Wanna go on a vacation?Part 3-New York City

The metropolis of New York (also referred to as "New York City" or "the Big Apple") is at the bottom of the Hudson Valley in New York state. It is part of the Mid-Atlantic region on the Eastern Seaboard of the USA. The New York Metropolitan Area extends across four states—including lower New York (including parts of Long Island), northern New Jersey, parts of southwestern Connecticut and northeastern Pennsylvania.

It is the USA's largest metro area, with a population of 18.7 million As of 2007, it was ranked 5th in the world, after Tokyo, Sao Paulo, Mexico City and Seoul. 1.6 million people live within Manhattan.

New York is easily one of the world's greatest cities, and is a major center for media, culture, food, fashion, art, research, finance and trade. It also has one of the largest and most famous skylines on earth, dominated by the iconic Empire State Building.

New York City is one of the global centers of international finance, politics, communications, music, fashion, and culture, and is among the world's most important and influential cities. It is home to many world-class museums, art galleries, and theatres. Many of the world's largest corporations have their headquarters here. The headquarters of the United Nations is in New York and most countries have a consulate here.

Immigrants (and their descendants) from over 180 countries live here, making it one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Travelers are attracted to New York City for its culture, energy and cosmopolitanism.

The focus of interest for most travelers are the areas in and around Manhattan island. When most people think of New York, they think of Manhattan and in fact, Manhattan is generally referred to as "the city", while the other four boroughs are typically called "the Outer Boroughs". The island of Manhattan is long and narrow, positioned squarely within the harbor of New York and separated from the Outer Boroughs and New Jersey by the Hudson River (to the west), the East River (actually a tidal strait between Manhattan and Long Island) and the Harlem River (actually a tidal strait between Manhattan and the Bronx).

New York City is served by several airports, both international and domestic. Most international flights are found in John F Kennedy and Newark Liberty Airport while LaGuardia Airport serves a lot of domestic flights:

John F. Kennedy International Airport (IATA: JFK) is located to the east of the city. There are a number of options for getting from JFK to the city.

Get around


Most of Manhattan is laid out in a grid. Accounting for Manhattan North, which is the convention stating that the island of Manhattan is oriented exactly north to south (it's actually northeast to southwest), streets run east to west and avenues run north to south. This makes it relatively easy and straightforward to find your way. Both streets and avenues are numbered. Building numbering on avenues starts generally at Houston St., and their addresses rise as you move north. Fifth Avenue divides Manhattan into east and west; numbering starts at Fifth Avenue on each side (except where Central Park interrupts) and increases in either direction. Addresses west of Fifth are written as, for example, 220 W. 34th Street, while those east of Fifth are written as 220 E. 34 Street. Because of this dual-numbering system, it is always advisable to keep in mind the closest intersection to your destination (6th Avenue and 34th Street, Broadway and 51st, etc.). In downtown Manhattan (generally considered as below Houston (HOW-ston) Street), all bets are off as streets meander, dead-end and intersect themselves. Streets in Greenwich Village are particularly notorious for defying logic. For instance West 4th Street intersects with West 10th Street and West 12th Street, and you can stand on the corner of Waverly Place and Waverly Place. As a convenient guide to distance, there are 20 blocks per mile along the avenues (walking North/South). The average person can walk roughly 1 block per minute. Walking East/West on the streets, the blocks are generally much longer.


See

Like most of the great world cities, New York has an abundance of great attractions.

A number of multi-attraction schemes give reduced prices and line-skipping privileges.
CityPass, . Gets you into 5 top New York attractions within 9 days of first use for a much reduced rate. The attractions are American Museum of Natural History, Guggenheim Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises and Empire State Building Observatory. $53 adult, $41 youth aged 6–17 (reduced from combined regular admission of $105.50 and $82.50 respectively) Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum has been closed for renovation till May 2008.
New York Pass, . Admission to over 40 attractions. Passes for 1 day $65 (child 2–12 $45), 2 days $95 (child $75), 3 days $120 (child $95), 7 days $155 (child $120). Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum has been closed for renovation till May 2008.
Historic House Trust of New York is a non-profit organization founded in 1989 to preserve and promote the historic houses located in New York City parks.

