I am looking planning a Midtown East Manhattan stay. I have been told that many of the hotels in NY City require a key card to access the elevators. I have decided to use several tactics to maneuver the elusive keycard issue. I would gladly love input for other ideas as well.
1.  Break up my stay between two hotels during my week stay.  
2.  Stay at hotels with conferences centers and restaurant/bar. Meet the client at either location to give them the key discretely after a brief chatter to establish we desire to proceed.  
3.  Key card in a small envelop taped in a parking garage (No room number or any info that would be linked back to me)
any other ideas are welcomed.

Try the doubletree in the 50s on lex.
If you have already booked a key card hotel,  put the key in a paperback book in the lounge or the lobby in an inconspucous spot.  

Thank you. I will have a look at the double tree. I haven't booked yet.  
Claire 🌺

Bringing attention to specific hotels by mentioning them here (on a board that LE most likely monitors) is disingenuous at best.

access control a couple of times and each time the provider met me in the lobby and escorted me up. Worked out fine. Searching for an elevator key in a parking garage sounds ridiculous to me.

This Q comes up fairly often on General, Newbie and even here on NY.  Here is just one previous thread with several good, and some not so good, suggestions and workarounds:  
http://www.theeroticreview.com/discussion-boards/new-york-2/fishing-for-a-solution-to-the-key-card-problem-257083?frmSearch=1#257083

I usually choose one without key elevators, but be aware some hotels security would check keycards for entering even if elevators are not keyed, for example Marriott.  PM me your hotel maybe i can give you some info. or check safeoffice for hotel lists and info.

Hi Nina,

Thank you for sharing. Have a great weekend.