Apartment or Hotels in New York

Hi,
We've been given a present of return tickets to New York from our children (wedding anniversary). Will be there from 29 Aug - 3 Sept. Now need to find accommodation. Would prefer to rent an apartment rather than stay in a hotel but we'll do so if we can't get an apart. Anyone any recommendations in this regard. This will be our first time in NY so any tips would be appreciated.
Thanks

I stayed in Woogo apartments lat year and would NOT recommend them. There were cockroaches in the room, mould in the fridge, nasty smells in the place. Thought it would great to stay in apartment but in reality would go back to a hotel anyday. Never again will I do the apartment thing when I can have room service, fresh linel and towels, the place clean when you come back every day for pretty much the same price. I have heard good things about Radio City apartments but again very pricey.

Check out for real peoples reviews and pictures on hotels and apartments.

A hotel rather than apartments but we stayed in the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Tribeca over christmas. Cheap cheerful, clean and well located, just a couple of blocks from Ground Zero and right beside the subway. Its about a 5 minute ride to Times sQuare

http://www.cosmohotel.com/info/index.html

Get yourself a copy of the Lonely Planet guide to New York.

For the best freebies walk the Brooklyn Bridge & take the ferry over and back to Statten Island.

Go to Ellis Island if you can. Be in the queue early as it can be very long.

Go up the Empire state building just before dark so you get the daylight & night view.

If you want to go shopping then Woodbury Common is the place to go. Its an outlet village with over 200 shops. You really need the day there though. The bus leaves from the Port Authority bus depot on 8th Avenue.

Enjoy..its a great city

We've stayed at The New Yorker Hotel, it's a standard tourist class hotel i.e. nothing fancy but very clean and good value with a great location in midtown.

http://www.newyorkerhotel.com/

As previously mentioned check out tripadvisor.com for reviews.