Originally Posted by
MDtR-Chicago
Part 1: Advice on stay - work @ Lincoln Center
.............Based on that, the only Manhattan properties that are within budget are the FS Marriott Downtown or East Side. From this thread, it sounds like both are decent enough but neither is especially "hip". Both look like they aren't well located for either Lincoln Center or any sort of night life, though I don't really know NY very well. (Also looking at Hyatt but with them, only the Andaz Wall Street will work for $.)
"Good location" in Manhattan is often determined by which subway line you need to get somewhere..... perhaps look at NYC subway map (mta.info) to see which lines stop at Lincoln Center or nearby, then follow those subway lines back to your hotel choices..... a "downtown" or "Wall St" area hotel may be nicely close to the west-side subway lines going up to Lincoln Center.
.....can't think of a Marriott that's "hip" in Manhattan, other than maybe the Ren57, but there are some distinctive/historic properties, such as Algonquin and Carleton....more info in past year on this thread
....glad you liked the un-fussy Fairfield in Chelsea.....we make it "hip" with lots of fresh flowers from the wholesale places on that block, and a trip to the Whole Foods a few blocks away (or any store on 23rd St)! For us, that Fairfield's location provides easy access to both east-side or west-side subway lines which nearly converge at 28th or 23rd Sts.