Everything & Anything New York City

greenface

I have to say around 40th& 9th is a bit seedy felt like i was walking down a scene from midnight Cowboy . But look deeper into the area rather than just the top layer. Some great restraunts, shops selling cheap electricals a fiar few xxx shops selling xxx things but you choose weather to go in or not. I didnt feel unsafe just a little uncomfortable the first time down there with my kids . (daytime is much better BTW )

M4RKM

jackieblack wrote: »

Hi
One of the guidebooks I have been reading gives a list of areas to avoid, which includes "Midtown, west of Broadway, excluding Times Square" which seems quite vague, and also is an area containing alot of hotels!
One hotel we have been considering is at 330 West 40th Street (Fairfield Inn).
Can anyone comment on this area please?

I'd personally suggest you get a new guidebook. That sounds so outdated, and wrong it is laughable.

Midtown is a tourist mecca, and Midtown West, through to Hells Kitchen is now, as you rightly say, full of hotels, and good bars and restaurants, (Times Square doesn't have many of the latter two!).

I'm 32, solo traveller, and in the past few years when wandering around that area, I've not once felt unsafe, or thought it was seedy (there are areas of London I find seedier!). I've been over as far as 11th Avenue and had no issues, and not seen any of the XXX stores people are talking about (they're on 8th and 9th, but not 10th or 11th!)

I've got no experience of Fairfield Inn, nor have I heard it recommended on a regular basis, so do double check it will meet your needs. Maybe post your dates and budget here, and see what the regulars can come up with.

M

jackieblack

greenface wrote: »

I have to say around 40th& 9th is a bit seedy felt like i was walking down a scene from midnight Cowboy . But look deeper into the area rather than just the top layer. Some great restraunts, shops selling cheap electricals a fiar few xxx shops selling xxx things but you choose weather to go in or not. I didnt feel unsafe just a little uncomfortable the first time down there with my kids . (daytime is much better BTW )

Thanks, I did wonder if that was the case, will have DD with us, she will be 16

M4RKM wrote: »

I'd personally suggest you get a new guidebook. That sounds so outdated, and wrong it is laughable.

It's DK Eyewitness Travel (2009) lent to me by a friend. I'm not a huge fan of DK guides.

M4RKM wrote: »

Midtown is a tourist mecca, and Midtown West, through to Hells Kitchen is now, as you rightly say, full of hotels, and good bars and restaurants, (Times Square doesn't have many of the latter two!).

I'm 32, solo traveller, and in the past few years when wandering around that area, I've not once felt unsafe, or thought it was seedy (there are areas of London I find seedier!). I've been over as far as 11th Avenue and had no issues, and not seen any of the XXX stores people are talking about (they're on 8th and 9th, but not 10th or 11th!)

I've got no experience of Fairfield Inn, nor have I heard it recommended on a regular basis, so do double check it will meet your needs. Maybe post your dates and budget here, and see what the regulars can come up with.

M

The choice of hotels in NYC is vast and bewildering, I looked at Fairfield Inns because we often stay at Fairfield Inns when travelling in the USA and we like them, but am open to other suggestions.

We haven't totally decided whether to stay in Manhattan or whether to stay outside and travel in each day (someone recently recommended Secaucus).

We will arrive on 22nd July 2012, for 4 nights.
We need a room with two beds and max budget is $1500 (inc tax) if hotel includes breakfast & wi-fi, less if we'll need to pay for these.
(4 nights at FI on 40th&9th is $1271 inc all the above.)

Any suggestions/recommendations gratefully received.

Savvy_Sue

phatbear wrote: »

Have to admit ive been on the staten island ferry quite a few times but never looked around the island itself.

You have to actually disembark the ferry when you arrive then rush round to get on the next ferry back, if you want to return straight away

I think Staten Island can be quite interesting, you're not far from a branch of the NYPL, for example, when you get off the ferry. We did the trip twice, once at night, really enjoyed it.

jackieblack wrote: »

We haven't totally decided whether to stay in Manhattan or whether to stay outside and travel in each day (someone recently recommended Secaucus).

We will arrive on 22nd July 2012, for 4 nights.
We need a room with two beds and max budget is $1500 (inc tax) if hotel includes breakfast & wi-fi, less if we'll need to pay for these.
(4 nights at FI on 40th&9th is $1271 inc all the above.)

Any suggestions/recommendations gratefully received.

