Where to stay in New York City?

Old May 19th, 2014, 08:11 PM
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Where to stay in New York City?

I'll be traveling to New York next March for just 12 days with hubby, away from the kids, so want to make the most of the trip with theatre, great food, a tour or two, museums, bike riding.... Any suggestions on which area we should stay in? Perhaps 6 nights in one part and 6 in another? Perhaps apartments.thanks
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Old May 19th, 2014, 09:37 PM
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http://www.fodors.com/search/results...New+york+hotel
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Old May 20th, 2014, 03:37 AM
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In NYC almost all short-term apartment sublets are illegal - so if you want more space go to the apt style hotels (Affinia has a bunch, there are also suites at the Beacon.

A lot of people like to stay near times Square - although I must admit as a resident I don't get it. If you want to stay in 2 different places I would make one of them a more residential area, such as the upper west side or the village.

To give specific recos we will need you to give us a specific nightly budget - in $ - not "moderate" or "won't break the bank" which can mean different things to different people.
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Old May 20th, 2014, 05:02 AM
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For a longer stay, I'd recommend a hotel in a more residential area. Take a look at the Affinia Dumont or perhaps the Shelburne. Both are in Murray Hill and have apartment-like rooms with kitchens. If you can get a reservation at Radio City Apartments, you'll be in the heart of the city (in a much busier area), but some of these rooms also have kitchens. The Upper West Side would be my final recommendation. But without knowing your price range, I can't make specific recommendations.

As for staying in two different areas of the city, I don't recommend it. It's a hassle to move, and not really necessary. You may get a discount (at an Affinia property for instance) if you stay for more than a week. There are other Affinia properties in Manhattan and all offer discounts for longer stays.

Apartment rentals are, alas, almost uniformly illegal in NYC, so that's not a realistic possibility for you.
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Old May 21st, 2014, 06:54 AM
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State a per night lodging budget. Otherwise you're just dealing with concepts, not reality.

And the reality is that in NYC, you'll need a sizable budget.
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Old May 21st, 2014, 08:13 AM
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I would check out Airbnb. Legal or not, short-term apt. sublets are the way things happen in NY. I have lots of friends and family in NY and they've all done it. Definitely will get much more value and probably a kitchen. Food costs have gone up like crazy in the last five years, esp. in NY, and having a kitchen will save you a huge amount. I always find that eating out twice a day takes the fun out of dining, and I don't appreciate it as much. I'm partial to the East Village, lots of subway access, fun restaurants, little parks, and close to a number of things. Honestly, you can walk anywhere on the island if you don't mind a good walk, and if you do, there's generally a subway line nearby.
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Old May 21st, 2014, 08:27 AM
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Unless of course:

1) it's a scam and the apartment doesn't exist or isn't a advertised

2) neighbors find out you are staying illegally and file a complaint/report it to the landlord

3) you have scruples against doing something illegal

4) you are risk averse

Otherwise go right ahead.
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Old May 21st, 2014, 07:42 PM
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Sara, you must be kidding! Very bad advice!
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Old May 21st, 2014, 08:54 PM
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Hi Kazza - just returned from 14 nights in NYC and we stayed the full time at the Affinia Shelburne:

http://new.affinia.com/shelburne

This was my second stay here and the third for my husband.
We find it to be a good location and for an extended stay we had a one bedroom suite. It was at the back with a view of the Chrysler building and was reasonably quiet for NY!
This allowed us to really settle in and relax after very long days out.
It was also good to be able to return to the hotel and have a snack before heading out to a concert or show.
Note it is a kitchenette with sink, microwave, coffee maker and mini bar.
You then ask for the required crockery and cutlery, and in our case an electric kettle as I am a tea drinker.
You will find plenty of places nearby to purchase food for light meals or for reheating some of the delicious food we purchased at grand Central market.

There is a guest laundry in the basement as well.

It is not inexpensive, but longer stays attract a discount.
Some furniture is a little worn but the daily servicing and cleaning was excellent and the staff were friendly.

Happy planning for what will be an great time.
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Old May 22nd, 2014, 01:33 AM
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love_travel_aus. thanks for the affinia shelburne review. I will be staying there next month for one week. It is good to hear positive reviews as reviews on Trip advisor are mixed.

to the original poster - i would stay in one location. It is easy to get about NYC using the subway. It would be a nuisance to pack after 6 nights.