See also the district pages for detailed information about attractions. Detail is gradually being moved from this page to the district pages.

Landmarks

Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty. The ferry ($10) leaves every 25 minutes from Battery Park and stops at Liberty Island and Ellis Island . You must (in advance) reserve a time slot to enter the museum at the base of the statue, and then undergo cumbersome security procedures to actually enter the museum in the statue's pedestal (visitors are no longer allowed in the crown, much less the torch). The Immigration Museum at Ellis Island is worth a visit, and it is free. Both Liberty Island and Ellis Island are open every day of the year except December 25 from 9:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. (with extended hours in the summer).
Brooklyn Bridge, . You may walk across this historic bridge in either direction (takes about 30 minutes each way), or bike across it, for no toll. The view is quite nice going into Manhattan. On the Brooklyn side, you can get pizza, or dine by the waterfront in the DUMBO (Down Under [the] Manhattan Bridge Overpass) area, which is gentrifying with lofts and cool dining places. You can also take the F train to York St, hang out in the DUMBO area and then walk across the bridge back into Manhattan.
Central Park with its lawns, trees and lakes is popular for recreation and concerts and is home to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Central Park Zoo.
Times Square, centered on 42nd Street and Broadway—a place filled with video screens and LED signs. A world wonder or a tourist nightmare depending on your perspective, the "New" Times Square is a family-friendly theme park of themed restaurants, theaters and hotels, as well as a developing business district. Those looking for the seedy Times Square of old will find it around the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and around Broadway several blocks to the south.
Lincoln Center, Broadway at 64th Street. The world's largest cultural complex. See theater, symphonies, ballet, opera, movies, art exhibits or just wander the architecturally beautiful buildings. Subway: 1 to 66th St. or walkable from A, C, and E trains at 59th St. or the 2 and 3 trains to 72nd St. The buildings are modern, and even have modern chandeliers. There are two opera companies, and the famous Julliard School of Music is also here. Within a few blocks are a large Barnes and Noble Bookstore, three "art-house" movie theatres and an AMC movie theater which includes New York's only commerical IMAX screen.
Rockefeller Plaza, 630 5th Avenue. The Christmas Tree, the Skating Rink, the shops and hubbub—you can't miss it. The Christmas Tree and the Skating Rink are not year round. You may take skating lessons. There are several dining establishments overlooking this area. The art deco buildings of Rockefeller Center are quite cool. Saks Fifth Avenue is across the street, and there are many other stores throughout the complex. Subway: B, D, F, V to 47–50th Streets-Rockefeller Center.
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Fifth Ave between 50/51st Streets. The largest Catholic cathedral in the United States. A big, grand Episcopal church is in this area as well. These churches are close to the reopened MOMA, now expanded and renovated after several years of being closed.
The United Nations, 1st Avenue at 46th Street offers a park overlooking the East River and tours of the general assembly and secretariat.
Empire State Building Fifth Avenue at 34th Street.
Flatiron Building Fifth Avenue at 23rd Street. Reportedly the most photographed building in the world, the Flatiron perches over the intersection of Fifth, Broadway, and 23rd, necessitating its unusual shape. Stop in nearby Madison Square Park for a lovely rest.
World Trade Center Site Trinity Place and Fulton Street. The site of the September 11th terrorist attacks has become popular with visitors. Various plaques are on display documenting the history of the WTC.
New York Stock Exchange 20 Broad Sreet (at Wall Street). The most important stock exchange in the world, the NYSE is the most watched indicator of economic performance in the global economy. The activity on the trading floor is astonishing. Visitors should beware, however, that security is tight, and sudden closures are a possibility. Visitor admittance to the interior has been suspended indefinitely. Subway: 4, 5 to Wall Street; J, M, Z to Broad Street (weekdays only)
New York Public Library Corner of Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd Streets. After the Library of Congress, this is the largest non-academic library in the United States. It is housed in a beautiful building by Carrer and Hastings, which is seen as the greatest example of Beaux Arts architecture. The main reading room is magnificent, and the library contains numerous important rare items, like Jefferson's handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence.
Grand Central Terminal 42nd Street and Park Avenue. One of the busiest train stations in the world, Grand Central is also a must for architecture lovers. Its vaulted ceiling, covered with a medieval zodiac design, is staggering.

