NYC Hotel? after xmas
 

My first time in NYC with husband & 14-yr old son. Leaning towards the upper west side area, since I hear it is somewhat quieter at night. Not much into the theater scene, so being close to the midtown or theater district isn't a desire. Looking for the under $150-175 range. Any recommendations would sure be appreciated!

The upper westside is quieter if you are off Broadway & several nice, but reasonable hotels can be found in the 60's because of Lincoln Center. I would also suggest expanding your search into Soho/Village area which is also quieter than Times Square. Unfortunately, I have the opportunity to stay with family and friends in NYC, so am not the best source for specific or up-to-date hotel recommendations.

Both the Excelsior and the Beacon have had good reviews on this site, and some friends of mine recently stayed at On the Ave, which they really liked. All of these seem to have reasonably sized rooms, and are convenient for the Natural History Museum, the delis, etc. A search on this site under upper west site should give you some more ideas, and look at the hotel discount sites such as expedia for (sometimes) better prices.

The quietness of a specific hotel room depends more on its position within the building than on the neighborhood the building is in. A hotel room on the "quiet" West Side will be noisy if it's on a lower floor and facing the street. On the other hand, I've had rooms in Times Square that were perfectly quiet because they were on high floors and facing away from the street.

Just to clarify a previous poster's comments on On the Ave. Some of the rooms are rather small -- our room was just big enough for a queen bed, small nightstand, and a TV. So be sure to ask about room size if you're thinking of reserving there.

I got a great rate off priceline for the Sheraton Manhattan for 79$ for Januaray 2nd for 2 nights. I realize the rooms are tiny and the hotel is not very luxurious but I think its still an unbeatable rate for midtown manhattan. I booked it about 1 month ago so I don't know if the rate is still as low but you may want to try.

The Beacon (Bwy &75th) is great--specify a quiet room--bcs they have suites with kitchenettes; more space for your teenager. It is very good value, walking distance to Lincoln Ctr, the Park of course, as well as midtown attractions, yet is indeed quieter than the tourist area of midtown. Also, neighborhood restaurants tend to be more family-oriented, reasonably priced, and having the type of food a teen might prefer (i.e., not too fancy). I don't think On the Ave. looks particularly good.