Thanks, Aaron! I really appreciate your reply. Would you suggest sticking to the Empire State Building or Chelsea areas? I'm pretty open to location. Really, I just want something close to plenty of cabs and good food that is reasonably affordable. We're not into fine dining. Mom's want list consists of "Broadway. Pizza. Italian food." She is in her mid-50s and trudging through the cold for a long time won't be good for her health.
Max budget (incl. all taxes and fees) is $250 per night. As for hotel style, it'd be nice to take her to a place that is not exceedingly "everywhere" hotel-like. I've saved up for this trip, so giving her a "wow, that's so neat and just like I imagined NYC to be like" feeling is my aim. I realize that isn't super descriptive. Basically, awesome, convenient location with a bit of a luxury feel. That was why I was looking at 4.5 - 5*. Does anything seem to fit the bill around my budget? Again, thanks for your help.