Cold bunk > hot bunk, all things equal.

Kew > anywhere else for most fleets most of the time, all things equal.

Mainline/pilot only > everyone pad, all things equal.

Two bathrooms isn't twice as good as one; its 100 times better.

Obviously there are exceptions to these as well as potentially mitigating circumstances.

The over all vibe of a pad is probably the single greatest factor and is hard to quantify until after the fact. The only way is to either try it out (usually for a month or two) or get a good rec from someone you know and who understands what you're asking.

Don't stress about the price; a good one is worth a little extra. However IMO single occupancy isn't worth the substantial premium. Quiet, respectful pad mates and cold AC (plus earplugs and eye covers) are often a more solid sleep opportunity than being at home with stomping screaming kids, barking dogs, phones ringing and the constant temptation to take care of just one more minor chore right before/after bed.

Cold AC and warm blankets plus blankets hung on the sides of a bunk have yielded the most solid sleep I've ever had especially in situations that were otherwise jacked up circadian wise. Location comes into play for the times you're there (planned or unplanned) as its nice to have numerous sit down and take out places, hang outs, grocery store(s), cleaners, safe walking/jogging etc. The ease of being effectively equal distance from JFK and LGA give you lots of options both coming and going, both for work reports and commuting. Lots of transportation options as well.

The area also has a close by train station where you can begin the long, arduous trek to EWR (which should be it's own base but that's another topic). Even then, sometimes with known early reports to EWR, you may be better served just getting a cheap crew rate room near the airport anyway.

You will spend money coming and going, as well as to stay there. There is no way around that. You will get burned on commutes from time to time. Things will "melt down" from time to time and you could find yourself there for days. Having a good pad with options is worth the price and being in the middle of the two legit co-terminals (LGA and JFK) is a no brainer for most fleets most of the time. If you're on a true widebody fleet, then some of the otherwise less appealing JFK pads may begin to make more sense for you, but you'll still need to take commuting options into account. Plenty of ex-JFK padders switch to Kew for that very reason.

If you are a very light sleeper, then maybe single room is for you. But it will cost a lot more. The nightly ala carte approach works the best financially once you get some seniority...unitl it doesn't. But it usually does. Hotels are not only pricey but tend to sell out when you need them the most. IMO a good pad is a must on reserve and as a junior lineholder. Even past that point I'd carry one as insurance. These days with the "optimizer" destroying NB rotations and RR's being more common, even once top seniority tiers are effectively "junior" as far as pairing quality and commutability are concerned.