Everything & Anything New York City

hoxtonbabe

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I can't give recommendations for NY, but out of NY we found that what we wanted was a 'suite', as this had basic cooking facilities and a fridge. I don't know if the Holiday Inns in NY are like this, but the one we stayed in in NJ had a coffee maker, fridge and microwave.

Thanks,

Well I was thinking of staying out of manhattan, as there are some good prices if I stay in Brooklyn, but unsure of how safe and easy this option would be. I do not like staying right in the middle of tourist places unless transportation is a issue and for brooklyn I do not think it is??? The kids are quite seasoned travellers so schlepping on public transport is not big deal to them.

I plan on staying for around 8-10 days hence me wanting something reasonably cheap if it was just 4 or 5 days then I would be quite happy to up the budget.

greenface

Location depending Most of Brooklyn is very easy to get around itself and to get into NYC Manhattan. As seasoned travellers it will be a stroll in the park its so easy and the NYC grid system is so easy to get your head around. Staying for over a week you may want to get out of the hustle and bustle so look into coney island or the beaches around (season depending)or some great parks around Brooklyn. Enjoy NYC

jammin_2

hoxtonbabe wrote: »

Thanks,

Well I was thinking of staying out of manhattan, as there are some good prices if I stay in Brooklyn, but unsure of how safe and easy this option would be. I do not like staying right in the middle of tourist places unless transportation is a issue and for brooklyn I do not think it is??? The kids are quite seasoned travellers so schlepping on public transport is not big deal to them.

I plan on staying for around 8-10 days hence me wanting something reasonably cheap if it was just 4 or 5 days then I would be quite happy to up the budget.

We stayed in Queens and absolutely loved it. 35 minutes by subway to Downtown Manhattan. Loved being near enough to get to the heart in half an hour, while being far enough to be near the real people, see how they live, where they shop etc etc. Saved a good bit of money, too.

Personally, I'd never stay in Manhattan.

hoxtonbabe

Aww, thanks folks all the replies have been very helpful.

I am looking at the 23 august to 2nd September but I am quite flexible as long as I am back in the uk before the 5th September.

M4RKM

hoxtonbabe wrote: »

Thanks,

Well I was thinking of staying out of manhattan, as there are some good prices if I stay in Brooklyn, but unsure of how safe and easy this option would be. I do not like staying right in the middle of tourist places unless transportation is a issue and for brooklyn I do not think it is??? The kids are quite seasoned travellers so schlepping on public transport is not big deal to them.

I plan on staying for around 8-10 days hence me wanting something reasonably cheap if it was just 4 or 5 days then I would be quite happy to up the budget.

Stop worrying about safety. Most areas that tourists will end up in are perfectly safe.

Brooklyn is my second home. More specifically Williamsburg. There is a nice hotel there, but it really doesn't cater for a room with more than 2 people. There is a new aloft hotel that has just opened in Downtown Brooklyn, and now the new ferry service nearby gives you another option.

Long Island City in Queens is also good, as I've mentioned already, but some areas of Queens, and Brooklyn are completely pointless, and devoid of anything a tourist would want to do, so you really have to be careful on where you stay.

Finally, as I've just mentioned, back in May, a law was passed to amalgamate existing laws, that most apartment rentals in New York City are illegal, if less than 30 days. Apartment hotels are fine, private rooms in someones apartment are fine.


M

Katykat

I think I'm going to know the answer to this question but I'll post it anyway. I've been looking into booking for Next april. Been into a travel agent today, just to pick up a brochure and of course got nobbled into sitting down . After what seemed an age, the CS agent came up with average £1050 for flights ( from Man)and hotel for 1 week. ( new Yorker hotel I think. She did say she thought this was quite expensive seeing as the flights have only just been released as they are always cheaper than if you leave it later. Now, I know from flying to Oz that if you leave it till the last minute then yes, its more expensive, but I've found that this doesn't usually happen until a few weeks prior to flying. Wouldn't this be the same for scheduled flights to USA? Now obviously, she wanted me to book it today although there was no pressure. The cheapest flight only I've found is American Airlines £550. Should I leave it until later?

hoxtonbabe

M4RKM wrote: »

Stop worrying about safety. Most areas that tourists will end up in are perfectly safe.

Brooklyn is my second home. More specifically Williamsburg. There is a nice hotel there, but it really doesn't cater for a room with more than 2 people. There is a new aloft hotel that has just opened in Downtown Brooklyn, and now the new ferry service nearby gives you another option.

Long Island City in Queens is also good, as I've mentioned already, but some areas of Queens, and Brooklyn are completely pointless, and devoid of anything a tourist would want to do, so you really have to be careful on where you stay.

Finally, as I've just mentioned, back in May, a law was passed to amalgamate existing laws, that most apartment rentals in New York City are illegal, if less than 30 days. Apartment hotels are fine, private rooms in someones apartment are fine.


M

Cheers,

I can't not worry about safety, I live in London and in an area thats quite often on the TV for shootings and such sorts yet in all my life living in the area I have felt safe, however there are still parts of London that I would avoid and tell people to avoid (and these places do have the odd smatterings of hotels and B&B's) and I am pretty sure the same goes for NY..I just dont know where those areas are yet.