Museums and galleries

New York has some of the finest museums in the world. All the public museums (notably including the Metropolitan Museum), which are run by the city, accept donations for an entrance fee, but private museums (especially the Museum of Modern Art) can be very expensive. In addition to the major museums, hundreds of small galleries are spread throughout the city. Many galleries and museums in New York close on Mondays, so be sure to check hours before visiting.

Arts and Culture
Brooklyn Museum of Art, on Eastern Parkway (Eastern Parkway stop on the 2, 3 or 4 train) is a large museum which contains excellent collections of Egyptian art, Assyrian reliefs, 19th-century American art, and art from Africa and Oceania, among other things. Right past the museum are the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens (separate admission charge), so you can easily visit both in one pleasant afternoon.
The Cloisters, [18] Located on four acres overlooking the Hudson River in northern Manhattan's Fort Tryon Park, the building incorporates elements from five medieval French cloisters—quadrangles enclosed by a roofed or vaulted passageway, or arcade—and from other monastic sites in southern France. Its gardens are a great way to spend a nice afternoon. Pay for the Cloisters or the Metropolitan Museum and see both for the price of one.
Guggenheim Museum , 1071 Fifth Avenue at 89th Street ("Museum Mile"), in the Upper East Side of Manhattan
El Museo del Barrio , 1230 Fifth Avenue (at 104th Street) ("Museum Mile"), in the Upper East Side of Manhattan—the only US museum devoted to Puerto Rican culture
Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in the Upper East Side of Manhattan
The Frick Collection 1 E. 70th Street (at 5th Avenue) Open T-R, Sa 10am–6pm, F 10am–9pm, Su 1pm–6pm. The former home of steel baron Henry Clay Frick, this sprawling mansion is filled with Frick's enormous personal art collection, displayed as he left it. It's worth a visit for the house alone, which is explained nicely in the audio tour. The collection is impressive, including works by Whistler, Corot, El Greco, Turner, Renoir, and Rembrandt.
The Neue Galerie, 1048 Fifth Avenue (at 86th Street) ("Museum Mile"), in the Upper East Side of Manhattan—this recent addition to the Museum Mile houses exclusively German and Austrian art
International Center of Photography 1133 Sixth Avenue (at 43rd Street)—devoted solely to photography, this museum a block from Times Square always has interesting exhibits running
The Jewish Museum 1109 Fifth Avenue (at 92nd Street) ("Museum Mile"), in the Upper East Side of Manhattan—the largest collection of Judaica in the United States includes a wide variety of artifacts from all periods of Jewish history
Metropolitan Museum of Art , 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street ("Museum Mile") in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. There is also a separate branch, the Cloisters, in Upper Manhattan (the northbound M4 bus terminates directly in front of the museum or take the A train to 190 St. and walk through Fort Tryon Park). The largest art museum in the Western Hemisphere, the Met should not be missed, but bear in mind that it is simply too large to allow visitors to see everything in a single day, so plan your visit accordingly. The Metropolitan Museum is a public museum.
Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53 St (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Subway: E or V to Fifth Ave/53 St; B, D, or F to 47–50 Streets/Rockefeller Center), (212) 708-9400, . Sa–M, W–Th 10:30am–5:30pm, F 10:30am–8pm, closed every Tu and Thanksgiving Day and 25 Dec. In Nov 2004 the museum reopened after expansion and renovation. $20 adult, $12 student, free for under 17s; free for all Fr 4–8pm. Quite lengthy queue to get one's baggage checked. Moreover, all expensive items must be carried on person (laptops, phones, cameras) as the staff refuse to check such items. This is the most comprehensive collection of modern art in the world, and, like the American Museum of Natural History and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is so large as to require multiple visits to see all of the works on display. If you are in a hurry and want to see only the crowd-pleasers, head to the fifth floor, where you'll find works like Van Gogh's Starry Night and Picasso's Les Demoiselles d’Avignon.
PS1 Contemporary Art Center 22–25 Jackson Avenue (Queens). (718) 784-2084.] Open noon–6pm Thursday through Monday.
Whitney Museum of American Art , 945 Madison Ave. at 75th St. (800) 944-8639. Open Wed & Thur 11am–6pm; Fri 1–9pm; Sat–Sun 11am–6pm A collection of American art that would be the highlight of most cities, the Whitney is often overlooked for its more high-profile neighbors like the Met and the Guggenheim. It's definitely worth a visit, however, especially for fans of Edward Hopper, whose work has its own gallery here. The Whitney is also the home of the prestigious Whitney Biennial.

