Hotel Edison

This 1931 Art Deco hotel has enough original touches left—such as gorgeous elevator doors and brass door handles—to evoke old New York. Its affordable rates and proximity to Broadway theaters seal it as the ideal Gotham hotel for many guests. The no-frills rooms are standard in size and clean, if also devoid of personality. For more upscale accommodations, the newly renovated Signature Collection quarters on the 19th and 20th floors feature 32-inch flat-screen TVs, upgraded bedding, free Wi-Fi and Times Square or river views from some suites. Café Edison, a classic diner just off the lobby, is a long-time favorite of Broadway actors—Neil Simon was so smitten that he put it in one of his plays. Rooms: 800.