The Aloft is actually on the top of my list as well as the Condor as I have kinda given up on the whole hotel/apartment idea, lol. I am also getting good rates for the holiday inn express butler street and union street, Brooklyn

Where is Secaucus? I am seeing this location with good rates??

marias1981

My Flight leaves tomorrow 10am cant wait so excited!!! Thanks to everyone for their advise xxx

M4RKM

hoxtonbabe wrote: »

Cheers,

I can't not worry about safety, I live in London and in an area thats quite often on the TV for shootings and such sorts yet in all my life living in the area I have felt safe, however there are still parts of London that I would avoid and tell people to avoid (and these places do have the odd smatterings of hotels and B&B's) and I am pretty sure the same goes for NY..I just dont know where those areas are yet.

The Aloft is actually on the top of my list as well as the Condor as I have kinda given up on the whole hotel/apartment idea, lol. I am also getting good rates for the holiday inn express butler street and union street, Brooklyn

Where is Secaucus? I am seeing this location with good rates??

New York City is much safer than London, and crime statistics show that. Most crimes on the Subway are kids having ipods etc stolen, but they're still crimes. Gun Crimes are few and far between, even on the news in NYC, in areas where tourists are.

Firstly, the Condor Hotel. It's not a traditional tourist hotel, and also isn't near the most useful think you'll need, which is the Subway, and also is actually in Bed-Stuy and that's not an area any tourist would want to visit. I'd really consider knocking this one off your list.

Aloft Brooklyn though is great. Recently opened, brand new hotel in downtown Brooklyn. There are plenty of Subway lines very close by, and you'll easily be getting around all of NYC in no time with that one. Also, just over half a mile from Atlantic Terminal, which makes it even easier to get to thanks to the LIRR from JFK.

Onto Secaucus. This isn't in New York. It's actually in New Jersey, which is like someone wanting to visit London, and staying in Kent. Secaucus isn't on the Subway (as the NYC Subway only serves New York City), it isn't on the PATH, which is the NJ to NY commuter train, and is only served by NJ Transit - which does take you into Manhattan, but at a cost. $8 return (so no hopping back to the hotel) for an adult, and $1.75 for children under 11. Over a 9 day stay, each day travelling into Manhattan, this adds up to (for 1 adult and 2 children) be $103.50 on top of the cost of travelling around NYC itself. I've not even looked at costs of getting from the hotel to the train station, as there ain't many hotels near the train station in Secaucus when I just google mapped everything now.

For 1 week, your NYC travel will cost $29 each ($87), plus then any additional hops on the last few days. (factor in 4 trips a day, by three, then the discount, is around $25 on a pay per ride metrocard), stay in Brooklyn, then there is no extra cost.

So, even though you're saving money on the hotel, it's in an area where there ain't much around to do, apart from the hotel itself. I would really really think about making sure you can get together your budget for Brooklyn over Secaucus any day.

M

M4RKM

Katykat wrote: »

I think I'm going to know the answer to this question but I'll post it anyway.

I've been looking into booking for Next april.

Been into a travel agent today, just to pick up a brochure and of course got nobbled into sitting down . After what seemed an age, the CS agent came up with average £1050 for flights ( from Man) and hotel for 1 week. ( new Yorker hotel I think. She did say she thought this was quite expensive seeing as the flights have only just been released as they are always cheaper than if you leave it later. Now, I know from flying to Oz that if you leave it till the last minute then yes, its more expensive, but I've found that this doesn't usually happen until a few weeks prior to flying.

Wouldn't this be the same for scheduled flights to USA? Now obviously, she wanted me to book it today although there was no pressure. The cheapest flight only I've found is American Airlines £550. Should I leave it until later?

Hmm, Flights for April next year. IMO £550 is expensive for flights, I've just done a quick Kayak search, and found flights for £526, which are direct. Not the best price, considering I've recently booked for September, and got £450, and back in March, I got £350. I'd think April should be much nearer then £450 point. Check back the prices in October or December, and then I think you'll be better off booking, because, you are kinda right, the prices start high, go down eventually, before sky rocketing back up.

Also, as early as it is for April, prices for a hotel will probably be rack rate, so there ain't any bargains around just yet. I've searched for the New Yorker (which ain't a bad hotel at all, just the area is a bit... dull), and that came up at stupidly expensive prices.

Is there one or 2 people going on this holday. £1050 including the hotel for 1 person is a bargain really, as room prices in NYC are PER ROOM, not, as the travel agent always quotes, per person per room. It helps when pricing things up online, that you can book a room that can hold 2 people, and then you basically half the price, to get your per person price.. etc etc...

Now, £1000 for a hotel for 7 nights, plus £900 for flights for 2 people, makes it £1900, which is a few hundred cheaper than what you've been quoted, but it's really really really too early to book. I thought I was eager this time booking 4 months before departure, but the flight was the right price for the time of year, so I couldn't refuse..

M