There is an airtrain to the subway--kind of cumbersome w/much luggage, but much cheaper than taxi.
2 reasonable-for NYC- are Milford Plaza-midtown, and Empire Hotels. Milford Plaza is near Times Square, with lots of nightlife in the area, but not a particularly salubrious neighborhood. Nightlife like jazz is more likely to be in the Village or "downtown"-Chelsea, Soho. Also a Howard Johnson on 50th/8th Ave. (midtown) slightly better 'hood'-lots of good restaurants nearby.