Everything & Anything New York City

Traincrashing

Tooclumsy, there's a SATC and a gossip girl tour in NYC if that would interest you I went on the gossip girl one last year and absolutely loved it. My friend and I are wanting to do the cupcake tour this year and also the Christmas lights tour if we're there for it, just missed it by a day or two last year!

M4RKM

poormaria wrote: »

Tickets for Broadway etc

Does anyone have an suggestions for broadway tickets? Not sure whether to book them now or take a chance and wait til we get there

Going beginning of November if that makes a difference

I'd book in advance, no guarantees that TKTS will have what you want. Broadwaybox.com is good for discounts and you can get yourself set up before you go.

M

Traincrashing

I booked a hotel on booking.com at the start of the week, Ink48 and paid £340(roughly) for 4 nights stay (1-5 dec). Yes this sounds like a really good deal and we couldn't believe it when we saw it, and it said it was a 73% saving. Went ahead and booked it, looked back the next day and it was still the same but with the Hudson suite now also showing at a reduced price. They've emailed today to say that the hotel had made a mistake and the price was actually going to be $1500 and that they weren't budging at all. Are they allowed to do this? We had decided to split out trip into two hotels and now have a room for only half the trip. My friend (who booked it) rang but they didn't do much and said a lot of people had been affected and they would find somewhere else around the same price. They suggested two hotels in jersey and one in queens. Not really what we wanted!

M4RKM

Traincrashing wrote: »

I booked a hotel on booking.com at the start of the week, Ink48 and paid £340(roughly) for 4 nights stay (1-5 dec). Yes this sounds like a really good deal and we couldn't believe it when we saw it, and it said it was a 73% saving. Went ahead and booked it, looked back the next day and it was still the same but with the Hudson suite now also showing at a reduced price. They've emailed today to say that the hotel had made a mistake and the price was actually going to be $1500 and that they weren't budging at all. Are they allowed to do this? We had decided to split out trip into two hotels and now have a room for only half the trip. My friend (who booked it) rang but they didn't do much and said a lot of people had been affected and they would find somewhere else around the same price. They suggested two hotels in jersey and one in queens. Not really what we wanted!

Of course they can do it. It'll be in the terms and conditions that you agree to when booking.

That price was too good to be true at under £100 a night. Hotels at the most expensive time of year will be around $350 upwards, which the correct price falls into. Obviously it isn't ideal, but you can't really do much now, apart from find a hotel suitable.

Have you checked hotels in Long Island City? They will always be a bit cheaper, but you're not going to find a Manhattan hotel for £85 a night, you probably won't find one in LIC for that kind of money either, but it'll be a damn sight cheaper than Manhattan.

Can you increase your budget at all? What bed requirements do you want?

M

Traincrashing

We can increase our budget to around 600-650 for the 4 nights. How is the transport from Long Island city? Is it a much better idea than staying in Brooklyn in terms of travelling back into manhattan?

TooClumsy

What do people recommend to do regarding currency...we don't plan on taking a lot as cash maybe £500 or so...would people recommend changing into $ here or wait until we get there?

Have just discovered there's a TD bank around the corner from Hotel Newton where we would be able to use our metro card for withdrawals which is handy...anyone have any experience using the Metrocard in a TD?

KarenG

TooClumsy wrote: »

What do people recommend to do regarding currency...we don't plan on taking a lot as cash maybe £500 or so...would people recommend changing into $ here or wait until we get there?

Have just discovered there's a TD bank around the corner from Hotel Newton where we would be able to use our metro card for withdrawals which is handy...anyone have any experience using the Metrocard in a TD?

Change before you go. It's a hassle you don't need, plus you won't get a good exchange rate there. Only take as much cash as you can afford to lose / is covered by your insurance.

We mostly use credit cards for spends.

Traincrashing

I put money on a travel card before I go. I usually use thomas cook, good because I can't over spend, they don't charge for paying with it (unless you withdraw actual cash), and you can register it online to keep track of how much you have left and what you've spent it on. I've used one for a few years now.

M4RKM

TooClumsy wrote: »

What do people recommend to do regarding currency...we don't plan on taking a lot as cash maybe £500 or so...would people recommend changing into $ here or wait until we get there?

Have just discovered there's a TD bank around the corner from Hotel Newton where we would be able to use our metro card for withdrawals which is handy...anyone have any experience using the Metrocard in a TD?

Take enough to last you the first day. I wouldn't even take $500, I normally take $200, which is enough for taxi, lunch and evening meal.

You will get the BEST rate possible by using the MetroBank card (sorry KarenG, your advice is wrong), and you will get a BETTER rate than the currency cards. If you didn't know, MetroBank is a zero fee, zero loading card.

TD Bank looks nearly identical when you walk in to a MetroBank, so you'll feel right at home. I've never had any issues or ATM or transaction charges and it is by far the best way to get money abroad.

M

M4RKM

Traincrashing wrote: »

We can increase our budget to around 600-650 for the 4 nights. How is the transport from Long Island city? Is it a much better idea than staying in Brooklyn in terms of travelling back into manhattan?

LIC is great if you choose the right hotel. It is quicker to get to Midtown Manhattan from LIC than it is from Downtown Brooklyn.

Brooklyn is HUGE, so you're comparing a borough, to a neighbourhood. Personally I like Williamsburg, as it's got a great mix of restaurants and nightlife, which is more what I go for when it comes to a holiday, than sightseeing these days, but this is out of your budget.

Anyway, hotel, £650 is $141 per night before taxes (around 15%), this is not a big budget, especially at an expensive time of year. All prices below are before tax.

Comfort Inn - Long Island City - $190 prepaid per night
Country Inn & Suites - Long Island City - $123.25 per night - King Bed

I've searched a few more, but they're way out of your budget. I would personally book the Country Inn & Suites as it is in your budget, it is highly recommended all the time, only a block and a bit away from the Subway into Manhattan.


M