Good info, thanks to all!

I live on the UWS and I find it very convenient to get anywhere (I am very close to the Beacon Hotel). And since Sept_honeymoon will be here over the Memorial Day weekend, personally, I think it would be nice to have easy access to Central Park and Riverside Park and be away from the tourist throngs.

Times Square is only 5 minutes (3 minutes and 30 seconds according to my husband) on the 2/3 from 72nd street. I can get to Wall Street in 20 minutes from the same stop on the express train.

However, if someone wanted to be a little closer to the hustle and bustle of Times Square and still have some sense of neighborhood, I always recommend the Belvedere on W 48th Street.

I live on the UWS and have to agree with others who wouldn't recommend it for a first time visit.

If it turns out that the UWS has the best hotel prices for what you are looking for, you won't be miserable there, but it isn't exactly walking distance to most places. I also would highly recommend trying to stay in the 70s or south.

I live across the street from the Belleclaire, and wouldn't really recommend it for first timers unless you are on a very tight budget. I love where I live, but it isn't exactly the most attractive spot.

If you can find a hotel you can afford closer to the village or soho, I think you would like that much better. Those would be ideal neighborhoods, but I'm sure they are also quite a bit more expensive.

Staying in midtown isn't the most romantic or attractive, but it is centrally located, and sometimes convenience is best.

Just don't stay in Times Square! I hate hate hate it. It will be insanely crowded the weekend you visit. Stay just north of it.

Maybe staying closer to Bryant Park would be better - not sure about prices.

Hi -- saw this thread from a couple of months ago and it made me question just a little bit my decision to stay on the upper west side on my trip May 24-29. We are basically first time visitors, but are OK with walking and subways. I know we will be close to Central Park and the Museum of Natural History and of course we want to see Times Square, but also Coney Island, Greenwich Village, and at least take the ferry to Staten Island.

Just looking for a little reassurance...

staying on the UWS is great. don't question it. You will be all over the place anyway, so I doubt you would be just popping in and out of your hotel as someone suggested. You will feel less like a tourist and more like a New Yorker than just staying in Times Square!

Agree staying on the UWS is a better idea.

You're also near all the Museums on the east side of the park from 100th south (Museum Mile - the Met, Guggenheim, City of New York etc).

And on the subway (2 separate lines) you will be in Times Square in 10 minutes - and at South Ferry in 25.

I LOVE Times Square - I stay at the W right in the middle of everything - I'm not young (40) but I love the noise and bustle - I don't find it tacky, just crowded. As far as being central, nothing in Manahattan is very far away from anything else BUT Times Square is exactly the centre of UWS, UES and Lower Manhattan. If you do it right, you should be so tired by the time you go to bed that you needn't worry about noise keeping you awake!

Exactly. We just got back from NYC a couple of weeks ago. Stayed at the Super 8, on 46th, between 5th and 6th. We walked A LOT, and when we went to bed at night, I slept like a rock in spite of the street noise. We were exhausted! Loved being walking distance from Times Square. As a midwesterner, I enjoyed just walking up Broadway and people-watching.

Thanks everyone. I do feel better. I think I'll stick with UWS because I have a good feeling about it, but I imagine that anywhere in New York would be great. Counting the days!!!!

I appreciate's everyones passion for their neighborhoods that's great!

I'm also visiting NY for the first time May 21-23, and I took several weeks researching which hotel to stay at - I wanted clean but cheap, and I wanted my own bathroom, and I wanted to be IN manhatten, but I didn't have a preference as to where exactly in Manhatten because I was willing to walk/train/taxi anywhere I needed to go. The best place that I found was The Pod hotel, for $189/night I get a full size bed and my own bath. The revues it gets from other customer's is great, the main complaint being that the walls are super thin but I can just put ear plugs in. It's at 230 E 51st St. which is the mid-east side... like I said I wasn't too worried about location when I chose it, I work out regularly so I'm ready to hoof it all over town, I might take a train down to battery park the morning I go to see Ellis island, other then that I don't really have any set plans yet, I just want to walk everywhere and gawk up at the buildings like a typical NY tourist, and buy cheesy I heart NY tshirts, and eat NY pizza and hotdogs and kniches, and just soak it all in... this has been a dream of mine for years I can't wait!!!!!!! You'll see me again 'cause I have lots of questions (luckily I work with a gal who used to live in NY she is helping me out a lot too!)