For the price ($135/night) and location (just near the Empire State Building), Red Roof Inn is hard to beat, especially at the last minute.
The neighborhood is a bit shady - it's in Korea town, which is interesting, but not the safest part of New York - but is very central. There are lots of delis and groceries around for a quick snack if needed.
The subway stop is about a block away (32nd and Broadway) and the hotel is only 2 blocks from Penn Station. This is especially convenient if you come in from Newark Airport on the NJ Transit train - it's a very quick walk!
As far as the room went, it was average size. Everything was clean and the walls were very soundproofed. We were right by the elevator (1412) and heard nothing all night.
If you can - request a low floor because the elevators can take FOREVER! Especially at busy times like breakfast you should factor in at least 10-15 minutes to wait. Once we had to wait through 3 cycles of the same elevator due to the long line in the lobby and the fact that the other elevator was being used by maintenance. Speaking of breakfast - that was a nightmare! It was probably our fault for waiting until 9:30 to go, but there were tons of people and though the staff was desperately trying to keep the place clean, it was a bit of a disaster. We decided to just buy a bagel at the shop on 32nd and 5th on subsequent mornings.
The staff was generally knowledgable and professional, if not overly friendly. The concierge (a girl of about 20) didn't seem to know all that much - including the fact that you could take a train directly from Newark airport to Penn Station!
Overall, I'm not sure if I'd stay in this hotel again (I would probably opt for a more fun neighborhood such as West Village, etc) but for someone looking for a value it's not bad. Just be ready to walk up the stairs to avoid the elevator!
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