i'm travelling to nyc soon w/ 3 friends! any suggestion for a budget hotel in the city?

Motel 6 will leave the light on for you.

Try the Riverside Towers on W.81st St. and Riverside Dr. It used to serve as a dormitory for Columbia University. The rooms are clean, and all have private baths. Nothing fancy, but you can't expect fancy for under $100 a night in Manhattan.

The location is great, the Upper West Side. Close to Riverside Park, and just a few blocks from Central Park. Lots of great shops and restaurants in the area.