OP, with respect to your specific question, I personally would advocate for one of the new HGIs. There are probably a half-dozen scattered across the City. They are better-constructed and better-furnished than many of the full-service properties, and per the HGI brand standard, they all serve a full hot breakfast to elites. Not to mention the prices are often quite good. When I am in NYC they are usually the first place I look (I strayed from that recently and learned my lesson).

Comparisons to European properties (post #5) are sadly not relevant, but we can all dream, can't we?...