Stewart Hotel

The 618-room, 28-floor Stewart Hotel (formerly the Affinia Manhattan) is an attractive choice for both business and leisure travelers thanks to its comfortable beds (down duvets and 300-thread-count sheets), Aveda bath products, and knowledgeable concierges. Aside from its classic architecture (the building dates back to 1929), the Stewart Hotel's big differentiator -- and primary selling point -- is that most if its rooms (all but the base-level guest rooms) are large studio and one- and two-bedroom apartments that include a full kitchen with a four-burner gas range, oven, and a full set of utensils. And all rooms were part of a $24 million dollar renovation in 2011, so they look posh and modern. Once you add in its excellent fitness center and fashionable on-site bar and restaurant, Niles New York City, the Stewart Hotel has a considerable advantage over similarly priced hotels in the neighborhood.The lobby also got an overhaul as part of the David Rockwell renovation, and the seating area is designed to reflect the topography of New York City -- while the glass chandelier above mimics the city skyline.

Located across from Penn Station (a major transportation hub), the Stewart Hotel has a convenient location for getting around the city. But given the area's high traffic, abundance of fast food restaurants, and scarce activity after dark, this is the kind of dull area most New Yorkers avoid (unless they are working). It's nowhere near as beautiful as somewhere closer to Central Park, like near the Hotel Beacon in the Upper West Side (which also has a full kitchen in every room) or as fun as somewhere downtown, like the Washington Square Hotel in Greenwich Village. And if you're after the flashing lights of Times Square or the Theater District, you can still afford it at this price range -- look to the Hilton Garden Inn.- Across from Penn Station, the Greyhound bus depot, subway lines, and the New Jersey PATH trains (very convenient if you're flying into Newark)

• Eight blocks south of the center of Times Square
• 10-minute walk to the Javits Convention Center
• Five-minute walk to Macy's flagship department store
• 15-minute subway ride to Central Park
• 10-minute walk to the Empire State Building
• 30-minute subway ride to the ferry terminal to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
• 20-minute walk, plus a subway ride to Rockefeller Center
• 20-minute subway ride from the American Museum of Natural History
• 30-minute walk and subway ride to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the "Met") and 20-minutes from the Museum of Modern Art (the "MoMa")

New York has three nearby airports: JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark (in New Jersey). Flying into JFK or LaGuardia is typically easiest and the least time consuming. From JFK, it's a flat-rate $45 (one-hour) taxi to anywhere in Manhattan. From LaGuardia, it's about a $40 (30-minute) metered cab ride to midtown Manhattan. Rides from Newark cost at least $40 (plus tolls) and can take over 90 minutes. Don't forget to tip your driver 15 to 25 percent.To save some cash, group shuttles are available at all three airports for about $14 per person. For more information on the shuttles, go to Super Shuttle or New York Airport Service. You can also take public transit from any of the airports for as little as $7 per person, but travel times can take up to two hours and involve a lot of lugging bags up and down stairs.