The Pod Hotel

Located in Manhattan’s popular Midtown East area, the Pod is a budget-minded traveler’s dream come true: clean, contemporary, and affordable rooms in a city known for expensive lodging. In the lobby, playful, witty murals by New York artist James Rizzi catch the eye. A big, curvy couch and mod-inspired chairs invite conversation. Videos play on flat-panel screens behind the front desk. Although the ambiance is decidedly youthful, this New York hotel is a hit with all ages.

Complimentary wireless Internet access is available throughout the Pod Hotel. Fridays and Saturdays, the hotel hosts complimentary social gatherings in the early evening. Two delightful, independently owned French bistros, Montparnasse and Le Bateau Ivre, flank the Pod's entrance. The hotel is 100-percent non-smoking.

For a workout worth writing home about, go for a walk or run across the Brooklyn Bridge. Catch the "A" subway, about two blocks from the hotel, downtown to City Hall Park. The entrance is across from the park. A wide wooden walkway above bridge traffic provides incredible views of the Manhattan skyline, the East River, and, in the distance, the Statue of Liberty. Plaques along the way detail the bridge's fascinating history.