If you are planning a stay in New York, there are high quality New York accommodations, so you can make a good choice.
The first hotel I recommend is Salisbury. The rooms are a spacious two-room suite that was perfect for families such as ours with children. One room had two beds while the living room (same size) had a comfortable pull-out couch. The area is great and the staff is very pleasant. We got a great deal through one of the many online services. The booking was for a maximum of four but I called the hotel and they were fine with our extra child. They also offer discount parking at a garage not too far away.
We found the $23 a day price for parking in the middle of Manhattan unbeatable. Also, the $3 breakfast is a nice extra. Our room faced 57th which made for a fun view (e.g. Carnegie Hall) but a bit noisy at night (apparently New York is loud at night, who knew?). However, the window air conditioners masked the noise just fine. The hotel is over a Baptist church which apparently owns the hotel.
There is no overt interaction of the two operations. Yet it does seem to cater to families and couples from around the world who want a nice hotel in a nice part of New York. This hotel is not luxurious but it is clean, safe, pleasant, more than reasonably priced and in a great location.
The Palace is by far the best hotel that we have stayed at in NYC. It’s very clean and spacious and the staff could not be more accommodating. As there were five of us we got a suite with two double beds and a pull out sofa bed in the living room. Before the trip we were a little wary of the fantastic price break we got, but when we got there the suite was extremely spacious and clean. I wouldn’t describe it as luxurious but the suite was nicely appointed with all the usual hotel amenities including a small kitchenette.
The Days Hotel Broadway is an acceptable, no-frills, place with a great location across the street from Symphony Space. I had no problems with my room, which was shabby but clean with a comfortable bed.
The Beacon hotel is a great choice for anyone new to New York. Found it very relaxing and our room was nice and large. Nice to have a small kitchen if you need to cook as there is an amazing market opposite called the Fairway that we could have spent a fortune in if our baggage allowance had permitted. Ate out though. A good wine shop was 2 doors down. Hotel is on the upper west side so we usually walked to places (times Sq was about 25 mins) Get the Gray-line tourist bus around and it will cost you about 50 bucks for 2 days hop on/hop off for all the loops (uptown downtown), they have great guides! There is a restaurant connected to the hotel that we didn’t use but always looked busy but Amsterdam Ave is just behind and there are loads of bars and places to eat and there are plenty of restaurants nearby that will deliver. The Beacon is not the cheapest hotel in the district and we paid 106.00 per night.
Ketchikan is a beautiful and charming hotel in a historic building. It had the feel of a bed and breakfast, rather than a hotel. There is a variety of nice soaps and toiletries available, always an appreciated perk. Second, the staff was very helpful. The day we checked out, we had a full day planned and were going to take the Prince of Wales ferry in the evening. We were allowed to keep our bags in a little room/closet at the NY Hotel, rather than dragging them around with us all day. They also offered to give us a ride to the ferry dock when we were ready to go. I would definitely choose the NY Hotel over the Super 8 or other hotel chains that were in Ketchikan.
Giraffe hotel has great little terrace off our room with view of Park Avenue, loved the rooftop bar for afternoon cocktails. Walking distance to Madison Square Park, Union Square Park, Washington Square Park. If you want to be in the middle of the scene or in the lap of luxury, this is not the place, but it was perfect for us for a reasonably priced weekend getaway. Charming and quaint, quick cab ride to anywhere in the city. Check out the Jazz Standard around the corner for great jazz.
Giraffe is exceptionally clean and well appointed. Was a welcome home after a long day of sightseeing and social activities. Continental breakfast was all that was required to get your day started off on the right foot. Midtown location on the 5/6 subway line had us a quick ride to uptown or downtown by either walking up to 28th or down to 23rd to jump on. Housekeeping and front door staff were exceptionally helpful (thanks again Mariek!). Major concern is front desk staff. Generally they appeared to be young and either inexperienced or unwilling to help with advice/recommendations regarding sightseeing, traveling the city etc.