Hotel Beacon, 2130 Broadway (tel. 800/572-4969 or 212/787-1100). Not only is this hotel a great deal -- you can get good-size suites for much less than in Midtown -- the Upper West Side, with its parks, the Museum of Natural History, and fun, inexpensive restaurants, is a great neighborhood for children.
Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square, 1568 Broadway (tel. 800/222-TREE or 212/719-1600). This hotel boasts an entire floor of childproof suites, complete with living rooms for spreading out and kitchenettes for preparing light meals. Also just a block from kid-friendly chain restaurants and the Toys "R" Us superstore.