Great area to be in for a weekend trip to NYC
We stayed at Dream Downtown while visiting NYC with some friends for an extended weekend trip. 
Pros:
-Great value during the winter months
-Comfortable rooms
-Friendly service
-No street noise
-1 Block from major uptown/downtown subway line.
-Chelsea market is across the corner
-Highline walking park is 1 block away
Cons: 
-Easy to hear loud people in the halls
-Elevator requires roomkey and was finicky. (Had to try it several times every time)
Additional tips:
-Getting here from JFK is quite easy. Jus take the AirTrain (airport tram) to Jamaica station, then you just hop on the E subway line and ride it all the way to 14th st. You're there! Entire trip is about 1.5 hrs.