Going to the Manhattan Penthouse for a wedding reception on Aug.1st. Rooms are too expensive at $179/night (I'm sure that doesn't include tax or parking). I've never been to NY, would love to go to this wedding but can't afford to spend a lot. Any suggestions??

We stayed at the Edison last September; it's old but recently renovated and clean; staff is warm and welcoming. They have a website you could check out.

Check out hotel consolidators. They book large numbers of rooms in NY and get very good prices for their customers. The two best are: Express Reservations @ 800-356-1123 or QuikBook @ 800-789-9887. Their agents have all visited the actual hotels and can give lots of info about them. These services have always been able to get me very good prices on NY hotels, but I have to say, NY is not cheap. A room for $179 is NOT an expensive hotel by NY standards. Be careful - the thing you buy for your $ in NY is location and by that I mean "safety". Good Luck.

You may try the Milford Plaza Hotel and request a standard room. I'm not sure what the price is today but I paid $75/night years ago. Rooms are verrry small. But, it is on broadway.

My suggestion would be to try a Bed & Breakfast
Agency as you have enough time for them to work
on it til August. I've stayed in hosted rooms with
City Lights B&B, 212-737-7049 and Urban Ventures,
212-594-5650, in the specific area I requested.
There is a service tax on B&Bs, but it's
less than the hotel tax. City Lights B&B was
especially friendly and accommodating!

Whatever you do, don't use As You Like It B&B.

We had a terrible experience with them.

Just read about a special at the new Eastside Inn in a great location in NYC. Price is $129 per night--a good deal for a good area in Manhattan. It was on a web site of the Mining Company which is: http://travelwithkids.miningco.com

Kathy, not to scare you any further but remember that the prices you are hearing probably don't include taxes (manhattan has a basic 20%25 hotel tax) which is exclusive of sales and any other taxes. The hotel brokers mentioned above I have used and get decent deals.

The hotel tax in NY city is very high as these folks mention. 17%25-20%25 is about right. There are also a tremendous amount of tourists visiting NY this year so rooms are at a premium. Try the Howard Johnson's on 8th avenue and 51st Street. The rooms are larger than most and the location is tops - one block from broadway in the theater district. Do not stay at any other HJ though as they are not as nice. Do not stay at the Milford Plaza. It is the pits.