Oh boy, I've spent so many hours searching, my eyes are glazing over and everytime I think I've found the perfect place I get confused again!

I am celebrating my 40th birthday end of January. Looking for a hotel not in Times Square, maybe Murray Hill or Union Square. We'll be there two nights. Important things are: king size bed, relative quiet from street noise (light sleeper!), big marble bathroom with bathtub/shelf space. Views are not important, we prefer a dark room for sleep. Doesn't need to be a suite.

I've reserved the Michelangelo. It seems to have all I'm looking for. I'm concerned about the cost, (the king is $300/night before taxes and parking). We definitely can't go over $300.

We like Italian/European style, looked at the Jolly Hotel Madison Towers also. We are eating dinner one night East Village the other in the Greenwich Village area. Plan to visit Met Museum and Tenement Museum also, if that helps.

Any suggestions welcome. The Library Hotel looks beautiful, but too much for the budget! Oh the Inn at Irving Place too!! AND the Affinia Dumont, etc etc!!

Hotel prices have been on the rise iin NYC for the past year. It will be very difficult to get a luxury hotel( which is what you seem to be asking for,size,etc)in NYC for less than $300 unless you luck out with priceline of something like that. You can certainly find alot of hotels still under $300. You may want to try the larger brand named hotels and get a room up on a high floor for quite.

We stayed at the Michaelangelo last summer and LOVED IT! The hotel is lovely, the rooms are perfect. The bed was so comfy, great sheets. The hotel location was perfect we were able to walk everywhere. it was very quiet. not only form street noise but there weren't hundreds of kids running around. When we were there there was a complimentary continental breakfast, which was a nice perk. We would definetly stay there again.. If you want quiet just make sure you stay away fom the Marriot Times Square, Although the location is good, it is very noisy and crowded.
Enjoy your trip

Rihga Royal is showing some nice winter rates. Just booked em.

I think the Michelangelo sounds like what you want apart from price. The Sofitel, the Blakely, the Barclay Intercontinetal and the Drake Swissotel are some other midtown hotels that would fit the description. I recently saw some great prices for the Blakely (can't remember the dates though) which has soaking tubs, some jacuzzis and nice linens.

Have been using sidestep.com and saw a price of $238 for the Sofitel on a website traveldealsnow.com Some of the prices require prepayment, but so what???

There is currently a special for the Barclay on travelzoo but it may be sold out.

The Carlton on Madison is a newly renovated hotel that was running some specials.

It would be a shame to have to spend $300 at this time of year. I think you need to do some searching on different websites for best deals. You might try sidestep.com or kayak.com I've found onetravel.com and traveldealsnow.com from sidestep but have never tried to book any.

In terms of other hotel options, the rooms at the Library are small. I think the same owners also own the Casablanca and/or the Elysee. Both of those can be nice but not sure about marble baths. The Inn at Irving Place is not for you. It will be too noisy.

Any of the Affinia hotels are nice but not sure which have marble baths. I saw some good prices for the Lyden Gardens which was recently renovated by Affinia. Don't know if the upper east side would appeal to you. They also own the Surrey which is a lovely hotel not far from the Met. Again, not sure about baths.

If it's a special occasion I say go for it! The Michelangelo is a GREAT hotel. They're ALL expensive - so live it up!

The Lombardy is a lovely, little known hotel on the eastside. I see a rate of $245 on onetravel.com. Their "rooms" are apts. and are large (I know you don't need that, but...) It says their bathrooms are marble.

I got a good rate at The Blakely via Quikbook. It's on 55th Street, more Midtown area than you were looking for?

Thanks for all the replies, I don't mind paying the price for what I want, but like one person said, it does seem a shame to pay premium price in the off season. I will check out the others suggested -- but I think I've decided to splurge on the Michelangelo! Thanks so much for your replies.

If you do decide to go to the Michelangelo at that price, make sure they know it's a special b'day and ask nicely for an upgrade.

yes - I got upgraded last year at the M. to a room I couldn't BELIEVE. Like celebrities-on-reality-TV kind of room.

If my memory serves me correct, I've had quite a few hotel rooms with marble in Manhattan.

Waldorf
Shelborne Murray Hill
The Surrey
Seaport Suites/Exchange Hotel

Surrey Suites are quite close to "museum mile."

We stayed at Michelangelo wknd before last - it was wonderful. We got a great rate online and were upgraded when we arrived without asking, but otherwise ask! I wrote about it on this site, the thread if you want more detailed info is:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=1

in my opinion, it has everything you are looking for.
maybe call and ask is this your best rate - or check online again for specials.

sorry, i don't have this thread select thing down yet; it isn't bringing you to my post on our wknd in nyc - anyway, Michelangelo Hotel on 152 W 51st, between 6 & 7th. www.michelangelohotel.com; we got great internet rate, hotel was lovely, rooms huge (we were upgraded to suites, don't know why, perhaps b/c it was weekend after new years, but the hotel was certainly active).

Rooms were lovely, bose stereo, robes, housekeeping 2x day, turn down, comp breakfast of pastries/coffee: we did eat breakfast in the restaurant which wasn't included and thought it pricey, and they were doing some renovations on main restaurant so it was a set up in a meeting room, so no atmosphere but the lobby has a nice bar w/ couches, etc and pianist, we had late night drinks and desserts there one night. We had inside rooms so it was very quiet. I would stay there again.
we did request quiet rooms. I would do either the comp minimal breakfast and/or eat elsewhere, as I did think their breakfast was pricey, but you can check it out, the pecan encrusted french toast was delic, and I asked them to bring me some cut banana to go with it, which made it even more perfect in my mind. have fun wherever you end up!