I am traveling for pleasure/ not business the first week of April and will be paying versus using points. Having a bit of sticker shock at the price of nice hotels in Manhattan.

Does anyone have any good suggestions on places to stay that may be near some nightlife (I may go out twice during my stay) or where I might get the most bang for my buck?

Thanks in advance!

Well your not looking hard enough there are some really great rates in NYC that week. From the AAA rate of $175 at the Andaz Wall Street, $287 a night at the Kimpton Eventi, $268 W NYC W Hotel, the new Downtown W is even cheaper!! There are some great deals in NYC, and it's not to hard to find them.

QUOTE=JeauxBleaux;16000398]I am traveling for pleasure/ not business the first week of April and will be paying versus using points. Having a bit of sticker shock at the price of nice hotels in Manhattan.

Does anyone have any good suggestions on places to stay that may be near some nightlife (I may go out twice during my stay) or where I might get the most bang for my buck?

Thanks in advance![/QUOTE]

I booked that AAA rate at the ANdAZ Wall St. a couple days ago... it's a pretty good deal. ^

try sheraton brooklyn, only a short ride from MH

I'll check out the AAA rate at Andaz tonight! Thanks to all for the feedback...

Actually, if you want to use points and stay near gay life, then I would recommend GEM Hotel Chelsea. It's a boutique property, but is actually a Choice Hotel. You couldn't ask for better location for Chelsea.

It is modern, clean, posh, etc.

http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-...srp=RACK&find=

I would suggest giving Priceline's Name Your Own Price a try. You can choose the areas of town you would like to stay in and the star level. Two friends and I got the Gild Hall for $140/night which isn't too bad considering the location and hotel group it belongs to.

Element Times Sq seems to be having rates in the $170/nt range. It's not prime Hell's Kitchen/Midtown location, but still walking distance.

Otherwise, if you're brand agnostic, or just more price conscious, I'd agree with the Priceline approach.

And the "Penthouse" has a lovely balcony with plenty of fire escape ladders to get tangled up in. Or so I've heard.

Jonathan, I know you don't go out late very much so the location works for you. I just think maybe JeauxBleaux can find something a little more centrally located. Short of taking the subway, a taxi coming home late at night from Chelsea or Hell's Kitchen could be $15 a pop.

took the words right out of my mouth....

To the OP, If you plans are to be "touristy" and to go out every night, you're going to want to be somewhere more central then the FiDi or Brooklyn. Otherwise you will be blowing a ton on money on taxis over the course of your 8 day trip. And also, although the FiDi is perking up a bit now at night, it is relatively dead compared to the rest of the city so you'll really only be sleeping there....not much else to do during the evening in those parts. Brooklyn, FiDi, Battery Park, etc. are all great places you should put on your list to visit while you are in town, but you may find them inconvenient to base yourself out of those areas.

I like the recommendation of the GEM hotel, which has locations in Chelsea, "Soho" (really the East Village/LES) and Midtown West at good values (under $200). You also may want to check out The Jane, which is on the far west side of the Village, but still very accessible, and offers many different levels of accommodation (e.g. tiny "cabins" at $99 or so).

Just as an FYI, I booked the Doubletree Metropolitan on Lexington in Midtown. I might go out to a bar one or two nights, but the majority of my trip will be shows, museums, restaurants, etc.

I am a Hilton Honors Diamond Member and wanted to get the points on my 8 night stay (and I have friends who will be staying at The Marriott on the same block) so that is why I chose the Doubletree. I emailed the Guest Services Manager at the Doubletree and asked her to help me with a more aggressive rate that the $229 I booked on the website. She bumped me back to $175/ night. As a back up I had booked the Hilton Fashion Hotel in Chelsea for $175 also, but ultimately opted to stay near my other friends who will be with me the 2nd half of the week.

Thanks again for all of the suggestions. I will certainly keep reading Flyer Talk for tips in the future!!

Great rate for an excellent location. Enjoy your stay in NYC!

If you want a Hilton property to stay at, I stay at the HGI in chelsea a lot. Close to a lot of action and a half block from the 1 line that will take you to 50th street if you want to go to the HK bars or Christopher street if you don't want to go out in Chelsea. I also like the HGI on 8th a lot IF I can get a good rate, the breakfast there is the best I have ever had at an HGI, it's near the hells kitchen bars, close to the theaters and by the 1 line and the 8th street subways and lots of places to eat.

If you want to use Hilton points then I would recomend the Double Tree on Broadway, GREAT hotel to use HH points at. Excellent location and all suites and GREAT breakfast buffet for Diamonds.

Perfect! While there aren't that many gay venues or much gay life in that area, the subway lines on Lex will take you uptown or downtown, as you like, to where things are happening. And you'll be closest to the shows and museums at this location. ^ Hailing a cab can be challenging in this area, so it's good that public transportation is so plentiful, as well.