My husband and I are traveling to NY (for the 1st time) for our anniversary (Dec. 4th). After booking the bargain airfare, I found out that finding a nice hotel at a decent price is tough at this time of the year! So far the best I have found for price and location is the Doral Park Ave. There aren't many options at this point so I would like to have opinions on this property as well as advice on how to find other availability (I found this one through a discount hotel website). Also is "One if by Land Two if By Sea" the best place to go for a romantic dinner? (this was recommended by a friend). And lastly, is the only Christmas Tree lighting at Lincoln Center? I thought there was one at Rockefeller Center. Thanks in advance for the help!

To the best of my knowledge the Doral is a very nice property - not in the "luxe" class but certainly better than average. The restaurant in question gets recommended in this forum on a regular basis. You might get additional info in the NYC section of sidewalk.com - the restaurant reviews there are usually linked to Zagat reviews and I find them to be fairly accurate. "Les Halles" is just a few blocks down on Park Ave. It's a French steakhouse - crowded and noisy but fun with good food. Perhaps a nice change for the alternate night when something more casual is appropriate. At this late date the consolidators/discounters are the best bet. I'd try 180096hotel.com or travelweb.com or travelocity.com By the way, the location of the Doral is safe and clean. It's not terribly convenient to the theatre district but more sedate and only a short cab ride away. I like the neighborhood (Murray Hill) and usually try to stay in the area when I'm in town. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable can comment on the tree lighting... (hravis is sure to have the answer!)

The tree to see is at Rockefeller Center. It should be lit on Dec. 1st. The area at Rockefeller Center is beautiful, and St. Patrick's Cathedral is right across the street.

If you like ballet, you should try to get tickets to see the New York City Ballet's production of the Nutcracker. It is truly the most gorgeous production around.

I stayed at the Doral Park Ave. this past weekend, probably booking through the same discount reservation service that you did. We were not overly pleased with the hotel, but primarily because we didn't find it worth the money. Our room was tiny, quite warm, and the water pressure and hot water were not good. Also, there was a broom closet near our room, and we were awakened very early each morning by the sound of the maids banging around. The room was however, neat and clean, and the hotel is in a very quiet area. And I am sure they have much nicer rooms, we just didn't get one. Had it been fifty dollars less per night, I probably would have thought it was a fine hotel, but I didn't find our room any better than others I have paid less for in the past. That said, it was the best deal I could find on a few weeks notice, so you may not be able to find a better deal in early december.