For supercheap lodgings, try the dorm-style rooms with multiple bunk beds. At press time the Aladdin was renovating, but chances are it won't shed its student-union feel. Portland Square 132 West 47th Street, tel. 145 rooms, of which 38 are with shared bath and 33 others are triples or quads with private bath. You must press a buzzer to enter the lobby, where you'll find the front-desk staff secured behind Plexiglas.
Rooms are rather dark and drab, with green carpets, beige walls, and floral bedspreads and curtains.
Rooms facing 47th Street offer more light and a better view. There's a guest laundry and a teeny fitness room in the basement. AAA and AARP discounts available. Habitat Hotel 130 East 57th Street, tel. 235 rooms, of which about 70 percent are with shared bath.