Starwood Preferred Guest - Best Manhattan property for short honeymoon?

My fiancee and I are getting married on Jan 3rd and are planning to take a short honeymoon in Manhattan. (She's never been, and we'll do a longer one in the summer.) I reviewed several of the threads discussing the Manhattan properties, but most are from a business traveler's perspective. We'll be doing some theater, so the W Times Square, the Westin New York at Times Square, and the New York/Manhattan Sheratons would all be very convenient, but I'd be willing to venture further away from mid town for a better property. (I'm thinking that the St. Regis looks a little stuffy for our tastes, though.) I'm planning to upgrade to a superior room (jr. suite type), if available as well.

So, for those of you with lots of experience in the Manhattan properties, I'd love to hear your recommendations for the best honeymoon and/or tourist one.

Thanks!

I personally would go for the W Union Square. It is more of a genuine NY experience IMO - kind of away from a lot of the touristy Times Square locale. Nonetheless, the proximity of the W Times Square and Westin / Sheraton hotels is great for those who want to do theatre. But it is your mini-honeymoon and you want a little bit of romance and quiet (at times), so the W Union Square is a great bet for you. It has great rooms, a great lobby and a great bar in underbar. I also think that the immediate area in Union Square and the East Side is a great way to see real NYC - great local restaurants and away from the tourist hustle and bustle of TSQ. Union Square also has great proximity to the subway system with the 4, 5 and 6 lines at station, along with the NRW which makes for an easy and quick trip to the Theatre District.

I agree .. I would also suggest the W's on 39th (?) and Lexington. That area is just a few blocks from Grand Central Station so you could walk up there and catch the Times Square Shuttle plus there are some N&S bound train lines there as well. Being as its your honeymoon, you'll probably just cab-it around since Cabs in NY are cheap and usually easy to find (except in bad weather, rush hour or shift change).

I would not stay in Times Square or the Sheraton's nearby. The area is worth visiting but you'll get a more NY experience elsewhere.

I agree .. I would also suggest the W's on 39th (?) and Lexington. That area is just a few blocks from Grand Central Station so you could walk up there and catch the Times Square Shuttle plus there are some N&S bound train lines there as well. Being as its your honeymoon, you'll probably just cab-it around since Cabs in NY are cheap and usually easy to find (except in bad weather, rush hour or shift change).

I would not stay in Times Square or the Sheraton's nearby. The area is worth visiting but you'll get a more NY experience elsewhere.

I would agree that W 39th and Lexington is a great area as well and away from the touristy TSQ area. You are in good proximity to a number of great restaurants and bars in Murray Hill area and the beginning of the Upper East Side. The only downside is the hustle and bustle during the week of business commuters going through - but that is any where in NY. Just promise me you will never stay near Penn Station - 34th St and 7th Ave area... it just plain sucks - not only because I used to work over that way. Also, if you want ubertrendy locations, check out some hotels in the meat packing district.

Stay away from the Sheraton NY Hotel and Towers.

I'm not much of a W fan, but I'd go with Union Square, if you want hustle and bustle, or the Tuscany/Court for a little peace and quiet...but not far from the 'action'.