Everything & Anything New York City

M4RKM · 31 January 2011 at 5:33PM

waxxy wrote: »

i found out the hotel that first choice had shown me isnt 4 stars as they stated it is..every website ive checked even virgin have it down as 3 star do you think i have a good arguement for compensation or have them cancel the hotel and get a nicer one?

I think you've got a very good chance of being able to cancel, however, they'll probably say something along the lines of, that it is a 4 F rating (F standing for First Choice) and not a star rating, blah blah.

Virgin will be a 3V rating, and this is where things get a bit tricky.

If it is the hotel I think it is (nyma), then their website doesn't show a star rating. Also, star ratings are basically pointless in NYC, you have either a tourist class, business class, boutique class, etc etc. This falls into a tourist class hotel, which is just standard and nothing fancy. Hiltons etc, are business class, and smaller more unique and stylish hotels will fall into boutique class. so on and so forth.

M

janelski · 31 January 2011 at 6:18PM

Thank you muchly for the reply, again added to our never ending list of places to go things to see, these shop are a must so my 3 teenage children tell me jane

beeza · 31 January 2011 at 6:32PM

scottishgirl87 wrote: »

Yes, Macy's offer 10%, or it might be 11% off. We had to go to a Customer Service desk to show passport and ask for the card. You then just show the discount card when buying something.

I think Bloomingdale's offers something similar as well.

Bloomingdales is the same. Go to the visitors info desk with ID for a 10% voucher to show when you pay. Spend $200 and you get a free gift. I got a travel pack (inflatable pillow, blanket and eye mask).

Also get a discount in Soho Bloomers but no card as such. (What's short for bloomingdales?)

M4RKM wrote: »

Not heard of Jack Wills, so can't help there. Just because I don't like shopping doesn't mean I don't know anything about it. Shopping in New York itself is great, I just disagree with spending money to go to an outlet mall to buy last years styles.

M

Not just that but I thought about going out of town to shop but wasn't sure if we had the time in 4 1/2 days. I would have so regretted wasting a day out of town instead of being in NY.

M4RKM · 31 January 2011 at 7:34PM

beeza wrote: »

Bloomingdales is the same. Go to the visitors info desk with ID for a 10% voucher to show when you pay. Spend $200 and you get a free gift. I got a travel pack (inflatable pillow, blanket and eye mask).

Also get a discount in Soho Bloomers but no card as such. (What's short for bloomingdales?)

Bloomies...

. Some of the staff are kind enough to have a card, and they just use that when they hear the english accent.

beeza wrote: »

Not just that but I thought about going out of town to shop but wasn't sure if we had the time in 4 1/2 days. I would have so regretted wasting a day out of town instead of being in NY.

Exactly, It is a large chunk of your holiday taken up by going somewhere else just to shop. If you take advantage of the discounts, and bargains there are in NYC, and you sightsee inbetween shopping, you can get a lot more done.

M

waxxy · 31 January 2011 at 8:00PM

heres the star listings ..i must admit they are very confusing when you goto the states they seem to be a law amongst themselfs lol

hxxp://www.hayesandjarvis.co.uk/hotelDetails.vm?code=NYCSHM&packageID=402581002

this is the one we booked but got better flights flying with continental airways direct from manchester flying out at 9am and arriving in new york at 12.oo midday so we get longer to mooch around the city.(see it states 4 stars )

but virgin too fly on my dates staying at the same hotel its £1616 for 2 people !!!
hxxp://www.virginholidays.co.uk/brochures/usa/holidays/new_york/new_york/the_manhattan_at_times_square_hotel/offers.aspx

but they give it 3v star ratings .....

im confused too be honest im thinking they will just try and fob me off by saying the brochure it comes from states its 4 stars so thats what it is i just wish they adopted and standardised quality star rating the same the world over if you book a hotel in europe with a star rating your basically gauarnatted what you see is what your going to get but in the usa thhats not true especially after reading trip advisors website theres 5 star hotels that get a slating and 3 star hotels that get praised..today all ive done is read reviews on the manhatten and compared to other hotels it doesnt seem too bad my wife says use this first time to new york as a test too see if we like it if we do im going to book that hotel next time you showed me m4 ..it looks really nice and modern thats our tastes..most of the hotels weve seen in new york all basically look dated but still dont look half as bad as some of the hell holes in london that are distgusting (regents palace..it was really bad there was a used tampon in my sink and blood on the bathroom floor so i complained got another room..that room had sheets that hadnt been washed they had pee on them..the next room had a door which wouldnt lock..the next room had a broken window but i was that !!!!ed off and tired i just went too sleep ..next morning i complained they didnt appologize all they said was look youve had 5 different rooms if your not happy stay somewere else !! hell hole which should be condemened )