My vote would be on staying in NYC. And that's because we were there at a similar time of year, and it was HOT. HOT and HUMID and HORRID. And the subway isn't air-conditioned, so that's even HOTTER and HUMIDER and HORRIDER.

Hotel Cosmopolitan, search for it on this thread. That's where we stayed, couldn't fault it for the price.

JOHN1982

Would just like to say a massive thank you to everyone on this board for their help with my trip to New York. We got back a few weeks ago and can honestly say it was the holiday of a lifetime ... if for no other reason than I asked my OH to marry me ... and she said yes!

If anyone would like to hear about the rest of the trip (seven days) I would be happy to write up a report of it. (Although I'm sure some of my routes / eateries will make M4RKM's head pop! )

Other than that, I'm gutted I'm back in the UK. I want to be in New York all the time!

highnal

I'd love to read a trip report

stevedisco

stevedisco wrote: »

Hi - will be travelling to NYC in May 2012, this will be for my girlfriend's 40th (oh and we will be getting married there too - on her birthday!!). There's the two of us and our daughter who will be 3 at the time. Budget is £2800ish for flights and hotel.

Question is should I book sooner rather than later, I've heard better to leave til January for better deals, but concerned about missing out. Also, any suggestions for hotels suitable for us.

Many Thanks!

Hi - is anybody able to help with my query? Just to add that will be flying out from Manchester, flights booked separately seem to be coming out at around £1700 for the three of us - so may need to slightly up my overall budget - probably around £3000 overall. As it is such a special occasion I would love an extra-special hotel, although we probably won't spend a great deal of time there. Decided that I do need to book sooner - would not want to miss out!!

Has anybody any experience or stories of getting married at City Hall - be interested to know how long you had to wait for?

Finally do you think seeking free upgrades because of the reason for our trip would be possible?

scoobyju1

stevedisco wrote: »

Hi - is anybody able to help with my query? Just to add that will be flying out from Manchester, flights booked separately seem to be coming out at around £1700 for the three of us - so may need to slightly up my overall budget - probably around £3000 overall. As it is such a special occasion I would love an extra-special hotel, although we probably won't spend a great deal of time there. Decided that I do need to book sooner - would not want to miss out!!

Has anybody any experience or stories of getting married at City Hall - be interested to know how long you had to wait for?

Finally do you think seeking free upgrades because of the reason for our trip would be possible?

Not sure on the dates you were looking for but I picked a week in May (Sat to Sat) & popped it into Expedia & for the 3 of you, you could spend a week in the Waldorf Astoria for under 3k inc flights.

https://www.expedia.co.uk/pub/agent.dll

There's also some slightly cheaper options on there so have a look around & flights are direct from Manchester.

Personally, I would love to stay at the Waldorf but it's always mega expensive when I visit.

M4RKM

jackieblack wrote: »

We haven't totally decided whether to stay in Manhattan or whether to stay outside and travel in each day (someone recently recommended Secaucus).

We will arrive on 22nd July 2012, for 4 nights.
We need a room with two beds and max budget is $1500 (inc tax) if hotel includes breakfast & wi-fi, less if we'll need to pay for these.
(4 nights at FI on 40th&9th is $1271 inc all the above.)

Any suggestions/recommendations gratefully received.

The problem with Secaucus is that it is in New Jersey, and also not near any easy transportation into New York City. If you want to stay somewhere cheaper, look at hotels in Hoboken, or Jersey City, which are near the PATH line, and that's $2 per person per trip into/from NYC.

It really depends what airport you're flying into as to where is good to stay. If you're flying into JFK, which is in Queens, then staying in Long Island City is a much better idea than in New Jersey. There are reasonable hotels there such as the Country Inn Suites, the Verve, and the Holiday Inn Manhattan View.

I've stayed quite a few times at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, and can recommend it.

bb69

JOHN1982 wrote: »

Would just like to say a massive thank you to everyone on this board for their help with my trip to New York. We got back a few weeks ago and can honestly say it was the holiday of a lifetime ... if for no other reason than I asked my OH to marry me ... and she said yes!

If anyone would like to hear about the rest of the trip (seven days) I would be happy to write up a report of it. (Although I'm sure some of my routes / eateries will make M4RKM's head pop! )

Other than that, I'm gutted I'm back in the UK. I want to be in New York all the time!

Congratulations! Look forward to reading your trip report and more about the proposal