The New York Times offered this list of the Top 10 Hotels in New York City that offer rooms for under $250 dollars a night.

I have been in the Chelsea Hotel, used to live down the street from it, and it is a icon for the artistic set. The other hotels are new to me. Of course, when I lived in Manhattan, no one would ever stay in the Time Square area. Update: We just were informed that the Chelsea Hotel has a weblog, they do earn the mantle of “Very Cool”.

Affinia Dumont, 150 East 34th Street (Lexington and Third Avenues), 212-481-7600; From $199. A business and pet-friendly spot with gym and spa.

Chelsea Hotel, 222 West 23rd Street (Seventh and Eighth Avenues), 212-243-3700;  From $195. The storied bohemian landmark.

Doubletree Metropolitan, 569 Lexington Avenue (51st Street), 212-752-7000; . From $159. A recently renovated Morris Lapidus landmark.

Excelsior Hotel, 45 West 81st Street (Central Park West and Columbus Avenue), 212-362-9200;  From $229. Cozy Upper West Side elegance, steps from Central Park.

Gershwin Hotel, 7 East 27th Street (Fifth and Madison Avenues), 212-545-8000; From $119. Hotel-cum-hostel popular with young Europeans.

Hotel QT, 125 West 45th Street (Avenue of the Americas and Seventh Avenue), 212-354-2323; . From $125. A cheap chic hotel by André Balazs.

Hotel Stanford, 43 West 32nd Street (Broadway and Fifth Avenue), 800-365-1114;  From $189. The staff at this Koreatown hotel speaks Korean and English (and Spanish).

Hudson Hotel, 356 West 58th Street (Eighth and Ninth Avenues), 212-554-6000; www.hudsonhotel.com. From $199. A former Y.W.C.A. redesigned by Philippe Starck.

Off SoHo Suites Hotel, 11 Rivington Street (Bowery and Chrystie Streets), 800-633-7646; . Economy rooms from $199 (sharing kitchen and bath with another room); suites from $189. Euro-style suites between SoHo and the Lower East Side.

The Time, 224 West 49th Street (Broadway and Eighth Avenue), 877-846-3692; www.thetimeny.com. From $189. Another hip, high-concept hotel in Times Square.