Science and Technology
American Museum of Natural History in the Upper West Side of Manhattan . Visits to the museum are by donation, You do not have to pay the recommended fee so you can only give them 2 dollars. Hayden Planetarium, immediately to its north on 81st St., charges a separate admission fee.
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pier 86, 12th Ave & 46th St, (212) 245-0072, . Apr–Sep M–F 10am–5pm, Sa–Su 10am–6pm; Oct–Mar Tu–Su 10am–5pm. $16.50 adult. The museum will close beginning Oct 1, 2006 until mid 2008 for renovations.
Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (Museum at FIT), 7th Avenue at 27th St, (212) 217-5970, . Open Tu–F noon–8pm; Sa 10am–5pm. Free.

Neighborhoods

Like all great cities, New York is made up of distinct neighborhoods, each of which has its own flavor. Many of the neighborhoods are popular with visitors, and all are best experienced on foot.

Entertainment

New York is the entertainment capital of the world, and no other city can match the number, range, and quality of its entertainment options. Be sure to check out Time Out New York (available at newsstands all over the city) for the latest listings information.

Theater and Performing Arts

New York's Broadway is famous for its many shows, especially musicals. You might want to visit TKTS that offers tickets for shows the same night at discounted prices, usually 50% off or visit BroadwayBox.com a community site posting all recent Broadway discounts. TKTS has two offices, one at Times Square with lines often hours long, and a much faster one (sometimes minutes) at South Street Seaport (Corner of John St., just south of Brooklyn Bridge). Note that only cash is accepted at South Street. Show up at opening time for best selection.

New York boasts an enormous amount and variety of theatrical performances. These shows usually fall into one of three categories: Broadway, Off-Broadway, or Off-Off-Broadway. Broadway refers to the shows near Times Square that usually play to theaters of 500 seats or more. These include the major musicals and big-name dramatic works, and are the most popular with visitors. Tickets for Broadway shows can run to $100 a seat, though discounters like TKTS (above) make cheaper seats available. Off-Broadway indicates performances that are smaller, not located in or near Times Square, and usually of a certain intellectual seriousness. Tickets to Off-Broadway shows tend to range from $25–50. Off-Off-Broadway refers to those shows that play to very small audiences (less than 100 seats) with actors working without equity. These can be dirt cheap and often very good, but some may be sufficiently avant-garde as to turn off conservative playgoers.

New York has a wide variety of musical and dance companies, including several that are among the world's most renowned. There are also numerous small companies putting on more idiosyncratic shows every night of the week. The following are just a few of New York's most high-profile music and dance options.
Brooklyn Academy of Music 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn. Home to the impressive Brooklyn Philharmonic, BAM is one of the best places in the country to attend cutting-edge new musical and dance performances. The Next Wave Festival every autumn is a much-anticipated event of the New York performance scene.
Carnegie Hall 881 Seventh Avenue. The premier venue for classical music in the United States, Carnegie Hall is famous around the world for its dazzling performances. Playing at Carnegie Hall is, for many classical musicians, the epitome of success. Carnegie Hall houses three different auditoriums, with the Isaac Stern auditorium being the largest venue.
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center, 155 West 65th Street (at Broadway). The Chamber Music Society is the most prestigious chamber music ensemble in the United States, playing in the acoustically impeccable Alice Tully Hall.
Metropolitan Opera at Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center, 155 West 65th Street (at Broadway). The Met (as it is known) is one of the greatest opera companies in the world. The company performs seven days a week during the season (September to April) and always lands the greatest singers from around the globe. Though you can pay a small fortune to see the Met, you can also land upper-tier seats for as little as $25.
New York City Opera at New York State Theater in Lincoln Center, 155 West 65th Street (at Broadway). The slightly more accessible and energetic younger sister of the Met, the NYCO is a world-class company that puts on a dynamic range of performances. Plus, tickets can go for as little as $16.
New York City Ballet at New York State Theater in Lincoln Center, 155 West 65th Street (at Broadway). Founded by George Balanchine, the New York City Ballet is among the world's best dance companies. Their performances of the The Nutcracker are enormously popular.
New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center, 155 West 65th Street (at Broadway). One of the premier orchestras in the United States, playing a wide variety of concerts (more than 100) every year to sold-out crowds, the Philharmonic is well-known for its standard-setting performances of the classical canon. The season runs from September to June, and in the summer they play in parks around the city.
Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Avenue of the Americas (212) 632-3975 http://www.radiocity.com/ See the Rockettes, another show or just tour the famous Art Deco masterpiece.

