Everything & Anything New York City

teabythesea

We booked with BestAtTravel, guy helping us was a dream. I've just checked the original site (didn't think about it until now!) there are some rooms available but very expensive ones xx

chrispy

teabythesea wrote: »

They are with the lovely (and very accommodating) Dean at BestAtTravel. He has been wonderful, he isn't sleazy or pushy at all, we wanted earlier landing flights and he got them, he changed everything with no problems and really wanted us to get the best deal. I can give you his direct email if you like? (If I'm allowed to do that).

Yes please

jaffacat_2

Hi, hope that this is the right place?
Me & the OH are looking to do NYC (without the kids) out of the school holidays, if cheaper,say April / May. I appreciate it is early but never booking something like this im looking for some advice please:
- is April/May a good time of year to go (dont want to hot or cold)?
- looking 5 nights in NY
- is it best to go with a big company or try expedia etc?
- where is the best place to stay in NYC to be central (I know it a big place lol) but say near Times Square or is it best to be located nearer somewhere else (this will be our first time)?
- when would be the best time to start to look at booking it to try and get a good deal?

Thanks so much in advance, we are just starting to look

Lisa

greenface

I would organise it now getting all you need to know in place flights/internal flights and returns . Find out if NYC or Vegas first will be better ££ wise. Get some quotes to work from and find a good hotel etc and good flight times. Have a plan . Then wait for the Jan sales or xmas deals and have a sensible budgetthats flexible and book it

chrispy

chrispy wrote: »

OK, anyones thoughts on price/hotel on this trip.

Leaving Nov 23rd, Rtn Nov 26th: Flights direct with Delta
Accomodation: Element New York Times Square West, 3 nights b&b, King standard with view or King Studio.

£704 per person

Am I asking the wrong questions, does no one to help with advise ? Anyone, would be most grateful.

phatbear

price is spot on, thats of course, assuming you are flying from LHR, because you dont say.

also thats one hell of a short trip, but each to their own

chrispy

phatbear wrote: »

price is spot on, thats of course, assuming you are flying from LHR, because you dont say.

also thats one hell of a short trip, but each to their own

Yes LHR , sorry I missed that out. Short trip yes I guess we would like to go for longer sadly it's the only time we both can get off work, in two minds now. The flight leaves LHR @09.40 so we get to NY @13.10 local time and then leave NY @18.25, so we have 3.5 days, it could work couldnt it?

Hotel seem ok to you?

M4RKM

jaffacat wrote: »

Hi, hope that this is the right place?
Me & the OH are looking to do NYC (without the kids) out of the school holidays, if cheaper,say April / May. I appreciate it is early but never booking something like this im looking for some advice please:
- is April/May a good time of year to go (dont want to hot or cold)?
- looking 5 nights in NY
- is it best to go with a big company or try expedia etc?
- where is the best place to stay in NYC to be central (I know it a big place lol) but say near Times Square or is it best to be located nearer somewhere else (this will be our first time)?
- when would be the best time to start to look at booking it to try and get a good deal?

Thanks so much in advance, we are just starting to look

Lisa

1 - Yeah, not bad. It really depends what you want.
2 - 5 nights is a good length of time. If you can afford more, go for more.
3 - Neither a big company or expedia. Look at flights, and hotels, and book both separately. Most of the time, it's worth shopping around and find out where the best deals are.
4 - I dislike staying in Times Square, and won't recommend it. Others will, but I prefer to experience NYC, not other tourists. It's best to do your own research and work out what is best.

Areas like Soho, Tribeca, Chelsea, Union Square, Lower East Side, Greenwich Village, East Village, Williamsburg, all give a much more village atmosphere, with great nightlife, restaurants and unique shopping.

There isn't really somewhere "central" as Manhattan is big. So if you're near Central Park, you're not near Soho. People use the Subway to get around easily, and that's cheap too at $29 for the week.

5 - When to book. The age old question. I'd start looking now, with a view to book in the new year. April will be cheaper than May, March cheaper than April, until the week before Easter.

Hope that helps.

M

phatbear

hotel looks alright, however despite the name its not on times square.

we've done roughly the same before however we try and get the latest flight back, but if that's all the time you've got then something is better than nothing

M4RKM

chrispy wrote: »

Yes LHR , sorry I missed that out. Short trip yes I guess we would like to go for longer sadly it's the only time we both can get off work, in two minds now. The flight leaves LHR @09.40 so we get to NY @13.10 local time and then leave NY @18.25, so we have 3.5 days, it could work couldnt it?

Hotel seem ok to you?

You should be able to get a later flight with Delta, for the 6:30pm flight you'll be leaving Manhattan at 2pm, and there is also a 9pm flight, which means you can leave at 5:30pm.

First night is always a right off, because you're up early, and by 9pm you're heading to bed. I would personally wait and do a longer trip when you can. 4 nights is the minimum I'd look at doing.

The hotel is OK, but without knowing what you want, what you like, it is difficult to give a real opinion on it. If you want nightlife, and great restaurants, then no, it's not right. If you want to be near the buzz of Times Square, bright lights, etc, then you're good.

It's not in Times Square, and is actually half a mile away between 8th / 9th Avenue (honestly, why do they lie about their location), and if you're doing a short trip, you're in a great location for lots of subway lines there to whiz you around NYC quickly.

M