When a city is as big as New York, and has as many hotels as New York does, it's often hard for business travelers to pick the right one. Of course, the right one for you depends on who you are--do you want an upscale hotel with great service? Are you looking to save money? How important is public transportation? Location? There are plenty of factors to consider.

As part of our continuing series on New York City business hotels and hotels for business travelers in New York City, we have a review of the Affinia Shelburne Hotel.

The Affinia Shelburne Hotel in New York City is appropriate for business travelers who want to stay in the Murray Hill area and are looking for a larger boutique hotel that offers customized services, room service, and a location equally convenient to Grand Central or Penn Station.

Our full review of the Affinia Shelburne provides more details for business travelers and a link for checking rates or wanting to see pictures of the Affinia Shelburne's rooms.

Over the next week or so, I'll be profiling a number of New York City hotels suitable for business travelers. There's a lot to consider when coming to New York City for a business trip, and I can't cover it all here, but I will highlight some of the accommodation options and savings opportunities for business travelers.

For example, if you don't want to save money by staying outside of the city and commuting in, one good mid-town option is the Carlton Hotel on 88 Madison Avenue. The Carlton Hotel is a solid bet for business travelers looking for a large (317 rooms), mid-town hotel in New York City.

The modern, but classical-flavored furnishings are definitely upscale and service is strong. The hotel's Country restaurant (located in the lobby) gets good reviews and is stylish but comfortable. You can see pictures of the hotel here, or check prices for it on Kayak.com.

Photo © David A. Kelly

So, you need to make a trip to New York City, but don't want to spring for an expensive New York City hotel? Don't want the added expense of paying $30-$50 a day for parking? Then maybe it's time to consider an alternative.

Okay, now we know. It's the Apple iPad, which makes a lot more sense the an iSlat or any of the other potential names that the new Apple device was rumored to have.

Take a look at  Jason Hidalgo, About.com's Guide to portable electronics, first look at the new iPad. The long and the short of it is, that the iPad is cool, it will probably be fun, and it will probably get a whole lot more valuable in future releases. For business travelers, I'm not sure it's worth it yet to rush out and buy one. Hold for a little while until we see what types of iPad-specific applications become available.