Everything & Anything New York City

becky_rtw

M4RKM wrote: »

Rough? Brooklyn isn't rough. Manhattan seems rougher in places. Anyway. You can't really tie in a trip to the Transit Museum and Williamsburg, as they're totally different areas of Brooklyn and not the easiest to get to.. You could possible do it, but it'll be easier to keep Williamsburg to a good evening out, and downtown brooklyn to another day.

Okay will bear that in mind

becky_rtw

bobobrussel wrote: »

Hi, I want to plan a trip to New York for September 19th 2013. Not only is this my wife's 40th birthday but also our 10th wedding anniversary. As neither of us have been abroad for almost 20 years, I would like to make this experience a magical one for my wife and was hoping someone could recommend a hotel which a) would give her that WOW factor when we first walk in through the doors and also b) be a pretty decent hotel. Ideally, I would like to stay central to Manhattan around the usual spots such as ESB/5th Avenue/Time Square. My budget for a 4 night/5 day trip would be around £2000 for the two of us. I know it's asking a lot but any help would be much appreciated.

I agree with M4RKM, dont stay on Times Sq...

Can you afford this place:
http://www.libraryhotel.com/

It has a fabulous reputation! Never stayed myself but its the sort of place you mean I think

hornetsmad

Hi, as I've said before myself and three other family members are going to New York early next March. Has anybody had any experiences of the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton in Times Square?

Looking on various package websites this hotel looks to be relatively cheap and has good reviews?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

gregg1

17lbp wrote: »

Hi
Just booked a last(ish) minute trip to New York for my upcoming 40th next month
I am looking for recommendations for somewhere nice to have a meal for my birthday; perhaps something with a nice view/setting.
Thanks

We love The View restaurant in times square. Book through open table before you go and request window seat, tell them it is a special occasion, they have always accomodated our requests. The food has been superb every time we have been and the restaurant revolves slowly as you eat so you get to see the the different landmarks lit up. Nice touch is a map on each place setting so that you can identify the buildings as they come into view. They do a set dinner menu for about $80 for three courses.

They do amazing cocktails too.

Daughter loves this restaurant so much she never goes to NY without booking a table there.

M4RKM

hornetsmad wrote: »

Hi, as I've said before myself and three other family members are going to New York early next March. Has anybody had any experiences of the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton in Times Square?

Looking on various package websites this hotel looks to be relatively cheap and has good reviews?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

I've walked past it, but other than that, there are plenty of better, more expensive, cheaper, more better located, nicer designed, (the reasons are endless) hotels in NYC.

It really depends if you want a hotel where staff remember you, (so actually care that you're staying there), or if you're happy being one of nearly 2500 guests in the hotel, whether you like being surrounded by chain restaurants, tourists, and loud noise from 6am - 4am daily (that's 2 hours of peace and quiet in Times Square.

If you're constantly going to be going the theater in the evening, then staying in the theater district is the best option. If you're doing a sightseeing holiday, then there are better places to stay, both location, design, cost.

Early March there are some great deals to be had, so I personally wouldn't book a package of flight and hotel, and shop around for the hotels too, as some hotel sites are drastically higher than others.

hornetsmad

M4RKM wrote: »

I've walked past it, but other than that, there are plenty of better, more expensive, cheaper, more better located, nicer designed, (the reasons are endless) hotels in NYC.

It really depends if you want a hotel where staff remember you, (so actually care that you're staying there), or if you're happy being one of nearly 2500 guests in the hotel, whether you like being surrounded by chain restaurants, tourists, and loud noise from 6am - 4am daily (that's 2 hours of peace and quiet in Times Square.

If you're constantly going to be going the theater in the evening, then staying in the theater district is the best option. If you're doing a sightseeing holiday, then there are better places to stay, both location, design, cost.

Early March there are some great deals to be had, so I personally wouldn't book a package of flight and hotel, and shop around for the hotels too, as some hotel sites are drastically higher than others.

Being around lots of tourists wouldn't be much of a problem, and a lot of the reviews of the hotel suggest it's quite nice and peaceful inside.

I know it will be cheaper to look around for better deals but I'm quite apprehensive about booking flights and hotels separately as I wouldn't really know where to start!

Flights and accomodation at the above hotel can be found for around £660 per person, is this not reasonable?

