This sounds like the Impossible Dream, but here goes.

I have friends and their kids coming in from out of town between Christmas and New Year. Is there a family friendly hotel in or around NYC for under $150 per night between Christmas and New Year 2007?

I know Manhattan is out of the question, but what about Brooklyn, Queens, NJ, or Westchester near a train/subway and in a safe area.

Thanks for any tips.

It depends on how many kids there are and which exact dates they're coming. $150 in Manhattan is pretty impossible, but if they can manage with 2 double beds, the Pan American hotel in Queens (NOT fancy but clean and within a 30 ride on bus or subway into Manhattan) is $159/night plus tax. panamhotel.com
The Sheraton on the Hudson in Weehawken is directly across from midtown and is ~ $200/night on quikbook.

If they're coming with a car, the Holiday Inn in Ft. Lee near the GW bridge is evidently very cheap but the bus service to/from is problematic so it would be ok if they were willing to drive into the city and park the car during the day.

The Marriott Brooklyn Bridge has a room with 2 doubles for $169 plus tax. This is a great bargain I think. The hotel has been getting very good reviews.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ridge-Brooklyn
It's a 40 min. ride to midtown.

There's a B&B uptown in my neighborhood that would fit your budget and is around the corner from the A/C and D/B trains and 2 blocks from the 1 train.

I don't know if any rooms are available but you can check. The name is the Harlem Landmark Bed and Breakfast, and it is on 145th ST between St. Nicholas and Convent Aves. This is a very nice area of Manhattan, and our street is all brownstones that have been nicely rennovated.

If they are driving in, we are close to the George Washington Bridge and you can be in midtown Manhattan in less than 30 minutes.

Hope this helps.

I just checked and I gave you an incorrect name it is the Harlem Landmark Guest House.

Let me know if you would like the phone number if you can't find it.

Try the Comfort Inn Long Island City. It's one subway stop from Midtown on the E train (i.e., no more than 5 minutes). During that period, you might very well find a room for $150, but that's a stretch, even in the suburbs.

The only thing I'd strongly urge you to do is to take a very close look at the location. Absolutely NO airport hotels. Brooklyn, Queens, and anyplace in NJ that's next to a PATH station are ok, but if you stay someplace that requires a suburban bus or train to reach, then you will lose huge amounts of time and money (these tickets aren't that cheap, and the schedules are geared to commuters, not tourists).

Always check the fares, which are posted online for Metro North and NJ Transit. Many of these places will require a train or bus ticket that costs no less than $10 round-trip, and that negates the savings (i.e., you're better off booking a $200 hotel on a more convenient transit route than a $150 hotel in the Meadowlands area).

You really need to let us know how many kids - and how old. If it's 2 small kids some of the recos below should work for you. And agree to look carefully about method of getting into the city - you want train or subway - not bus - which can take forever.

If it's more kids and some are adults (that's usually 12 and older in NYC) many of the rooms won;t work - and rates will be higher

I;m not familiar with the hotel but Long Island City is a decent location for Manhattan access. It's also near some great queen's neighborhoods, like Astoric which is loaded with some great and very reasonable ethnic restaurants (Greek, Italian, Egyptian, etc).

That's Astoria, not Astoric.

it's also near the Musuem of the Moving Image, and some art museums abnd galleries. See http://queens.about.com/od/thingtodo/ss/lic_art.htm.

Thanks to everyone for the replies, but even the suggested hotels skyrocket on the nights of the 28th and 29th, not surprisingly.

mclaurie - good point: they are in their middle teens.

http://www.riversidetowerhotel.com/

I'm putting this here with reservations. A friend of a friend stayed here and thought it was fine but the reviews are bad.

I hope it works out for you -- that's my all-time favourite week in NYC!

Have you check for apartments? VRBO?

Good point? I asked how many they are and how many beds they need, not their ages. Rather than watching prices continue to skyrocket, what about booking some cancelable options for them?????

There's a newish Fairfield Inn in Astoria that evidently has bus service to a subway stop.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev..._New_York.html