I am traveling to NY with my husband and another couple in May. The Murry Hill Suites has been recommended to us as a great place to stay - it's $219.00++ per night. I'm sure it's great and we may stay there - but, since we will be in the room such a small amount of time, I thought we might find a centrally located place that's nice and clean for around $150.000 - $175.00. Any suggestions??

We stay at the Wellington at 55th & 7th (I think). It is in the heart of midtown and very convenient to almost everything. It is nothing fancy, but clean and the cheapest rooms are within your (and my) price range. We have never really had any complaints at all.

We have reservations at the Roosevelt next month at 45th and Madison. We got a rate through 180096hotel.com for $125/night. The hotel was advertising $159/night. The Mayfair on W. 49th is also an excellent choice. We were originally supposed to stay there. They had a rate of $130/night; 180096hotel.com had a rate for them at $139. Both hotels are also in the heart of Midtown and very convenient.

ilise: Have you stayed at the Roosevelt or Mayfair and if so, which one do you prefer?

You might also try calling Express Hotel Reservations (www.express-res.com) or visiting quikbook.com. Unlike 180096hotel, they don't penalize you for cancelling reservations, and quikbook handles the Roosevelt, which must be good if Ilisa's staying there.

ezahn, I haven't stayed at either one. I just investigated them very carefully on the recommendations of people on this forum and some friends. We ended up at the Roosevelt because it had a slightly cheaper rate than the Mayfair (though in the end, I doubt $5/night difference is that big of a deal - all of a sudden I decided to pinch pennies). Also, we were intrigued about the Roosevelt's recent massive renovation. However, as Martha said, 180096hotel.com does charge a cancellation fee (a hefty one at that), so I can't change my mind again which I am prone to do.

Thanks for your help - I'll give these places a shot.
ez

Coincidentally, today's Washington Post had an article on a weekend getaway to New York's theatre district, which I've excerpted a portion of below, including centrally-located hotel & restaurant recommendations. I generally stay at the Hotel Edison when I'm there -- very reasonable rates and a great location in the heart of Broadway, but not luxurious. Also, if you do a search you'll come up with a ton of old threads on this subject. At any rate, here's the excerpt from the Post:

For 25 to 75 percent off same-day performance tickets, there
are two Theatre Development Fund/TKTS booths: the quiet, less crowded
one at 2 World Trade Center, and the zoo at 47th Street (which is open
Monday-Saturday 3 to 8 p.m., Wednesdays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
Sundays 11 to 7; cash or traveler's checks only). One-day advance matinee
and Sunday tickets are available only at the World Trade Center location.
And for those $50-and-up full-price, reserved seats: Ticketmaster
(212-307-4100) or Telecharge (212-239-6200).

WHERE TO EAT: We had a lovely dinner at Orso (212-489-7212, 46th
between Seventh and Eighth), which performs casual-seeming magic with
everyday stuff--it's not easy to happily wed beets, caramelized onions, aged
ricotta and pomegranate seeds--and serves the house cabernet in a
mini-Kool Aid pitcher. Other choices? Two words: Ninth Avenue. Here,
amid a low-rise, single-owner storefront atmosphere more like the rest of the
real West Side, are many surprising, low-key, wonderful restaurants--from
the memorable and reasonable meatless dishes at Zen Palate, 212-582-1669,
to the mix of neighborhood and theater folks and eclectic Southwest fare at
Zuni (212-765-7626, Ninth at 43rd).

WHERE TO STAY: Online reservation service QuikBook (1-800-254-7188,
www.quikbook.com) helped us find a $185 (plus taxes) weekend rate we
could live with--just to live for a night at the luxury boutique Time Hotel
(49th near Eighth, 212-320-2900). The lobby and reception/bar are all
minimalist glass, brushed aluminum and black-suited service personnel who
ring up your bill on sleek black laptops and are either off-duty models or guys
who are probably named Dieter. Redone from the ground up and reopened
last year, the hotel's rooms are tasteful, wholly comfortable works of
primary-color, postmodern art (pictured at right). The house bistro is named
Palladin, just like a certain chef who went by his first name, Jean-Louis,
when he was at the Watergate. QuikBook's Web site had said Time rooms
came with two-line phones and Web TV. Turns out the latter wasn't
installed yet but will be soon, says Dieter.

Other recently renovated options in the neighborhood: the huge Art Deco
Belvedere (48th between Eighth and Ninth, 212-245-7000, weekend doubles
$115 plus taxes, for a stay in late January); the Roosevelt (45th between
Madison and Vanderbilt, 212-661-9600, $125), with its expansive marble
lobby and kinda cramped rooms; and the Sheraton Manhattan (Seventh
between 51st and 52nd, 212-581-3300, $169), which has its own indoor pool
and fitness center.

DETAILS: New York City Convention & Visitors Bureau, 1-800-692-8474,
www.nycvisit.com. A portable combination guidebook and sturdy, fold-out
map I recommend is the "Let's Go Map Guide: New York City" ($7.95).

Forgot to mention -- a friend who lives in New York recommends the Hotel Beacon, on the upper west side near Carnegie Hall and the Museum of Natural History (convenient to Central Park as well). This is a more residential neighborhood which I really like, but I've never stayed at the Beacon. They have a website at www.beaconhotel.com and it's definitely in your price range.

The Roosevelt often has specials and is well located. The lobby is beautiful and the rooms are pleasant. My only objection to the Roosevelt is that it is very large and therefore often filled with group travellers which makes service a bit slow. But for a good rate I stay there quite a bit.
The Time which was mentioned in the article is a neat hotel right in the theatre district. I stayed there in November and loved the location because we were going to the theatre every night. The rooms are very small but very interestly furnished. If you can get a good deal it is good choice.
I think the Murray Hill area is nice, but for me it's a little out of the way for the places I want to walk.

If staying at the Roosevelt hotel, request a room that does not face North. Massive construction project going on directly North of the hotel. Thought you would like to know.

I heard that the Portland Square Hotel on West 47th b/w 6th and Broadway is inexpensive. I heard the rooms are small but it is located b/w Times Square and Rockefeller Center.

Perhaps you could check it out on the web if it is available. Have fun.