Road Trip Update!

This is just a bit of a shout-out really asking for advice from US readers or readers with a greater knowledge of the USA than me and my friend David.

As I said a few weeks ago, we booked our flights for our road trip; we're now looking to book hotels for the beginning, middle and end of our trip, i.e., in New York, Las Vegas and San Francisco. We have some ideas for Las Vegas, and are currently trying to figure out whether or not we want to go for something simple but cool like Circus Circus or whether funds will stretch to four nights at the Wynn Las Vegas or the Bellagio.

What we don't know about yet is New York and San Francisco. We'll be spending three nights in New York starting the week after the 4th of July weekend, and three nights in San Francisco over the second weekend in August. Has anyone out there got any good ideas for nice areas or hotels in New York and San Francisco?

One suggestion we're looking into for New York is not to stay in Manhattan - the person who made this suggestion to my friend was a little light on facts, but we think they might have been talking about staying in New Jersey and commuting in for sightseeing. Anyone out there think this would be a good idea? How long would it take to get in to the city each day?

(if it's helpful to know, at this point we might not have picked up our rental car, and would be using public transport to get around)

And how about San Francisco? Where's a good area to be looking for staying for in San Francisco? I should add, that we are looking for hotels/B&Bs rather than hostels; we're motelling it for most of the trip, so think that we can stay in hotels for NY, LV and SF - though of course, unless there are some very special offers, not in the likes of the Hilton!!!

(and on the motel front, what chains should we stay in?)

Any advice that anyone can offer would be very greatly appreciated!