Try the affinia chain of hotels, staybridge suites, aka central park & the beacon hotel.
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Old May 22nd, 2014, 02:02 AM
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Love staying in the Village - with tree lined streets and low rise buildings for the most part. And you can easily get to other parts of the Apple via the subway or taxi if you are coming back after a play/late dinner, whatnot.
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Old May 22nd, 2014, 03:11 AM
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Hi millie - I hope you find it comfortable as we did.
It is older in style and not bright and glamorous but really relaxing for us with a busy schedule.
I noted some of the negative comments focus on un friendly staff but this was not our experience.
However we really had very little engagement with staff other than check in and out.
I did get help with my phone for the lobby wi fi and Mark was extra helpful more than once as I tried to master a new phone!
We would happily go back - and look forward to next time.

Happy travels and stay.
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Old May 23rd, 2014, 01:16 AM
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Hi all, thanks love_travel_Aus, the Affina looks great. Is the Shelburne the cheapest? How did you come to choose that location?

I am willing to pay whatever it takes to get reasonable accommodation, but prefer around $180 US a night at most. Airbnb is much cheaper, but I don't think I'm willing to risk it.

Love all the input, appreciate it. Only considering 2 locations(even thought it's a pain to move), because I saw some great places in Harlem to rent, before I found out airbnb was illegal.
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Old May 23rd, 2014, 03:42 AM
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Harlem is not really convenient for any major sights. It's a reasonable choice (based on the venue - I would be VERY careful about apts) if you have a very stringent budget but think it much better to stay closer to major sights. Upper west side or the Village would be much better residential areas.

Sorry - but even in March that's quite a limited budget for NYC.
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Old May 23rd, 2014, 05:26 AM
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I really doubt you will get a suite with kitchenette at anyof the Affinia hotels for $180 per night, but it's possible. A more realistic budget would be $250 per night (I checked some random dates, and you can get a Studio suite for $212 at the Shelburne before taxes ... so approx $250 with). But for a long stay, you have to call the hotel directly to find out what kind of a rate they will offer. The nonrefundable advance purchase rate is cheaper than the long-term rate they show on their web site.

The Shelburne is closer to Grand Central than the Dumont, which is on 34th Street. There are pros and cons to both locations.

The Dumont is a bit closer to the subway, restaurants, and grocery stores; there's a Dunkin Donuts next door and two good delis that make sandwiches and breakfast stuff on the corner. More than a dozen good restaurants are within easy walking distance of just a few blocks.

The Shelburne is on Lexington Avenue about 3 blocks from Grand Central. The restaurants close by aren't my favorites, but there's a Starbucks a block down and across the street. There's a hamburger restaurant (good) in the hotel and another across the street. The Shelburne is on the last residential block of Lexington Avenue before Midtown; restaurants are one avenue away on third Avenue between the Shelburne's location and 34th Street (so a bit further than from the Dumont). But Grand Central (the closest subway stop) has direct connections to the west side, making this a more convenient location in some ways.

The Shelburne was renovated a few years ago (more recently I believe than the Dumont). But I find that prices at the Affinia 50 (on 50th Street/3rd Avenue) and the Affinia Manhattan (on 7th Avenue across from Madison Square Garden) are often cheaper. The latter has (I believe) the most recent renovation of the three hotels but is in a much busier area, though close to Korea Town and its excellent cheap food.
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Old May 30th, 2014, 04:24 PM
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I must say that I'm a bit drawn to the airbnb places I've seen in NY.
I like the idea of a host who can impart local info and there a lots of reviews to give you an idea of what they are like.
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Old May 30th, 2014, 04:36 PM
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Kazza -

If you decide to do this please keep watching the news on this board about Air BnB. The NY attorney General is working on a subpoena to get the names of renters and tenants so they can charge them with running illegal hotels, fine them significant amounts of money and close them down.

And Air BnB takes no responsibility in that case - you might just be out your money - since you can't recover through a credit card for an illegal transaction.
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Old May 31st, 2014, 02:14 AM
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Thanks nytraveler
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Old Jun 3rd, 2014, 03:49 AM
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OK Looks like the Affina hotels offer the best value at around $300 a night. I'd still love to stay one week in the Upper West Side area, but can't find anywhere of similar standard and value in that location. Anyone know of a hotel?
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Old Jun 3rd, 2014, 05:44 AM
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Am I incorrect that air b n b is ok if you are renting a room in an apt where the host is also present?
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