Anything & Everything New York (PART 2) - [please search thread before posting]

turk3y

We stayed just across at the Grand Hyatt NY which is on 42nd and next to Grand Central, infact the lobby has a side entry into Grand Central where you could get the 4,5,6(up down) and S (time square) all in the warm which over New Year was very nice. Our first time in NY so wanted a central spot and was trying not to get to worked up about the hotel as the idea was to spend as little time in it as possible, it had a nice large comfortable bed and the blind was good at keeping the light out. Downs the rooms all (we had 2 different due to flight cancleations) ajoinin, so noise could travel through the door if you had other loud tourists next door, business men for the conferences there where much quiter, no kettle to make tea was the only real complaint. Other than that it was ok and would not moan about it, location wise we found it perfect.

Time Square would be a great central hub but also quite busy, but thats not such a bad thing, its a concrete jungle so even on floor 20 expect a little noise from outside, but thats part of the fun, hearing the cities beating heart, its nothing to stop you sleeping.

The trains are very easy, the only bit I got confused about is local and express, when you follow the lines on their map at each station you can see numbers that stop there, so on the green line you will see though Manhatten the 6 stops everywhere, thats the "local" train/line so pick it up on side of the platform marked local, the 4 and 5 stop alot less frequent so great for getting all the way down or uptown, they go parallel to the local line so you can race the 6 but they dont stop everywhere, once you catch on it makes it even easier to get to places quicker.

If I was to go again I probably would go upper east or west possibly even hire an apartment if possible (we found food expensive and creaved for home cooked), I would check the map for stations where the express trains stopped as that would make getting down alot quicker, but arround 42nd street is an ideal base which either side you pick.

nicky29

What a fab thread, lots of useful info and advice! Im off to NY for the 1st time this coming Thursday im so excited! We are staying on 7th Avenue, W30th St in Affinia Manhattan. Im taking £450 (with 3 day New York Passes already purchased for my and my OH) for 5 days with little shopping so im hoping this will be enough. Have booked tables for Restaurant Week at River Cafe (lunch will cost $25) One If By Land Two If By Sea ($35 dinner) and Smith and Wollensky ($25 lunch). Can anyone who may know the area recommend any nice pubs bars for good happy hours and also any good American diners? We are hoping to do a mix of cheapy pubs and some nicer places with jazz nights that kind of thing. Food wise can anyone recommend a great steak house (other than S&W) or has anyone been to Churrascaria Plataforma? Thanks guys :beer:
PS Hotel Tips...booking.com - great deals on there
Hotel/Parking Heathrow: Holidayextras.com 1 night at 4* Thistle plus parking £65 - Bargain!!

Stew68

nicky29 wrote: »

What a fab thread, lots of useful info and advice! Im off to NY for the 1st time this coming Thursday im so excited! We are staying on 7th Avenue, W30th St in Affinia Manhattan. Im taking £450 (with 3 day New York Passes already purchased for my and my OH) for 5 days with little shopping so im hoping this will be enough. Have booked tables for Restaurant Week at River Cafe (lunch will cost $25) One If By Land Two If By Sea ($35 dinner) and Smith and Wollensky ($25 lunch). Can anyone who may know the area recommend any nice pubs bars for good happy hours and also any good American diners? We are hoping to do a mix of cheapy pubs and some nicer places with jazz nights that kind of thing. Food wise can anyone recommend a great steak house (other than S&W) or has anyone been to Churrascaria Plataforma? Thanks guys :beer:
PS Hotel Tips...booking.com - great deals on there
Hotel/Parking Heathrow: Holidayextras.com 1 night at 4* Thistle plus parking £65 - Bargain!!

Churrascaria Plataforma??? Oh wow, I was just reminisicing about this place with my brother this morning!! We went there in November last year and it was an experience to say the least.

Its a proper restaurant with all the bells & whistles, when you arrive you wander up to the salad/vegetable bar (think harvester, but so much better!!) then when you sit down, turn the red disc over to green and then the meats start to arrive, one after the other, an endless stream of meats (apologies to the veggies amongst you!!). We tried steak (rump & sirloin), chicken, pork, turkey, gammon, beef, sausages in bacon and other stuff I can't remember. All served on skewers. The best tip I can give you if you go this place is that you can turn your disc over as many times as you like, which is handy as you can have too much meat on your plate at the one time.

It isn't cheap, I think it cost us about $130 for two but we didn't begrudge it, we classed it as an experience that we'd remember for a long time.

Would I reccomend it, oh yes and i'd go back again in a heartbeat.

For those of you who'd like a look, here's the website.

http://www.churrascariaplataforma.com/

pcg2001

Stew68, I have just had a look and everything looks amazing! the starters seem to include sushi and seafood. Lunch is actually 20$ cheaper and by the look of it, you will need the rest of the day to walk it off. Fabulous suggestion.

greenface

good job they dont weigh you on the return flight just your cases

looks a fantasic place

cooking-mama

That place looks fantastic...we finaly booked yesterday,leaving on 5th July,Glasgow-New york-(via heathrow)we booked The New Yorker,7 nights,2 adults and a 12yr old,(tho priced as 3 adults) £2402.
we booked through First Choice,where the same holiday was £2700,but they "price matched" my internet quote from Thomsontailormade.
I still cant believe Im going to NYC:j
Found this place that i think may be suitable for my daughter(and us)
http://www.chelseapiers.com/index.html it has swimming/ten pin bowling/ice skating/a spa and a sunbathing deck,loads of other things too.

ginjim

asked on the hotel thread but will ask here also
is it ok for a twin bed room for two adults 2 children and a toddelr aged 1?will many hotels accept the 5 of us?
many thx
i

hieveryone

Does anyone know if the Staybridge Suites are open yet?

red_pad

Stew68 wrote: »

Churrascaria Plataforma??? Oh wow, I was just reminisicing about this place with my brother this morning!! We went there in November last year and it was an experience to say the least.

Its a proper restaurant with all the bells & whistles, when you arrive you wander up to the salad/vegetable bar (think harvester, but so much better!!) then when you sit down, turn the red disc over to green and then the meats start to arrive, one after the other, an endless stream of meats (apologies to the veggies amongst you!!). We tried steak (rump & sirloin), chicken, pork, turkey, gammon, beef, sausages in bacon and other stuff I can't remember. All served on skewers. The best tip I can give you if you go this place is that you can turn your disc over as many times as you like, which is handy as you can have too much meat on your plate at the one time.

It isn't cheap, I think it cost us about $130 for two but we didn't begrudge it, we classed it as an experience that we'd remember for a long time.

Would I reccomend it, oh yes and i'd go back again in a heartbeat.

For those of you who'd like a look, here's the website.

http://www.churrascariaplataforma.com/

I was planning on going here after I ran the marathon but in the end I was ill so didn't have the appetite to do it justice, GUTTED!!

Savvy_Sue

ginjim wrote: »

asked on the hotel thread but will ask here also
is it ok for a twin bed room for two adults 2 children and a toddelr aged 1?will many hotels accept the 5 of us?
many thx
i

No idea, but it may be worth you saying whether or not you're expecting a cot for the toddler or to put 3 in a bed? You may also struggle to book through the discount sites because it's not quite standard, IYSWIM.