heres the trip advisors reviews 80% say they like it..
hxxp://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g60763-d93545-Reviews-The_Manhattan_at_Times_Square_Hotel-New_York_City_New_York.html

hxxp://www.themanhattanattimessquarehotel.com/ thats the offical website

M4RKM · 31 January 2011 at 9:22PM

The thing I find most amusing about "The Manhattan at Times Square" is that it is no less than 4 blocks away from Times Square, and not actually in Times Square. Hilarious, and amazing marketing really.

I'm not a fan of large tourist class hotels, and personally wouldn't stay here. However, as you've been sold it, so unless you think you have a leg to stand on, all you can really do is put up, and attempt to have a good holiday. Take a look at the hotel room - http://www.oyster.com/new-york-city/hotels/the-manhattan-at-times-square-hotel/photos/traditional-room/ - definately nothing special, and looking rather dated. It reminds me of a standard holiday inn, when it comes to bland colour schemes and dark wood.

At 210/428 it is definitely in mid table obscurity when it comes to it being a good hotel, and somewhat lower than what I'd originally recommended, (The Marcel being 170th) which was cheaper, and had the same flights, and much more modern stylish decor in a nicer residential neighbourhood - http://www.oyster.com/new-york-city/hotels/marcel-hotel/photos/standard-king-room/

One final thing is, I don't book a hotel because it's been recommended. I book a hotel because it is in the area I want to be in, and that it matches my needs. The Marcel might be $250 a night next time you want to go to NYC, and out of your price range, so if you think it matches your tastes more, then you need to scream and shout, and show the travel agent the differences, and tell them that they've missold you, watchdog, etc etc ad infintum

M

tarkytarks · 31 January 2011 at 10:05PM

I've got 1pm crown tickets for the SoL next month, can anyone tell me if that 1pm is to go up the crown or for the boat? Or can we turn up earlier and try and beat the crowds and get up there earlier? Not sure how it works - when I booked 1pm I thought it was 1pm for the crown but now I'm not so sure. Want to make sure get enough time for Ellis Island as well as queues and security screening.

It's half term week - not sure how busy it will be then?

beeza · 1 February 2011 at 12:13AM

tarkytarks wrote: »

I've got 1pm crown tickets for the SoL next month, can anyone tell me if that 1pm is to go up the crown or for the boat? Or can we turn up earlier and try and beat the crowds and get up there earlier? Not sure how it works - when I booked 1pm I thought it was 1pm for the crown but now I'm not so sure. Want to make sure get enough time for Ellis Island as well as queues and security screening.

It's half term week - not sure how busy it will be then?

lol, if you go back a few pages, I asked this question 2 weeks ago and found a link on trip advisor.

The time you have is for the ferry but you have to pick up your crown tickets from the ticket booth and go through security before the ferry. Last week in the cold and snow, it took no time at all. Looking at the set up there's likely to be some queuing if its busier. Also took a little longer than I thought to walk from the subway station, we used South Ferry. If you're a little early you can always look at Castle Clinton or wander round Battery Park for a bit.

When you get to Liberty Island you have to check-in to the info centre for a crown access wristband, then drop off your bags in the lockers ($2 for an hour or 2) before doing security again and then checking in with another ranger when you get inside the concrete bit underneath SoL who will tell you when you can go up. You'll want your hands free going up the stairs, its stairs all the way so be warned.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=40363210&postcount=2150

tarkytarks · 1 February 2011 at 12:58PM

Thanks beeza - but what I want to know is will it be OK to turn up at say 8.30am, ignore the ferry reservation time and go over early? I've read back at least a dozen pages on the TA SoL pages and the impression I got from a couple of reviews is that doing this should work OK but I guess I just want to check and see if anyone else did this too

johnnyroper · 1 February 2011 at 1:24PM

janelski wrote: »

A question for all you shoppers (i'm sure you will now stop reading m4krm!) - any tips on best shop /place to head for to find hollister/abercrombie and fitch/jack wills? many thanks in advance

as for abercombie the one on 5th is stupid busy when i was there in october the queue was all way round corner with 2 hour wait,also as a busy flagship store they do not have sales like the other stores.

i was advised to go over to NJ and visit abercombie there as they have better deals and a lot less queues.

not sure how many stores are in NJ or where they are as i never went in end but a google search should reveal all.

Everything & Anything New York City

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