Everything & Anything New York City

bb69

LadyL2013 wrote: »

The Expedia sale ends 31st March for travel dates. So we want the very last 6 days/5 nights of March as the price shoots up first week of April. 26th March - 31st April.

Yes that is the return tranfer price per person. We want to fly Virgin preferably as we can get points with them.

When are you planning on booking? If not for a week or so sign up/look at travelzoo nyc (if you haven't) They will have hotel deals coming up for March soon.

I looked at the last one http://www.travelzoo.com/hotels/new-york/?tz_cs=HPV1

They had the hotel Mansfield for £463 for the 5 nights as a promo on travelzoo. I haven't stayed here before but thought i'd mention in case you were looking to price up individually flights would be £506 each with Ba early out and late back in.

bb69

I have also browsed on Triavago

They have the following for 27th March 1st April

Smyth Tribeca £502.73 (which is a really good price) website says taxes included
Marcel Gramercy £494 excluding taxes

This is booking via 3rd party website and paying upfront which I haven't done before. However you could always email the hotel to see if they will match the price and book directly with them? Worth a shot if interested

bb69

LadyL2013 wrote: »

Looking for hotel recommendations for 5 nights in late March/early April....

Our criteria:

On Manhattan island.
No more than £700 all in per person including flights. Would be willing to pay a little more if they throw in breakfast too or transfers or if the hotel is extra special.
Good and safe location.
Don't mind if the rooms are smaller as long as they are nice and have good amenities. Preferably a good view.

How reliable is TripAdvisor with how good the hotels are? I have been using it to guage what hotel would provide best value for money but am a little surprised at how low or high some hotels have been rated considering what they look like and offer. For example The Seton is rated quite highly but I've heard bad things.

How do you tell what is good and what isn't?

Re reviews on TA. I read the terrible etc ones first so try get any themes from the comments then scrutinise the traveller photo's (which actually do say a lot regardless of reviews) if need be will email people who have submitted very good reviews if I have any questions.

M4RKM

LadyL2013 wrote: »

Sorry M4RK, I always forget something!

Looking at end of March beginning of April for 2 people (me and my partner). So about £1500 all in. Breakfast and transfers we know are often seperate so that's OK.

The hotels within our price range that we've been looking at are:

Marmara Manhattan (although I've heard lots of subway construction at the moment).
The Seton (apparently nasty rooms, unpleasant clienetele)
Bowery Banbee (but heard Chinatown isn't very nice???
Jolly Madison Towers (same criticisms as Seton)

In your opinion are those criticisms fair?

Also slightly over budget but possibly affordable are King and Grove, The Franklin and Affinia Dumont.

It's our first time to NYC do want to be able to do most of the touristy things, go shopping and have some great food.

I've not stayed in any of those hotels apart from the King & Grove, and that was many years ago when it was the ThirtyThirty, and much more basic than it is now.

Chinatown is great, so don't know where you get the idea that it isn't nice, maybe the cultural differences mean that people think it isn't nice, whereas I kinda like the busyness and the small streets, I'm not a huge fan of midtown or Times Square, but some people swear by them.

For a first trip, I think the Mamara is too far out and a fair walk to get to the subway to get around.

Anyway.. onto what I've found.
Flights are £420 return with Delta from Heathrow (checked on Kayak) for 5 nights flying on the 28th March. That leaves £660 for your hotel, which is in dollars before tax, $183 per night. That's just a bit lower than I'd like for a nice Manhattan hotel.

Quikbook have a number of hotels, the Marcel is $180 a night. Nylo (used to be called On the Ave), isn't bad and is $178 a night for a king, or $158 per night for a queen bed. Bentley Hotel may have a view for $180 a night, but a fair walk from the Subway.

Personally, I'd up your budget, go to $225 per night for the hotel (so that's about £800 for hotel), and you can get places like the W Downtown, which is luxurious, and a gorgeous looking hotel.

Maybe a decent package deal is the way to go, rather than booking separately, Expedia are good, but I'd check the hotel and maybe contact them separately, to see if they can match the deal. Flights, check kayak, or book directly with an airline.

M4RKM

bb69 wrote: »

I have also browsed on Triavago

They have the following for 27th March 1st April

Smyth Tribeca £502.73 (which is a really good price) website says taxes included
Marcel Gramercy £494 excluding taxes

This is booking via 3rd party website and paying upfront which I haven't done before. However you could always email the hotel to see if they will match the price and book directly with them? Worth a shot if interested

I've stayed at the Smyth Tribeca, and it's a gorgeous hotel, great location and so close to many subway lines, great bars, restaurants. Good price at around £100 a night too.. I'd book that one.. Nice find bb69

bb69

M4RKM wrote: »

I've stayed at the Smyth Tribeca, and it's a gorgeous hotel, great location and so close to many subway lines, great bars, restaurants. Good price at around £100 a night too.. I'd book that one.. Nice find bb69

Thanks Mark - I had to do a quadruple take when I saw it. I have always wanted to stay at this hotel as well.

LadyL2013

Smyth and W are out of our price range. The very maximum we can go all in is £750pp. What is the best we can get for that budget?

Also looking at The Bentley and The Lucerne.

bb69

LadyL2013 wrote: »

Smyth and W are out of our price range. The very maximum we can go all in is £750pp. What is the best we can get for that budget?

Also looking at The Bentley and The Lucerne.

Smyth is £502.73 for the 5 nights double superior queen room! Flights would be 500 or less each so on budget target.

I found on Triavago.co.uk - (Hotels4u) - I haven't used 3rd party websites but I would suggest emailing the Smyth and asking whether they can match it if booked directly with them?

Edit the dates I am working with are 27th March - 1st April £100 per night

I tried inputting Mark's dates 28th March -2nd April but the price of the hotel increases to £223 per night

LadyL2013

bb69 wrote: »

Smyth is £502.73 for the 5 nights double superior queen room! Flights would be 500 or less each so on budget target.

I found on Triavago.co.uk - (Hotels4u) - I haven't used 3rd party websites but I would suggest emailing the Smyth and asking whether they can match it if booked directly with them?

I'm looking on Trivago but can't find it, can you link it to me please?

Also generally how much are baggage fees?

bb69

LadyL2013 wrote: »

I'm looking on Trivago but can't find it, can you link it to me please?

Also generally how much are baggage fees?

http://www.hotels4u.com/HotelInfo.aspx?CheckInDate=27%2f03%2f2014&Duration=5&Rooms=1&BuildingID=395721&Occu=2%2c0%2c0%2c0%2c0%2c0%2c0&GDSID=94&RTOCID=-1104509369&ShowAvailability=1&Affiliate=Trivago_Search&campid=met/trivago/hotel_link/nutv1r12&currency=GBP

Here you go hope this works and that I haven't missed something glaringly obvious with this deal.. I have checked it so many times ha ha

You won't have additional bag fees - if booking economy flights you usually get allowance of 1 bag 20-23kg (this will vary based on company)