almost done planning and just have one thing left to decide.....I've been researching the city online for just about everything but can't make up my mind on where to stay. I found three places in two different areas....two in Chelsea and one in East Village. My question: Which area is safer at night, catching cabs, and better to go out to clubs. I'm a 29yo male that likes the funkier side of things (if that helps). Thank you in advance for any help. I leave Tues. the 13th of May, so any info. in the next day or so would help tremedously.
P.S. p.s.s. the one in east village is at 110 Avenue C
Between 7th and 8th Street and the ones in Chelsea are 300 West 30th Street at 8th Avenue, and 318 West 20th Street.

The village- East Village Bed and Coffee
Chelsea- Chelsea star and Chelsea lodge

The East Village is very alive and busy late at night. Not that either area is dangerous at all but if you like safety in numbers, the East Village would be my pick.

C is kinda out there, I'd consider it Alphabet City and not E Village. Not "unsafe" but a little shadier. E Village is a great neighborhood to party in.

Order of safety:
1. Chelsea W 20's
2. EV
3. Chelsea W 30's
Also keep in mind:
EV=straight; Chelsea=gay

The Chelsea area is definitely the more convenient area for getting around, both day and night. You can walk almost anywhere from the Village to midtown.
While there are a lot of gay people living in Chelsea, I wouldn't describe it as exclusively or totally gay.

The Staten Island ferry is a must at night or evening late. It is free and very enjoyable. We rode the subway there and back to time square area at night and felt very safe (3 girls). Get a good free map at the vistor center also. have fun!

You may want to try Priceline for a better hotel. You can get better ones than the ones you're choosing from in safer areas for about $60-65 a night (for 2 or 2.5 star hotel) and you don't have to share a bathroom.

Each of these areas has good and bad things about them (even though West 30th and West 20th are both considered Chelsea, they are VERY different neighborhoods).

West 20th will be the "nicest" street. But it will also be the most deserted in terms of foot traffic at 4am on a weekday.

Avenue C will have some minimal foot traffic at 4am on a weekday, but it will be alittle dicey.

West 30th will have foot traffic at all times and alot more vehicular traffic, but at 4am most of the foot traffic will be bums (that address is 1 block from Penn Station/Madison Square Garden/Post Office).

On the weekend, all of these neighborhoods will have foot traffic at all hours of the night and day. West 20th will have the most respectable looking.

In terms of nightlife, the West 20s from 5th to the river has many clubs, they will be alittle more upscale than the East Village, but also more expensive and less eclectic - The East Village will have more 20ish, NYU, art school types.

Loki - I agree with you, Avenue C is Alphabet City. The concept of the East Village really came about in the 80's when gentrification tried to make people think that the letter avenues A and B weren't really in alphabet city.

I agree with Loki re: safety.

The East Village is definitely funkier than Chelsea, which I would consider more towards hip than funky.

Alphabet City in the late 80s was a big drug dealing area, in the past decade the area has gentrified a great deal.

From how you describe yourself I would vote for EV. Just be aware of your surroundings if your wandering around after a few drinks in the wee hours.

I love the East Village (especially all the great and very reasonable restaurants) and feel very safe there although I rarely venture east of Ave B. C should be OK but when wandering around, head west of C. You shouldn't have a problem finding cabs in any of these areas.

Hey all of you, I want to thank you for the all the info. I booked at place in EV based on your input. I REALLY appreciate it! Funny, it sounds nerdy but I have a small notebook of little notes that you guys have posted plus research info that I picked up online about the city that I will bring on the trip. Thank you all!