Besides being the city’s most convenient hotel for any theme park—the two parks are both a 10-minute walk away—the Hard Rock, which is miles ahead of any other Hard Rock hotel in America, has more perks for the money than most of the city’s similarly priced hotels. Rooms have genuinely funky furniture, tons of mirrors, two sinks (one in and one out of the bathroom), two big beds, and music systems. The ginormous pool, which imitates a beach gently descending to depth, has not only a substantial waterslide but also underwater speakers through which you can hear the party music. (They really bring out the finger cymbals in “Livin’ on a Prayer.”) Halls are lined with rock memorabilia (Whoa! Outfits worn by Lady Gaga AND Elvis!). The Hard Rock truly walks the rock walk: The last Thursday of the month, the lobby is taken over by the rollicking Velvet Sessions (www.velvetsessions.com) [pv] concert series for classic acts, like Howard Jones, John Waite, and Survivor.