Try a place where they host small parties/events or have free happy hours for guests. (Chesterfield, Shelborne, etc.) As for prices they are INFLATED cuz it's WMC especially since you waited so long to book hotel. I was lucky and booked the crescent suites at $259/night within a day they announced the dates of WMC. A week later the rates skyrocketed after hotels found out the dates. It's now $439 a night for the same room.