Wendy if you decide not to use Priceline check out the Habitat Hotel.
It is in a prime location. Their website is www.habitatny.com
Hope this helps.

Hi Wendy - I have just used Priceline to get a hotel in midtown NYC for $80 a night on the weekend in December. I'm staying at the Grand Hyatt, which has some mixed reviews but for the price I don't think it can be beat!

I wouldn't stay on the Upper West Side or Midtown West (essentially, Times Square) due to proximity to Grand Central for your meeting. A nice, often overlooked, hotel near Grand Central is the Fitzpatrick Grand Central (there are two -- be sure you're booking the Grand Central one). It's a lovely Irish hotel with a nice pub inside. The rooms are nice (our out-of-town wedding guests stayed there), the service is good and the rates are reasonable. It's on a side street, so not terribly loud.

YOu won't be very far from Fifth Ave for shopping or Madison Ave for shopping. Of course, if you want to be in the midst of that kind of upper-end shopping, consider staying on the Upper East Side -- again, the Fitzpatrick's other location, near Bloomingdale's, might work for you.

Of course, staying in CT for your meeting and then going into the City after is not a bad idea. The Hyatt in Greenwich is very nice and very close to Stamford. Stamford also has many chain hotels which may be reasonable.

Thanks for all the GREAT advice! Turns out I have a friend who will be in the city at the same time as me. We both got the Hilton Towers thru Priceline for $95 a night.

And my meeting got moved to the city instead of CT so I am a happy girl!

:)>- Wendy