A question you should ask yourself when booking a hotel in New York City: Is this a place I can pass a few hours?

Last summer, I visited the city and wrote that it did my wallet dirty – meaning I spent in an hour what I wanted to spend the entire evening. Most of us simply don’t have the funds to keep pace with the temptations of the city. A drink here, a drink there, and all of a sudden you find yourself at an ATM before the sun has barely set.

Combine that with all the walking and mobs of people you must navigate, and it makes sense to have a place to which you can retreat, a bird’s nest high above the noise. My one-bedroom suite at the Affinia Manhattan was more spacious than most of my friends’ apartments, and we happily hung out in the common area, making cocktails in the small kitchen and putting our feet up on the coffee table. We had spent the day walking the city and chowing down on pastrami sandwiches, but eventually we ran out of steam and wanted to take our shoes off.

Unless you’re traveling completely alone, a traditional room with a king or two double beds isn’t going to get you very far. I’ve spent many nights in hotel rooms over the past year, and one without a couch or some sort of “hang area” doesn’t exactly scream relaxation and/or socialization (I can’t even tell you how much time I’ve spent sitting on the edge of a bed.)

That extra space makes all the difference, especially given how busy you’ll be the rest of the time. The Affinia Manhattan is within walking distance or a short cab ride from: Madison Square Garden, The Empire State Building, the Flatiron Building, Washington Square, The Museum of Modern Art, and Times Square. You’re also right near Hell’s Kitchen, a neighborhood known for it’s diversity of ethnic food options along 9th Avenue.

First time visitors to the Big Apple should heed my advice – grab a room for the weekend and you’ll immediately reap the rewards. Something tells me those who frequent the city understand what I’m talking about.

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