutes.

Thanks Doug. I'm a big fan of the Hampton Inn chain in general. A lot of bang for the buck in the 2 star category. I love having GOOD free coffee available 24/7 in the lobby and the breakast offerings are totally adequate to get going for the day. Both have free wi-fi which is a must for me and both have a treadmill which they each refer to as a "fitness facility". Both have small but well supplied rooms. So I think I'll change my reservation to the Hampton Inn.

We plan to get the 7 day metro pass so having access to a subway connection rather than a subway line would be a time saver.

Thanks to everyone!

"is any difference (only with respect to availability of neighborhood cafes and other non-chain places) between the Holiday Inn 6th/26th and Hampton Inn Madison Square Garden at 116 31st Street."

Yes. While I agree with Doug that 26th is not gorgeous, it puts you closer to the heart of Chelsea where there are lots of great restaurants of all sorts. The Hampton Inn at MSG puts you near Penn station/MSG where there's very little to choose from in the way of restaurants apart from the Korean places. I've also heard complaints that the linens at that Hampton Inn look and feel "recycled" from other hotels despite this one being new. I would have a look at the Hampton Inn Chelsea which is older but has bigger rooms than either of these (some with 2 queen beds) and is on 24th st.

I'm also going to make some other suggestions that I think are better than all of these in location and amenities.

Affinia Gardens is a suite hotel (all rooms come with kitchens) that's on sale on travelzoo. It's near Bloomingdales in a great area for shopping, dining and near Central Park. You can get a studio suite for $199 or a 1 bedroom suite for more space for $239. You can keep breakfast food and coffee in the room or go out to one of several good places nearby. (Le Pain Quotidien, Eat Here Now).

Even cheaper (but not quite as new and freshly renovated) is the Eastgate Tower hotel, another suite hotel owned by the same co. It's near Grand Central and has a rate of $147 for a jr. suite or $187 for a 1 bedroom on quikbook.

The Belvedere near Times Square has a room with 2 doubles for $181 on quikbook.

Wingate by Wyndham is having a sale too for stays greater than 3 days. What do you think about the location of the Wingate at 235 W. 35th St. Is this getting too close to Times Square? We don't mind going there, but we don't need to live there.

Richland, are you just looking for something with budget in mind? Is that why you are picking these places? I'm staying at the Red Roof Inn next week that gets great reviews and $130 per night weekdays, $170 weekend. 32nd/5th

The Wingate is not too close to Times Square. It's quite near the other hotels you've been looking at. You should map them on maps.google.com

There are actually more decent dining options in the Times Square area (along 8th & 9th aves. in the 40's-50's) than around Penn station. You keep picking places in the west 30's which is Penn Station/Madison Square Garden/Garment Center/Macy's territory. It's really busy, really ugly and really commercial. But plenty of people stay there all the time happily because there are a lot of budget hotels in the area and it's convenient for traveling around. I'm trying to give you some options of different, more interesting locations since it isn't your first time visiting.

Can I assume you're rejecting other suggestions b/c of price rather than not liking the hotels?

I agree with mclaurie on this one. Though the area around Macy's and Penn Station is really ugly and busy, it's convenient. However, the lack of good nearby dining options (aside from those in Korea Town) is a big limitation, in my opinion.

If you want to stay in the 20s or 30s, look in Murray Hill. It's more residential and more conducive to hanging around with more good neighborhood restaurants.

But basically all these hotels are fine. It doesn't matter where in the city you stay, to be honest, as long as you stay in Manhattan between 60th and 14th streets and between 9th and 3rd avenues. When you go out of this box, then transportation becomes less convenient. Otherwise, it just doesn't matter as long as the hotel offers what you need at a price you can afford.