Etta's place is great. The Harlem area has some classic architecture, and it is a only a few blocks to the subway. We were there for the historic Phish tour at MSG, and we took the A train down to Penn Station before the shows and took cabs back; since it was usually pretty late. Cab from downtown was about $30. Not bad at all.
Toward the end it felt like coming home, which no hotel has ever felt like to me. I would stay there again in a heartbeat. The neighborhood is awesome and everyone we talked to was super nice, especially the "church" ladies who called us sweetie ;-)