Everything & Anything New York City

*pinkie*

tolstoy wrote: »

hi pinkie, thats useful info,Could you please tell me if you know if the new yorker has three bedded rooms, we go there in June, we may have to change the room format.

They do twin rooms that sleep 4 - depends if you want to share beds. If you want 3 beds you would probably looking at a suite - which are of course more expensive.

DaveG247

Ok so my Geography's not the best but I've posted before about a NY trip which we were looking at staying at the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Hotel Weehawken New Jersey across the river from NY, I've read somewhere that if the a NY cabbie has to bring you into another state there will be an extra costis that true or not? Also wonder if all the travelling/cost is gonna to worth it everyday or if we should find somewhere closer to NYC its self. What do people think?.

*pinkie*

Try looking into queens or brooklyn if you are looking at staying outside of manhattan - you ll have access by the subway into the city then.

greenface

Lucy1973 wrote: »

I can never understand why people want to stay in TS when you have a 24 hour subway. You pay thru the nose for TS acc,and usually get less for your money. We usuall stay in Queens. The subway is 5 mins from the hotel and 15 into TS. Its so much cheaper,just get a metrocard9weekly one is about $30,correct me if i'm wrong)

people do what people suit.Try the subway in a wheelchair. Not all things are Money related sometimes you can get a hotel around TS for a decent enough price if you shop around and play with dates and numbers. TS is a great central location within a easy walk to most places you may want to reach shops, iconic buildings and parklands &museams, One cab to the other areas you want to see a few times but not all times, You say Queens or NJ Brooklyn etc often these places to "sleep" If cheaper you would pick,My only thing to say negative about staying in TS its 100% full on touristy.Noisey no locals often chain shops . Its not real NYC nor real America and its more expensive than the outer areas.(as is Paris/rome/london/Mumbai etc etc)and these are the thing we all go to see in other places.

Lady_S

See, I stopped in the centre of times square ( doubletree guest suites) and it was okay. I loved the hotel, I loved that I could trundle out the hotel to get something to eat dead easy at night and there was loads of choice.

However, I wouldn't stop there again unless it was super cheap, what I would do is stay a little walking distance outside it, so after we have seen a show etc we can just walk back to the hotel rather than have to get a cab.

phatbear

Kt8 wrote: »

Have found package deal is £700 flights and hotel, compared to seperate flights and hotel which is nearing a grand.

£700 is less than £1000 so i'd say go with the package, dont forget to look at booking using quidco too for potential cashback

M4RKM

I've noticed a lot of people posting average priced deals for March. There are bargains to be had right now over on travelzoo, and you can save money if you're booking now.

Flights from LHR are around the £350 mark per person and hotels can be got for prices starting as low as $120 a night. However, you may have to step away from the thought of staying in Times Square.

Beekman Tower - $139 -- All-Suite Hotel incl. 1-Bedroom Upgrade
The Manhattan Club $149 -- Midtown All-Suite Hotel near Central Park
Staybridge Suites - $149 -- New Times Square All-Suite Hotel, Select dates through March 23; Book by Jan. 12

Bargains are there to be had. Book something cancellable on quikbook so you have a guaranteed room, and keep checking the bargain rates.

Booking a package, which may save you money now, normally means that everything becomes prepaid and non cancellable.

M

M4RKM

DaveG247 wrote: »

Ok so my Geography's not the best but I've posted before about a NY trip which we were looking at staying at the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Hotel Weehawken New Jersey across the river from NY, I've read somewhere that if the a NY cabbie has to bring you into another state there will be an extra costis that true or not? Also wonder if all the travelling/cost is gonna to worth it everyday or if we should find somewhere closer to NYC its self. What do people think?.

New York City Taxi Drivers are not required to take you over state lines, unless it is to the airport in Newark. They can, and will refuse. However, they may take you and charge you double the meter as soon as they leave the city, plus tolls there, and tolls for them to get back into the city.

don't be pennywise and pound foolish. Really look at the costs of getting in and out. There are affordable hotel options like the Sheraton Brooklyn, Hotel Le Jolie, Brooklyn, and also a number of hotels in Long Island City, Queens - Country Inn & Suites, Verve Hotel. These are about the same price as hotels in NJ, but you're in NYC, so therefore on the New York City Subway line.

