Everything & Anything New York City

Matt2389

It's up to you, but it looks like it will take 40 mins by public transport to get to Times Square etc, but if you don't mind that..

johnnyroper

jammin wrote: »

Hmmm.. thanks for the suggestion. You're probably quite right. Thing is though, the wait and suspense with Priceline would kill my wife and me. We'd prefer just to find a good price, book it and relax.

I think I'm going to go with the Howard Johnson Express Inn Bronx. I know it's not the Ritz but we're only there for 5 nights then on to LA. We just need somewhere to sleep and have a bit of breakfast.

I called them up, told them I'm thinking of making a reservation on a travel agent's website, but it doesn't allow me to book for children, just adults. I asked can I book for 2 adults and then pay for a rollaway bed upon check-in. She replied you can if you want but if you prefer your child to sleep with you in your bed that's fine, no extra charge then.

So, happy days.

we found that in NYC booking children in aswell does not actually mean they will get a bed just use of existing bedding.
in the end we got sorted out due to the hotel staff being really good and putting us in upgraded room FOC for 2 nights while agent in UK sorted the issue,we were not aware putting child on booking did not guarantee a bed for my 2 year old and as such ended up with a room with queen bed for 2 adults and child.
The hotel even sorted out the room move so we did not waste any of our precious holiday time sorting things out.

my advice is always contact the hotel to ensure you have enough beds prior to flying out.

as for the hotel you are looking at so long as clean etc i do not see a problem not like you will spend much time there anyway,also forget brekkie in hotel there are more delis than you can shake a stick at in NYC that will be better and cheaper than hotels.

lappish22

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions and advice so far!

Has anyone here been on a Liberty Helicopter Tour? Thinking of pre-booking this but not sure which flight to do, or if it is worth the expense. This will be a one time only trip (I think!?!) to New York! Also wondered if we should pre-book ESB or TOTR tickets, or is there any other attraction that we ned to get booked before we go?

One more thing, we are flying back to London on 29th April (Royal Wedding!!) which is also our wedding anniversary. I am going to try for an upgrade if available with Virgin. Is this best done when checking in, and also, would it be possible seeing as we have two teens with us? What do you think the chances are?!!!!

New_York_No1_fan

jammin wrote: »

Hmmm.. thanks for the suggestion. You're probably quite right. Thing is though, the wait and suspense with Priceline would kill my wife and me. We'd prefer just to find a good price, book it and relax.

I think I'm going to go with the Howard Johnson Express Inn Bronx. I know it's not the Ritz but we're only there for 5 nights then on to LA. We just need somewhere to sleep and have a bit of breakfast.

I called them up, told them I'm thinking of making a reservation on a travel agent's website, but it doesn't allow me to book for children, just adults. I asked can I book for 2 adults and then pay for a rollaway bed upon check-in. She replied you can if you want but if you prefer your child to sleep with you in your bed that's fine, no extra charge then.

So, happy days.

Not wishing to put a spanner in the works but have you considered the Brooklyn area? Its a lot closer than The Bronx so you won't be spending all of your time on the subway. Only 5 miles from tip of Manhattan.

The Days Inn for 5nts in a queen room inc breakfast is coming up at
$563. Breakfast is a bonus with a toddler as it means you don't have to leave the hotel to hunt for food first thing! Had you included that in your budget with your chosen hotel?

Also subway 3 blocks away so walkable in a few minutes. Read their website for full info.
Perhaps another MSE reviewer has experience of hotels in the area.

Good Luck!:)

lady1964

lappish22 wrote: »

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions and advice so far!

Has anyone here been on a Liberty Helicopter Tour? Thinking of pre-booking this but not sure which flight to do, or if it is worth the expense. This will be a one time only trip (I think!?!) to New York! Also wondered if we should pre-book ESB or TOTR tickets, or is there any other attraction that we ned to get booked before we go?

One more thing, we are flying back to London on 29th April (Royal Wedding!!) which is also our wedding anniversary. I am going to try for an upgrade if available with Virgin. Is this best done when checking in, and also, would it be possible seeing as we have two teens with us? What do you think the chances are?!!!!

Hi Lappish,
I wouldn't pre-book ESB or TOTR purely because what you see from the top will be very much dependent on the weather at the time you go. When we did TOTR last week, we had a beautiful sunny day, if we had left it until our last day, it was very grey and raining, we'd have seen nothing.
For info about upgrades, go on to Flyertalk forums, find the Virgin forum and there should be lots of info on there. From the vast amount of reading I've done on the BA forums and in general on upgrades, the only certain way of this happening is to buy your seat in the cabin you wish to sit in, ie, want to sit in PE? buy a PE seat. Still, have a read of those forums, you might find it very useful.
As for the Liberty helicopter, sorry but can't help there, we didn't do it whilst we were there.
Regards
Lady1964

M4RKM

Matt2389 wrote: »

It's up to you, but it looks like it will take 40 mins by public transport to get to Times Square etc, but if you don't mind that..

What's that got to do with the price of a hotel. Times Square is only a single tourist attraction in NYC. It'll take only 20 minutes, to get to Central Park which is MUCH more interesting..

The hotel I'm staying at in the LES on Sunday night is about 30 minutes away from Times Square and I know I'll be fine. What I'm saying is that Times Square is NOT and will never be the only tourist attraction in a city that is much larger than Manhattan itself.

M

jammin_2

M4RKM,

Would you spend:

$80 to stay in the Bronx,
$90 to stay in Brooklyn or
$100 to stay in Long Island?

(for a five night trip).

greenface

Thats a loaded questions that can be followed by a million more. IMO depends on The hotel/whats on the doorstep/whats around the corner/what the transport links are like. Plus i have never really explored any of the options you have given to stay. I have been to all but only seen a fraction of the places and areas . There are areas of all i wouldnt like to go to any time of the day/night but same can be said for London/Paris/Turin/Birkenhead/Madrid etc and all major culture capitols.

greenface

But purely transport and location i would opt for Brooklyn

taker920

Just got back from a 7 night stay at the Affinia Shelburne and can't recommend it enough. The rooms were huge and the view from our window was directly at the ESB.

The hotel is 3 mins walk to grand central so the $29 subway card took a hammering which was great to get down to the south of Manhattan but everything up the top end we were able to walk to which was a bonus (Times Sq/Central Park/MSG/TOTR etc).

Found Starbucks invaluable for free wifi on my Galaxy - even connected across the street one day to check the footy scores

We flew with BA but would probably go back to flying with Virgin next time though as the plane was a bit grubby and the entertainment system was on the blink :mad: (I can never sleep on planes).