I only ask because we're on a fairly strict budget, and I can't afford to spend that much more than £2,600ish.

emmarox05

M4RKM wrote: »

Manhattan itself is Central, though some parts are further away from some attractions than others. Apart from the fact that it is the centre for tourists, what is your reasoning for staying near Times Square? 5th Avenue is about 12 miles long, so that's not an area that makes it easy to stay as such.

Firstly, it is a bit early to be looking for a holiday for this time next year. Flights go on sale 330 days ahead, however, hotels are more of the issue, as they're EXPENSIVE this time of year. I'm assuming that the £2000 budget is just for flight and hotels. You're on a reasonably tight budget, if we say £450 per flight, that leaves you £1100 for the hotel, which should be doable. That works out to be $370 a night, so you should be able to get something reasonable, but we don't know until they go on sale, which won't be for another 6 months.. 9 months if you want the deals.



Well, NY Pass might have made you spend more than you needed, but how much money you take for a NYC holiday is entirely subjective.

Depends on how much you eat and drink, and how much you want to spend on things are, depends how much you spend. I do a fair bit of beer exploration when on vacation, and budget around $250 per day, and I eat reasonably, not expensively.

That said, I end up spending around $30 for a decent lunch with a few drinks, and $75 for a decent evening meal with a few more drinks.

If you cut out the drinks, you can eat like well, but sensibly. Budget around $10 for breakfast, $20 for lunch, and around $30/$40 for an evening meal, however, if you go to a decent restaurant and have a 3 course meal, then expect to pay up to $100. It really is entirely up to you how much you pay for eating.

Onto spending money generally, you say you've got an NY Pass, that at least covers entry into the tourist attractions, but a lot of what NYC has to offer, is free, and no NY Pass is needed. So you could have probably saved money by planning what you wanted to see and take advantage of coupons, offers, promos, free times, etc. Firstly, you'll need a MetroCard to get around and this is $29. This is the best way to get around, as it is quick, easy, and includes Subway and Buses in all of New York City.

Other than that, without knowing what you like, and what you're actually going to do, it's hard to explain how much money you take.

M

I wasn't given much choice with the pass, chief holiday organiser sorted it!

KarenG

hornetsmad wrote: »

Hi, as I've said before myself and three other family members are going to New York early next March. Has anybody had any experiences of the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton in Times Square?

Looking on various package websites this hotel looks to be relatively cheap and has good reviews?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Yes. We stayed here, also in March funnily enough though it was 2009 so not very recently.

For us, as tourists, taking our children for the first time, it was perfect. They loved stepping outside the hotel straight into the lights and hubbub of Times Square. We absolutely loved having two separate rooms, a kitchenette, two TVs, and basically loads of room to spread about. Previously I'd stayed in a hotel room that was so small it literally had a bed an that was it - we had to keep the suitcase in the bath so the Doubletree was a very nice surprise compared to that!

It was clean, tidy, nicer than we expected and cost £125 per night (total) which I considered a bargain. The other option we looked at was the Radio City Apartments but that was more than twice the price.

Yes, it is anonymous but frankly I don't go to NYC to make friends with people if I'm with my family, so I couldn't care less about that.

I would highly recommend it.

gregg1

hornetsmad wrote: »

Being around lots of tourists wouldn't be much of a problem, and a lot of the reviews of the hotel suggest it's quite nice and peaceful inside.

I know it will be cheaper to look around for better deals but I'm quite apprehensive about booking flights and hotels separately as I wouldn't really know where to start!

Flights and accomodation at the above hotel can be found for around £660 per person, is this not reasonable?

I only ask because we're on a fairly strict budget, and I can't afford to spend that much more than £2,600ish.

As someone who always books a package to NY I don't think that is a bad price at all. It would not bother me staying on Times Square or being surrounded by tourists, after all, we are tourists too, but it is a personal choice and not for everyone.

I have mentioned the Salisbury hotel before, have stayed there a few times and it is brilliant location ten mins from Times Square, five from central park and Fifth Avenue. Price it with Virgin but if it's too much, I would go with the one you have mentioned.

culzean_2

Hey all, am trying to book a car from JFK to manhattan as a present for friends going to NY. Had a look at sites recommended, but all of them seem to need a US telephone number. Am I just being stoopid?
All suggestions appreciated.