The Hyatt Regency in Jersey City.   (Photo: Coutesy of Hyatt Regency)

In many cities besides New York, $200 gets you a nice room at a good hotel, with shampoo, a shower cap, and maybe even an in-room coffeepot. In New York, not so much. But with some digging and some deals, it is possible to find a clean room, a soft mattress, free Internet, and fresh-baked cookies for under two Franklins. I tested seven hotels, staying on weekends and booking rooms online to take advantage of deals. Prices can vary widely (especially in the fall and spring high seasons) and often go up during the week.

1. Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson
2 Exchange Pl., Jersey City, N.J.; 201-469-1234

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PRICE: $199
GREAT VIEWS

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The best $200 hotel in New York is in New Jersey—a one-stop, four-minute PATH ride or short Water Taxi ride from lower Manhattan. My room has water and city views (not all do, but my ultranice front-desk agent upgraded me because there was available space). The room is 400 feet, with low-key and sophisticated touches: a granite bathroom sink; a rather masculine taupe, brown, and gray color scheme; a good-size desk for working; and very upscale bedding—plus a spectacular view of the Woolworth Building.

(Photo: Courtesy of Courtyard Marriott)

2. Courtyard by Marriott Times Square South
114 W. 40th St., nr. Sixth Ave. 212-391-0088

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PRICE: $199
FLUFFY BEDDING

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The best bed of the bunch. Marriott runs the Ritz-Carlton chain; its recent redo of the beds in its lower-price, business-oriented Courtyard line (pictured) has resulted in Ritz-like fluffy pillows, pristine feather duvets, and supremely comfortable mattresses. The amenities are very good: a nice-size desk, easy free Internet connection, iPod docking, and free coffee in the lobby. For long-term stays, there’s a washer-and-dryer room and exercise facilities on the lower level.

(Photo: Courtesy of Best Western)

3. Best Western Seaport Inn
33 Peck Slip, nr. Front St. 212-766-6600

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PRICE: $199
FREE COOKIES

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Is this really a Best Western? Housed in a seven-story Federal-style building, the place has a genteel, historic quality. The front-desk staff is friendly and unhurried, and there are free freshly baked cookies. What keeps it from a top ranking here is the actual room—better than expected and generally clean and neat, but even by the standards of inexpensive-hotel décor, it’s drab, with zero recognition of the neighborhood’s rich maritime history. The beds are good but not great. But some rooms have Brooklyn Bridge views, and Jack’s Coffee is up the block (222 Front St.).

(Photo: Courtesy of On the Ave)

4. On the Ave
2178 Broadway, at 77th St.; 212-362-1100

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PRICE: $199
BIG ROOMS

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It looks like W Lite, with a sparsely chic lobby and self-conscious touches like backlit black-and-white photos of New York in the elevator. The rooms have a similar aesthetic, but they’re well apportioned; mine is a good size, with a clearly delineated seating area, a wing chair, and a separate area for a desk. The bathroom, however, is tiny. The front-desk staff lacks the professionalism of bigger chains (“I’m about to go on my break, so she will gladly help you!,” an attendant told me, pointing to her colleague). But at least you’re not in midtown.

5. Hampton Inn Times Square North
851 Eighth Ave., at 51st St. 212-581-4100

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PRICE: $199
GOOD FOR FAMILIES

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Formerly a down-and-out Howard Johnson’s, this hotel has a cheery, contemporary lobby and freshly refurbished rooms with a happy look: curving headboards, wide-striped window treatments, and black-and-white cityscape paintings. There’s free coffee and cookies in the lobby. The drawbacks: painfully slow elevators, and the Continental-breakfast area is always packed. Here, you’re always aware of the presence of many, many other people—including large numbers of children and huge clusters of fanny-pack-wearing tourists. And you’ll hear traffic noise if you’re facing busy Eighth Avenue.

(Photo: Courtesy of Hotel 17)

6. Hotel 17
225 E. 17th St., nr. Third Ave.; 212-475-2845

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PRICE: $175
GRITTY GLAMOUR

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The setting for Woody Allen’s 1993 Manhattan Murder Mystery, this is one of the most love-it-or-hate-it of the bunch. The lobby is teeny, and the rooms, all decorated differently, are in a time warp. Mine has shiny prints, slight wallpaper peels, and dark wood furnishings that are very Addams Family. The bedding is reasonably clean but flimsy, with a thin comforter. There are both shared and private bathrooms, and basically no services, but given the hotel’s shockingly low $100 standard-room rate in low season, ordering in from Joe Jr.’s on Third Avenue isn’t such a hassle.

(Photo: Courtesy of Pod Hotel)

7. The Pod Hotel
230 E. 51st St., nr. Second Ave.; 212-355-0300

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PRICE: $179
MOD DÉCOR

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Earlier this year, this hotel, formerly the cheap, chintzy Pickwick Arms, became the cheap, cool Pod. Rates start at $99, and just over half the rooms have private baths. The aesthetic is standard spare modern: light wood and red comforters with geometric prints. My room, measuring about twelve feet by eight feet, has a bed connected to two side tables, a tiny work desk, small closet nook, and flat-screen TV. There’s a new-paint-over-old feeling, though; the elevators are rickety, the walls are thin, and the mattresses are hard. The hallway smelled like poo for the duration of my one-night stay. For $179, the room-with-bath isn’t a great value; a shared-bath room rate for $125 or less is a decent choice.

Related:

• Articles by Stephen Milioti
• Table of Contents: Jul 23, 2007 issue of New York | Subscribe!