The upper-middle-range Hotel Wales is a charming boutique property situated a block away from Central Park and Fifth Avenue's Museum Mile in the quiet, residential Upper East Side. Popular breakfast/brunch destination Sarabeth's East occupies the hotel's ground floor and provides room service, and there's also an Italian restaurant on-site. Free tea and coffee in an inviting lounge is a nice perk, as is the lovely rooftop terrace. Other features include a meeting room, business center, and a small fitness room with a couple of machines. The 89 contemporary guest rooms are a bit small, but come with flat-screen TVs, iHome docks, and free Wi-Fi, plus some suites have kitchenettes. The nearby Franklin NYC doesn't have as many features, but it does offer a free breakfast as well as an afternoon wine and cheese presentation.

The Travel Inn is a solid budget option near Times Square. The decor and amenities are basic, though the hotel does feature on-site business and fitness centers, and an outdoor pool that is open seasonally. The 160-room property feels dated, but is in the process of being renovated. Wi-Fi also requires a daily fee. Visitors looking to stay in this area of Midtown West should check Yotel for more facilities (on-site restaurant, massive rooftop terrace) and free Wi-Fi, at similar price points. 

Set on the border of Manhattan's trendy residential TriBeCa and the buttoned-up Financial District, the 131-room Cosmopolitan is a mid-range hotel with a stylish lobby and a boutique vibe. While the hotel lacks big amenities such as a restaurant and bar, it delivers on location and offers rates that are decisively lower than nearby competing hotels (the Hilton Garden Inn Tribeca and Duane Street Hotel usually cost significantly more). Rooms are small and lack panache (as well as minibars), but great restaurants and bars can be found nearby.

Like the business-oriented Midtown East neighborhood it calls home, the Courtyard lacks personality. But it succeeds with the basics: comfortable rooms, a well-equipped fitness center, free Wi-Fi, and solid service. Before you book, though, it's worth checking rates at other comparable hotels like the New York Helmsley, Affinia Fifty, and the Courtyard's superior sister property, the nearby Marriott East Side.

This charming, upscale Midtown East hotel -- located across the street from Grand Central Terminal --has classic, understated decor in the 155 rooms and the public spaces. The hotel’s Irish roots are subtly felt, with the restaurant serving traditional pub fare in a cozy setting. Features are few, however; travelers who prefer having a fitness and business center on-site may want to compare rates with the nearby Omni Berkshire Place.

It's a tiny hotel -- just 34 very small guest rooms and six loft suites -- but The Moderne's sleek, retro, 24-hour cappuccino bar/library, and ideal location -- between Central Park, Times Square, and a short walk from every major subway line in the city -- make it a fun choice for the price (if you can ignore how small the rooms are).

The NYLO New York City is a beautifully designed upscale hotel on the Upper West Side. Decor combines industrial-chic pieces with Art Deco details in both the public spaces and rooms. The hotel's three restaurants are each notable in their own right and there is a wonderful library off of the lobby. Outdoor terraces on the 14th and 16th floors provide sweeping views of the Hudson River, Central Park, and Midtown skyline. But the on-site fitness center is small, and there is a pesky fee for Wi-Fi in the rooms (it is free in public spaces). Free Wi-Fi can be found at the similarly priced Hotel Belleclaire across the street, but rooms there aren't as stylish.

The Manhattan Club is an upscale property with 50 spacious apartment-style suites. Located around the corner from Carnegie Hall, it's less than a 10-minute walk to Central Park, the Museum of Modern Art, and Rockefeller Center. Its location, high-end vibe, and residential layouts convey “classic New York.” While there's no in-house restaurant, there's a Club Lounge with an evening bar (but oddly no cocktails) and a continental breakfast (for a fee). Suites are large and elegantly decorated with kitchenettes and marble bathrooms, and some offer fabulous city views. There’s also a state-of-the-art fitness center and free high-speed Wi-Fi throughout. Travelers seeking am apartment-style hotel with a restaurant in the same neighborhood should check out The Blakely New York Hotel, which serves a free breakfast.

The Comfort Inn Central Park West is a solid budget option on Manhattan's quiet Upper West Side. Though the rooms are dated and some are small, the hotel offers basic amenities and some perks, including free breakfast, newspapers, and Wi-Fi. Prices are often among the lowest in this great location, just down the street from Central Park and near some of the city's best museums. It's also worth considering the nearby, and nicer, NYLO New York City and Belleclaire New York, which can have similar rates.

The three-pearl Washington Jefferson Hotel is conveniently located in Midtown West, within walking distance of Times Square, Central Park, and the Theater District. It's an older property, but it's retained its luster, with modern touches like platinum-velvet armchairs, and sleek glass lamps added to traditional lobby decor. All of the 158 contemporary guest rooms have flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, Frette linens, and bathrooms with C.O. Bigelow products, but there are no mini-fridges or kettles. Some larger rooms offer sofas and whirlpool tubs. There's no on-site restaurant, but there's a small fitness center, and free coffee and tea on weekdays and Wi-Fi throughout, plus a concierge to book tickets. For a stay with free breakfast, there's The Hampton Inn Manhattan–Times Square North.