Any recommendations of where to stay in New York please?

[shopalot]

I have always wanted to go to New York and finally we have booked the flights-yay. We are going in April. Can anyone recommend a hotel or where to stay which is fairly central?

I like the look of The New Yorker. Someone else recommended it to my dh at work as well.

We were in New York a few weeks ago and stayed in The Metro www.hotelmetronyc.com/ which was recommended by friends. It was in a great location near to Macy's and a few blocks from Times Square.

I knew airbnb is illegal (not just them, any short-term sublet) - there's quite a lot about it on trip advisor but mainly warning people to be careful who they give money to.

There's no penalty for the visitor though afaik. There is a risk of losing your money if you don't go through a company like airbnb to do it.

Having looked in more detail as the place where we stayed the people who lived there were there as well, that one wasn't illegal. Can see advising others to use airbnb there might not be the best thing to do but I would recommend it in general

For clean, near an express subway station (125th St), and loads of character, I recommend the Harlem Flophouse - 4 bedrooms sharing 2 bathrooms, but done up in fabulous 1920s style, excellent diners for breakfast nearby, loads of vintage jazz provided.

Not the Waldorf. Good location, history, reception areas are lovely but the rooms were very disappointing. Big but shabby, faded and mismatched. No minibar and no tea and coffee. Just not worth the money.

We stayed at the Red Roof Inn Manhattan. It is the next block from the Empire State, round the corner from Times Square. Very centrally placed, clean & a reasonable price. They also do breakfast (or they used to) which often isn't included in NY hotel room rates.