hi all,

i will be attending a conference near lincoln center. the conference hotel is the hudson. i have read some reviews of the hotel and it does not appearl - uber tiny rooms, etc.

are there any other hotels in the vicinity that you can recommend? it can't be too expensive since i can get a rate of $185 US at the Hudson and the rate would need to be comparable (e.g. probably rules out the plaza!).

thanks.

If you use Priceline for central park south you should be able to get something for that rate. But you can't pick a specific hotel and I don;t know that you are guaranteed a larger room. You could try the other travle web sites and the hotels directly but I don;t know if you'll get that kind of a rate.

The Empire Hotel is across the street from LIncoln Enter. The MAyflower is a few blocks away.

The Empire Hotel is, alas, closed. Ian Schrager sold it, and the word is it will be made over into condominiums.

But, the Mayflower on Central Park West is still open. I stayed there this month. Large rooms. Paid $159 for a double with stunning park view. I think you can still get a non-park view room for as low as $129/139. Decor is bland, and light colored carpets can show wear. Don't expect luxe finishings. But, my room was clean & the kitchen pantry was a nice convenience, as were 2 closets. As for the bathroom, I loved the strong water pressure and unlimited hot water at shower time! Staff friendly and helpful when I made a couple of special requests. Location is tough to beat.

The Priceline area for Central Park South also includes "upper midtown" so that might not be a good option. Where exactly is the conference?

The Mayflower is a good idea & will probably be cheaper than the $185 allowance but be warned about faded furnishings. Have a look on tripadvisor.com for reviews. A park view room there would be awesome.

Both the Hudson & the Mayflower are south of LC. Other possibilities north of Lincoln Center about 10 blocks are the Beacon Hotel, On the Avenue Hotel and the Lucerne Hotel.

Thanks for your suggestions all.

The conference is at Fordham law school (which is just behind LC). I don't mind walking a few blocks.

Unfortunately I can't use Priceline b/c I have to invoice my employer and can't really use an auction-type service....

I believe the conference rooms are normally the Empire but they switched to the Hudson since the Empire closed....

FYI-if you invoice your employer after the stay from your check out hotel bill, there would be no way for them to know it was booked on PL. It just looks like a regular bill from the hotel (the only differenece being the price). But, as I said earlier, some of the hotels in the upper midtown/central park south Priceline area like the Drake on Park & 55th, would not be too convenient. It's a shame because I see someone has won the Westin Essex house for $130 a night! In checking, though, I was reminded of the Park Central-a PL hotel in the same league as the Hudson. Check it out. I think they have an executive club that may be more palatable.

Just read some horrifying reviews of Park Central on tripadvisor. Cross it off your list!

Another option besides priceline is quikbook.com. Don't know when you're going but you should be able to find something for under $185 (and unlike priceline, you know the hotel ahead of time). Another option would be a furnished studio rented through hospitalityco.com - I think they have apts. near Lincoln Center.

I stayed at the Beacon. It is on Broadway about 10 blocks from Lincoln Center. We would have walked had it not been raining.

The rooms were fairly large and there was a little kitchen corner in the room.
I recall a microwave, small refrigerator, sink, a few dishes, coffee making equipment.

I think our room had two double beds in it and some floor space.

The rooms were of ample size and comfortable. http://www.beaconhotel.com/

Take a look and see what you think.
The pictures of the rooms are as I recall them from our 4 night visit.

Would I return? Yes.