...but one interesting place to stay is The Standard, in the meat-packing district, which is a great area.  The hotel is nice and new, though the rooms are smallish and Euro-techy.  It's built right on top of The High Line, which is a park created on several blocks of an old elevated railway line.  The Standard has been open a few years and, early on, became notorious because guests would have sex while up against the floor-to-ceiling glass wall that is the exterior wall of all the rooms.  People walking on The High Line got an especially good view.  Not sure if there've been any such incidents lately.  I stayed there a year ago with my wife and it was about $500 a night.  Steep for the size of the room, but it's hard to find a decent hotel room in NY for less than $400.  I'd stay there for the experience alone.