I think he actually want to go somewhere away from NYC, not visit it, and going to EWR just does not cut the mustard, no matter how nice the EWR Marriot has become.
What was once a Cat 4 property and is now a 5 that has gotten consistently great reviews is the Renaissance in Providence R.I. a newly refurbished hotel in what was the shell of an uncompleted Masonic Lodge in downtown Providence, RI -- a destination in itself and near to Newport, RI.
The company that runs the property has vast experience in re-habbing historic properties -- they also manage the Renaissance in Pittsburgh and the Renaissance Blackstone in Chicago.