Fairfield Inn New York Manhattan/Times Square South Rating: 3.0 Pearls

Midtown West, Manhattan, New York City

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Just two blocks south and one block west of West 42nd Street's bright lights and commercial density, the Fairfield Inn New York Manhattan/Times Square South is situated on a quieter, sparser midtown street, one that might feel a little less-than-comfortable at night.

Though once seedy, Times Square was reborn in the mid-'90s as a commercialized tourist haven, lit by 24-hour flashing billboards and theme restaurants like ESPN Zone and Bubba Gump Shrimp. Today, visitors walking the streets are more likely to be accosted by a comedy-club promoter, a rickshaw bicycle operator, or a caricature artist than a mugger. It's crowded, but there's something unquestionably exhilarating -- and convenient -- about staying in the neon-lit heart of the city. Plus, the mayor recently decided to close off much of Broadway to traffic, making it more pedestrian-friendly.

• Two blocks from the A, C, and E subway lines; three blocks from the 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, and W lines; four blocks to the B, D, F, and V lines -- quick and easy access anywhere in the city
• 20-minute subway ride to Central Park
• Five-minute walk to Times Square
• 15-minute subway ride to the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center
• 20-minute subway ride to the ferry terminal to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
• 15-minute subway ride to the American Museum of Natural History
• 25-minute subway ride to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the "Met") and a 10-minute subway ride to the Museum of Modern Art (the "MoMA")

Double Room

• Unlike most New York hotels, the standard rooms are big enough to fit either a king-size bed or two double-size beds
• Electornic safe, large enough for a laptop
• Workspace; comfortable desk chair
• In-room coffeemakers
• 32-inch flat-screen TVs
• Free hard-wired Internet; daily fee for Wi-Fi
• Penthouses offer a significantly more space with a separate living area containing a chair, ottoman, and two flat-screen TVs.

New York has three nearby airports: JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark (in New Jersey). Getting to town from JFK or LaGuardia is usually more convenient than getting there from Newark, but travel times are heavily dependent on the time of day and traffic conditions. From JFK, a taxi to anywhere in Manhattan costs a flat rate of $45 and takes around an hour in average conditions. From LaGuardia, a metered cab ride to midtown Manhattan costs about $40 and can take 30 minutes if traffic is light, three times that if it's bad. Rides from Newark cost at least $40 (plus tolls) and can take more than 90 minutes. It's customary to tip your driver 15 to 25 percent.

Those looking to save some cash can use the privately run shuttle buses that 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. Public transit is also available for as little as $7 per person, but travel can take up to two hours and involve a lot of lugging bags up and down stairways.

For mass-transit directions right to the hotel, check out HopStop.com.