Eat

New York has, as you might expect of the Big Apple, all the eating options covered. New York City's restaurant scene is truly world-class, in a league with Paris, Tokyo, and Rome. There are literally tens of thousands of restaurants, ranging from dingy $2-a-slice pizza joints to the $500-a-plate prix fixe sushi at Masa.

Just because you're staying in one of the world's great cities, however, doesn't mean you have to pay restaurant bills all the time... If the weather's right, a picnic in Central Park or another of the city's many green spaces is ideal. Similarly, thanks to the fact that Manhattan and other core areas are all still heavily residential, a supermarket (grocery store) or other local option is never too far away.... Just ask the locals!

One word of advice: If you want good food at good values, walk at least some distance from Times Square and other areas frequented almost exclusively by tourists. If you choose to stay in the Theater District, look for a variety of good-value options on 9th Av. in the 40s and lower 50s.

New York City is also a mecca for vegan and vegetarian diners, hundreds of completely veg and veg-friendly eateries can be located at SuperVegan.com.


Restaurants

As noted above, New York has literally thousands of restaurants to choose from (more than 25,000, in fact), encompassing nearly every cuisine in the world. There are numerous guidebooks to New York restaurants, including the New York Times Guide, which has short reviews of the best 1,000 restaurants in the city.

There is no shortage of "good but cheap" places to eat. New York’s Best Cheap Eats Guide 2006 can become your best friend when trying to experience NY cuisine while saving a buck.

Some lesser-known but great places are:
35, 35 Lispenard Street right by Pearl Paint. (212) 226-8123. A charming bistro and bar in the heart of a bustling city. Known for their mouthwatering babyback ribs and sandwiches. Reasonable prices.
44 Restaurant, 44 West 44th Street. Chic American cuisine in a hip and trendy location.
Asia De Cuba, 237 Madison Ave. Cuban-Asian fusion restaurant with interior design by Philippe Starck.
Bluesmoke, East 27th between Park and Lexington. Great authentic BBQ yet more stylish than typical. Also has a jazz club underneath to serve up great music. Restaurant has very large beer and whiskey selection. Fun and tasty.
Giovanni Ristorante 47 W. 55th St. Deliciuos Italian food (the risotto is recommended) and great wines. Fine and relaxing atmosphere.
Live Bait, 23rd Street where Madison ends, near 5th & Broadway. Great and cheap oysters, clams and other seafood, raw and cooked as well as southern fare like jambalaya. Not afraid of the tabasco here. One of the few places that serves Abita Springs beer from Louisiana.
Hudson Cafeteria, 356 West 58th Street. Ivy League dining hall type of atmosphere in the Hudson hotel, Manhattan.
Scopa, 79 Madison Ave @ 28th Street. Modern Italian. Large restaurant, good for groups. Nice lounge/bar area that always has the game on.
Penelope, Lexington at East 30th Street. Cafe/restaurant/bakery with a cozy, inviting atmosphere. Homestyle food and casual but friendly service. Inexpensive. Wine and beer served. Long lines for weekend brunch.
Minado 6 E. 32nd Street between Madison and Fifth Aves. (212) 725-1333. If you like sushi and Japanese food in the slightest, you will love Minado. It has over 100 feet of all-you-can-eat very fresh and tasty sushi and other items like crab legs, udon, salads of all varieties and a big dessert bar as well.
Ocha 250 West 46th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. (212) 581 3198. Japanese restaurant with good sushi.
Tao E. 58th between Park and Madison Aves. Trendy Asian cuisine; Reservations, proper attire required. Beautiful decor, people.
T Salon 11 East 20th Street at Broadway/Fifth Ave just south of the Flatiron Building. Tea house and cafe; excellent teas and tasty nibbles. A quiet oasis in a hectic city.
Red Bamboo 140 W. 4th St., one block SW of Washington Square Park. Excellent vegetarian soul food, organic wines.
Lemongrass Grill 74–76 7th Ave South. Good Thai food at good prices. Fast service.
Babbo 110 Waverly Place. (212) 777 0303. The best Italian food in the city. Pricey, and it's tough to get a reservation, but it's worth it for a splurge.
Veniero's 342 E. 11th Street between 1st and 2nd Aves. (212) 674-7070. A fun little Italian pastry shop.
Casa Mono 52 Irving Place. A delightful Spanish wine bar and restaurant by Mario Batali. The food is smashing.
Vatan 409 Third Avenue (at 29th Street). A prix-fixe vegetarian Indian restaurant with wonderful food. The decor is a little hokey, but the food makes it worthwhile.
Turkuaz 2637 Broadway (at 100th Street). Great Turkish food (try the house special, Turkuaz Begendi), complete with belly dancing on some nights.