M4RKM

greenface wrote: »

My only thing to say negative about staying in TS its 100% full on touristy. Noisey no locals often chain shops . Its not real NYC nor real America and its more expensive than the outer areas.

That above statement is so true. However, for a first trip, people do think that Times Square is the centre of NYC, and "everything" is within walking distance. Certain things are within walking distance, but, thanks to the subway connections around Times Square, the whole of NYC is only $2.25 away. It's not a BAD location, just got a GREAT location. And that, is key.

Only when people get to grips with the superb subway system, do people really appreciate NYC, and the smaller neighbourhoods, such as The Village, SoHo, TriBeCa, etc. The higher quality, but cheaper restaurants. The bars with locals in them who can tell you amazing stories about the architecture, or what the building next door used to be. NYC is much much more than just Times Square, 5th Avenue, Empire State, and Statue of Liberty, but I think it takes more than one trip to be able to get to know that.

I now don't discourage people from staying in Times Square, it's unachievable. However, I've always said, and will always say, there are plenty more places to stay, and you can get better deals if you really want. The key is when you're going to NYC, and how long you're going to stay for. If you study the subway map, or even google maps, pin point what you want to go and see, and you'll see how most of them are not in or around Times Square, but dotted around an island around 13 miles long and up to 4 miles wide.

One final thing with regards to where to stay, and the price to pay. The past couple of times, i've haggled with hotels, via e-mail, and then eventually picked up the phone to call them. Last time (September 2010), I got a room for $197 per night, which was priced at $280, this time I've haggled with a different hotel, and got a $320 room for $200 a night. The art of haggling isn't dead, and there are either advertised deals out there, or deals to be had with a bit of persistance.

M

beeza

Been swotting up on this thread since I first posted and I've put an itinery together. Would be grateful to anyone if they think there's a big problem with any of this:

Friday

13:05 - Land at JFK
Taxi/Limo to Times Sq Hotel
Evening: Times Square, ESB (walking)

Dinner and Drinks somewhere nearby

Saturday (on foot)

Shopping Tiffanys/5th Av, Lunch at 4 Seasons (maybe), more Shopping FAO Schwarz/Bloomingdales etc
TOTR

Dinner and Drinks - looking for somewhere lively - Will get a cab to Greenwich Village/SoHo/Tribeca. Any suggestions?

Sunday (metro to Met Museum, walk back to TS)

Met. Museum, Central Park, Carriage Ride, MoMA

Will catch dinner and drinks somewhere cheap and cheerful

Monday (Metro down and back)

Liberty Island (only, not Ellis Island)
Brooklyn Bridge (Drink at River Cafe?)
Wall Street/China Town/Little Italy

Looking for a nice dinner and drinks (wife wants to dress up) in nice area, willing to travel???

Tuesday

Looking for inspiration for Tues, a bit of schmoozing about, simple sights, Grand Central Station? Flat Iron Bldg? Nothing too stressful, just a wander around and soak up the last of the atmosphere. Any suggestions? Lunch at Katz Deli?

17:00 - Depart to airport


We're planning on visiting the Met and MoMA but not the Guggenheim. Is that the right choice?
Ditched the dinner cruise idea as they're only Saturday in Jan and it doesn't fit in with us.
Looking for an area to go out Saturday night. Any ideas? Not looking for a fancy restaurant, looking for a few nice bars for drinks.
And Monday should be somewhere in a nice area with other nice places to go (that sounds bad, right? but I hope you know what I mean)
Anything I've missed you think is essential? We've discounted bus tours, helicopter rides, the Gugg. and a few other things. Where do you think we're wrong?
JFK Airport lounge at Terminal 3???? Can't find how to book.

4 days seems so little time but its all we get, ho hum.