Everything & Anything New York City

tickles_313

laragh wrote: »

Hi guys, always wanted to go and have finally booked for four nights on 27 November (Thanksgiving). Staying at YOTEL, anyone been? Will start looking through this thread for ideas on planning the weekend! Has anyone been for Thanksgiving before? Not sure if we will need to make reservations for somewhere or if we'll be able to just have a wander after we've checked in and manage to get seated......

I stayed in Yotel during thanksgiving 2012. We loved the hotel- the room we had was on the smaller side but it was really clean and modern and we were hardly in the room anyway. the hotel is very modern, we thought it was brilliant-I would go back. Not too far to walk to times square about 10/15 mins, and closer to port authroity bus terminal . We went to the thanksgiving parade and then looked for somewhere to eat, we went to Juniors off times square- it was very busy and we had a long wait so I would try and book something if you can, lots of the smallers places were closed.

phatbear

laragh wrote: »

Has anyone been for Thanksgiving before? Not sure if we will need to make reservations for somewhere or if we'll be able to just have a wander after we've checked in and manage to get seated......

I was in NY for thanksgiving in 2013, which just happened to be my 40th birthday too.

The restaurants were packed everywhere so i ended up eating whilst propping up a bar at the spotted pig, fab food though

Personally i was underwhelmed by thanksgiving i thought the parade was pretty naff and very old fashioned, but i suppose you have to do it if you are there.

Black friday was madness, well strictly speaking from approx 18:00 on thanksgiving day was madness in the shops and in all honesty I didnt think the bargains were that amazing but some shops had sales which lasted an hour or so, for example kid robot had a 60% sale but only for the first couple of hours of black friday and it then changed to 25%.

bluebellina65

Hi, I'm hoping Mark or someone will be able to help me plan our trip to NY in October.


Two adults, two teenagers aged 17 and 15 (one boy, one girl), we are going in half term, so week commencing 27 October 2014. Im not sure if its cheaper to fly on Saturday 25 or Monday 27, we are staying for four nights. We want to fly from LHR or LGW, preferably flying out at lunchtime and then back overnight. Would love to fly Virgin but I thinks it's going to be too expensive, in which case we are looking at Delta, after Mark's good write ups!


Hotel is proving tricky as we don't all want to share one family room. I was originally looking at two adjoining rooms, but I've read on here about family rooms or suites with a bit of a living area, etc which would be great, I don't fancy the Salisbury, though, as it looks a bit dated.


I was going to say "near Times Square" but, again, Mark put me right and as long as we are within walking distance of some sights, we will be happy.


My son is 17 and into indie music, so we are also looking for a music themed tour while we are there and maybe a gig he could go to, although I think he's going to be too young to get into lots of places?


Any ideas would be appreciated, thanks!

phatbear

bluebellina65 wrote: »

I was going to say "near Times Square" but, again, Mark put me right and as long as we are within walking distance of some sights, we will be happy.

not staying near times square is marks preference it may not be right for you and as a 1st timer i see nothing wrong with it.

last nov's trip was trip number 6 to NY and i stayed on W45th street which by any stretch of the imagination is near times square and it was fine as its just around the corner from a subway at bryant park so you dont have to battle the hoardes in times square when you want to get the subway anywhere.

personally i would base my choices on price and feedback from folks on here and tripadvisor

phatbear

oh and on the gig front check out:

http://www.boweryballroom.com/

they cover a few bases for gigs, often well known bands in the uk have to play these smaller places in the US and some events are for 16+'s

poor_johno

laragh wrote: »

Hi guys, always wanted to go and have finally booked for four nights on 27 November (Thanksgiving). Staying at YOTEL, anyone been? Will start looking through this thread for ideas on planning the weekend! Has anyone been for Thanksgiving before? Not sure if we will need to make reservations for somewhere or if we'll be able to just have a wander after we've checked in and manage to get seated......

Yep stayed at the Yotel in 2010 and loved it. The rooms are a little on the smaller side but its a great clean modern hotel. I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay.

pompeyrich

bluebellina65 wrote: »

Hi, I'm hoping Mark or someone will be able to help me plan our trip to NY in October.


Two adults, two teenagers aged 17 and 15 (one boy, one girl), we are going in half term, so week commencing 27 October 2014. Im not sure if its cheaper to fly on Saturday 25 or Monday 27, we are staying for four nights. We want to fly from LHR or LGW, preferably flying out at lunchtime and then back overnight. Would love to fly Virgin but I thinks it's going to be too expensive, in which case we are looking at Delta, after Mark's good write ups!

If you are booking the flights and hotel seperately, then flying on the Saturday will be the cheapest option as most, if not all, of the cheapest tickets require you to include a saturday night.

I done a quick check on BA and flights on the 25th are showing around £545p.p. on the Mon, for 4 nights, they rise to £1,580p.p.

If you book a flight and hotel from BA the sat night rule is relaxed and the cost is roughly the same whichever day you fly out, around £850-£900 p.p.

I found it hard to beat a flight/hotel combined price for our stay last Dec. but I don't have the knowledge or experience of Mark and as a 1st timer just wanted to be in the love it or hate it Times Square area. I can see the pros and cons of TS and maybe next time will choose a different option.

PeacefulWaters

pompeyrich wrote: »

If you are booking the flights and hotel seperately, then flying on the Saturday will be the cheapest option as most, if not all, of the cheapest tickets require you to include a saturday night.

I done a quick check on BA and flights on the 25th are showing around £545p.p. on the Mon, for 4 nights, they rise to £1,580p.p.

If you book a flight and hotel from BA the sat night rule is relaxed and the cost is roughly the same whichever day you fly out, around £850-£900 p.p.

I found it hard to beat a flight/hotel combined price for our stay last Dec. but I don't have the knowledge or experience of Mark and as a 1st timer just wanted to be in the love it or hate it Times Square area. I can see the pros and cons of TS and maybe next time will choose a different option.

Further to this, remember that booking flight and hotel together will give you ATOL protection.

sjw64

Hi

I’m looking to go to NY for the New Year (27 Dec [no earlier] – 3 Jan [no later]). I live in the Midlands so I’m not fussed where I fly from. Ideally I want to stay somewhere in Midtown/South Central Park/Times Sq area with a budget of about £3.5k for two.

It’s my first time organising a trip like this and don’t know if it’s better booking flights/hotel separately or lumped together ‘in one’. I was looking at Virgin Holidays but they seem a bit pricey but I’m now leaning towards BA.

Also when is it best to start booking? I really have no idea.


Thanks

bb69

sjw64 wrote: »

Hi

I’m looking to go to NY for the New Year (27 Dec [no earlier] – 3 Jan [no later]). I live in the Midlands so I’m not fussed where I fly from. Ideally I want to stay somewhere in Midtown/South Central Park/Times Sq area with a budget of about £3.5k for two.

It’s my first time organising a trip like this and don’t know if it’s better booking flights/hotel separately or lumped together ‘in one’. I was looking at Virgin Holidays but they seem a bit pricey but I’m now leaning towards BA.

Also when is it best to start booking? I really have no idea.


Thanks

Hello
That budget is definitley doable.. infact can come in for less I have been a few times and booked Ba package I have booked for NYC at that time 5 weeks in advance before with Ba and got club class seats at great price (they tend to do offers then) (flying 26th december until new year), and 1 year win advance with virgin (I find Va more expensive with fewer choices)

In my opinion packages are better value near Christmas time.

What star hotel are you looking for?

I think you can reasonably wait longer to book as some deals may come up unless you are looking to stay at a particular hotel