It should be noted that there is a grocery/delicatessen on almost every corner of the city.

Shopping

New York is the fashion capital of the United States, and is a major shopping destination for people around the world. The city boasts an unmatched range of department stores, boutiques, and specialty shops. Some neighborhoods boast more shopping options than most other American cities and have become famous in their own right as consumer destinations. Anything you could possibly want to buy is found in New York, including clothing, cameras, computers and accessories, music, musical instruments, electronic equipment, art supplies, sporting goods, and all kinds of foodstuffs and kitchen appliances

Hotels

Budget
The Marrakech Hotel, 2688 Broadway New York, NY 10025, (212) 222-2954 - Experience the pageantry, color, and welcoming allure of Morocco - in one of Manhattan's trendiest emerging neighborhoods. Situated on the Upper West Side, the Marrakech Hotel boasts a chic design, newly renovated accommodations, and a fantastic location. dbl @ US$179 +tx
Comfort Inn Manhattan New York City Hotel, 42 West 35th Street, (212) 947-0200, . In the heart of the Big Apple, close to Fashion District, Macy's, the Fifth Avenue shopping area, and standing tall amidst the Empire State Building, Madison Square Garden and Pennsylvania Station, the Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Times Square and the Theatre District, Radio City Music Hall and Javits Convention Center. US$250+ per night
Madison Hotel, 21 East 27th at Madison Ave, (212) 532-7373, . Budget hotel. Internet kiosks available, $5 for 30 minutes. Air conditioning in rooms.
Gershwin Hotel, 7 East 27th Street at 5th Avenue, (212) 545-8000, . Cheap fun place to rest. Rates start at $99/night. Internet kiosks available. Between Times Square and Union Square—great location near Madison Square Park.
Super 8 Times Square, 59 West 46th Street, (212) 719-2300, . Cheap, clean, plain. This isn't the regular Super 8, it's an older hotel that was recently renovated. The location is excellent, just a short walk from Times Square. The price is low by Manhattan standards. US$200 (dbl).
Grand Union Hotel, 34 East 32 Street, . Midtown south location; European style, family operated. Online Rates Starting at $150
Hotel Pennsylvania, 7th Avenue between 32nd/33rd, (800) 223-8585 or (212) 736-5000, . Large hotel, landmark, near all the action: Madison Square Garden, Penn Station, Macy's, Times Square. As low as $99/nite. There is a $4 charge for each piece of luggage stored and be warned, cleanliness is not a high point.
Hotel 17 E 17th Street between 2nd & 3rd Avenues, (212) 475-2845, . East Village favorite with hipsters, europeans, bargain-hunters. $60–$80 for shared bath rooms, $90–$100 for private bath rooms.
East Village Bed & Coffee, 110 Avenue C between 7th & 8th Streets, (212) 533-4175, . Single: $95. Double: $110+, tax included. Small, eclectic rooms in a hip neighborhood with plenty of vibrant young nightlife nearby. Small garden out back for nice weather.

Mid range
The Hotel Wales, 1295 Madison Avenue, between 92nd & 93rd New York, NY 10128, (212) 876-6000 or Toll-Free 1 (866)WALES-HOTEL - European style boutique hotel located in Upper East Side Manhattan, near Central Park & Museum Mile.
Casablanca Hotel, 147 West 43rd Street, just east of Broadway, New York, NY 10036, (212) 869-1212, . The Casablanca Hotel is a warm and friendly boutique hotel just off Times Square offering guests free high speed Wi-fi and complimentary refreshments in Rick's Cafe 24 hours a day including breakfast in the mornings and wine and cheese receptions in the evenings except for Sunday nights.
70 Park Avenue Hotel, 70 Park Avenue, (212) 973-2400, .Hotel has an excellent bar and very helpful concierge service.
Hotel Chelsea, 222 West 23rd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, (212) 243-3700, . Where rockstars go to die ;-). $150–350 per night. Free wi-fi internet in lobby.
Chelsea Grand Hotel, W. 25th Street between 7th & 6th Aves., (866) 837-4258, . New hotel as of December 2003, features high speed internet in rooms and complimentary fitness center on-site. Great location close to everything! Introductory rates start at $118.
Four Points by Sheraton Manhattan Hotel, 160 West 25th Street, (212) 627-1888, . Central to all major attractions in the Manhattan area, as well as major corporations, schools and hospitals. Its great location makes this 158-room hotel an ideal place for both the business and leisure traveller.

Splurge
The Park Central Hotel, 870 Seventh Avenue at 56th Street, . $65 million of renovations has placed this beautiful hotel at the top of the list of luxury hotels in the Big Apple. Right next to Carnegie Hall and blocks from theatre district. While its renovations has significantly improved this hotel it is at best a four-star hotel and clearly not one of New Yorks luxury hotels.
The Jumeirah Essex House, 160 Central Park South, . Built in 1931, The Jumeirah Essex House is a well known and recognised feature of Manhattan.
Library Hotel, 299 Madison Avenue at East 43rd Street, (212) 983-4500, . Free high speed Wi-fi and complimentary refreshments in the Reading Room 24 hours a day including breakfast in the mornings and wine and cheese receptions in the evenings except for Sunday nights.
Hotel Giraffe , 365 Park Avenue South, (212) 685-7700, . Free high speed Wi-fi and complimentary refreshments in the Grande Lobby 24 hours a day including breakfast in the mornings and wine and cheese receptions in the evenings except for Sunday nights.
Le Marquis New York, 12 East 31st Street, (212) 889-6363, . Deluxe rooms on the edge of Koreatown; Rates $250–500 though ask for deals; In-room high-speed internet; Health club, sauna and day spa.
Bryant Park Hotel, W. 40th Street (between 5th & 6th Aves, on Bryant Park), . Nifty online registration. $245+ Distinctive black brick and gold trim building. Amenities include deep soaking tubs, cashmere blankets, Pipino toiletries, and Tibetan rugs in the rooms.
Helmsley Park Lane, 36 Central Park South, (212) 371-4000, . $250+ Views of Central Park. The staff is extremely efficient and treat you like royalty. The rooms are decorated in a very expensive fashion that verges gaudiness.
Morgans Hotel, 237 Madison Ave New York, New York 10016. With its ultra-comfortable Guestrooms, cozy Living Room, the exciting new Morgans Bar, and the wildly popular Asia de Cuba restaurant, Morgans has earned its reputation as a New York classic.
The Peninsula Hotel New York (Fifth Avenue and 55th Street) .
Trump International Hotel Towers, 1 Central Park West, .
Omni Berkshire Place, 21 East 52nd Street (at Madison Avenue), (212) 753-5800, [81].
The Sherry Netherland, 781 Fifth Avenue, (877) 743-7710, . Full concierge assistance, elevator attendants, and beautifully furnished rooms.