Clinton area of NYC
 

Is anyone familiar with this area - Midtown West on 48th St between 8th and 9th Avenues?The apartment is the 2nd floor of a brownstone.

Opinions appreciated on if it would be a good location for a family including 20something *children*, convienient to transportation and resonable eats. TIA

It's a great location, also known as "Hell's Kitchen" (or on the outskirts of it). You're a few blocks from Times Square, the 1 subway stop is on 50th/8th, two blocks. This is becomming a new hip area of NY, there's great reasonable restaurants from all nationalities on 9th Ave. Unless the apt is really old and hasn't been renovated in a million years, you should be fine.

Agree with owlwoman. Just be aware that there will probably be no elevator. I would want to see a fair number of photos. Some places in the area can be great while others can be grotty.

Lots of good ethnic eating along 9th ave. Restaurant Row is 46th b/w 8th & 9th.

This is one of my favorite areas to stay as it's very convenient to my many trips to theatres and I love the neighborhood restaurants -- tons of them. I stayed off and on for several months a couple years ago at 45th in that block and most recently rented an apartment on 51st in that block. The big question is the actual apartment, as some of them can be as mclaurie says "grotty".

I used to live on 48th near Ninth Ave. when no one called that neighborhood Clinton. As others mentioned, the best thing about the area is convenience. Tons of restaurants nearby; close to transportation.

Are you sure it's a brownstone and not a renovated tenement? Most of the buildings along there are former tenements, which is OK but it won't have the charm & detail of a brownstone. Also, keep in mind that it might be noisy if it's a front apartment.

mclaurie is correct. The area is fine- but some buildings aren't - so make sure you see lots of pix. Also - when they say 2nd floor be aware that many of these buildings have high ceilings - and getting to the second floor can require walking (and dragging luggage) up two long flights of stairs.

nytraveler's post reminds me of a number of listings in that area on VRBO and other sites. Some say things like, "no elevator, but only four very short flights up". What does that mean? If the flights are short, does that mean ceilings on the lower floors are only 5 feet high? Always sounds funny to me -- very short flights.

Thank you all. I just can't tell much from the pictures. If anyone cares to check the links and comment, I'd appreciate it.

http://nyhabitat.com/new-york-apartment/vacation/10900

http://www.urbanvacations.com/extpag...als/14951.html

Maybe I should just wait until closer to the time we want to go and see if I can get something newer. And thanks for the head's up on the long flights of stairs.

The 48th St apartment looks perfectly fine. It obviously has been completely renovated and, if the pix are accurate, it looks very clean & well-maintained. For some reason, the ad mentions only the Broadway subway line (the #1 at 50th St.) the 8th Ave line is even closer.

The ceilings are going to be anywhere from 9' to 12', so that should give you a general idea as to how much stair climbing you'll have to do. And the staircase may very well be divided by a landing.

Patrick, regarding long or short flights - lots of NYC apt buildings have 2 short flights of stairs plus a landing between each floor. Maybe that's why they mention short flights; although if that's the case, they'd have to mean that 4 short flights get you only as far as the second floor.

I have looked at the photos of the first apt. before. I'm sure there was a poster here who was going with a group of female friends. I'll try to do a search and see if I can find it. I don't recall whether she posted after the fact though.

The 2nd apartment is clearly in a full service building with an elevator and looks to be on either 57th or 58th st. I would NOT wait to book something. If you don't like these, continue your search. I'd say the one on west 48th has a nicer living room. Both seem to have small/basic bedrooms. If you've got more than 1 20ish child, are they going to want to share a bed?

Do you need more websites?

Thank you spring212 and mclaurie. I may book the 48th street apartment on Monday if it's still available. The area sounds interesting and I hate to wait because I'm not very experienced in this....can you tell?

Opps! My computer seems to have a mind of its own tonight so pardon me if a double of this post appears.

I wanted to add that my two 20ish children would probably rather sleep on the street than in the same bed. LOL! But it looks as if the 48th street apartment has two twin beds in one bedroom. I'm going to call and see if that is indeed the case.

mclaurie, I would appreciate more websites.

cacy, I did spend some time trying to find the post about this apartment and just couldn't find it. I know there was a poster who was going to stay here. As I look at the photos, the second bedroom has a "high-riser" which is 2 single beds, one folds under the other. They probably can be moved apart. I think the apt. looks fine but I don't think at $338 it's any bargain, especially with no elevator. In your shoes, I'd keep looking unless you've been doing this for a while. Can you tell me what exactly you want (room for 4 with 3 beds? What else?)

Here are some more apartment websites

citylightsnewyork.com

subletinnewyork.com

http://www.furnishedquarters.com/

www.hospitalityco.com

liveinnyc.com

I was recently told about a co.

rooms2book.com

that books many of the apartment/hotels as well as some apartments at prices that are less than dealing directly with the hotels. I don't know anyone who's used them yet though.

Here are a number of apartment style hotels. A few of the better priced ones are

affinia.com (a group of 7)
radiocityapartments.com
nycsalisbury.com

Murray Hill East Suites, the Kimberly.

The Salisbury Hotel has 2 bedroom suites and I believe the 2nd bedroom has twin beds. If it's available and affordable it's a really good option.

That area should not be in anyone's top ten places to stay in NYC.
I've posted my opiniopns, ad nauseum, on this subject but I just have no idea what the attraction to Midtown is.
That area in particular is very transient, too close to the transportation hub which carries every nut-job in a hundred-mile radius to and from the city 24 hours a day.

Your "20-somethings" would enjoy downtown, Greenwich Village (East, West or proper) infinitely more than Hell's Kitchen.

On the other hand, it's NYC and you probably will all just have a great time no matter where you are.

I'm not a 20-something, but I disagree with the previous poster that image-conscious people in that age group wouldn't want to locate in Clinton. From everything I see, they all seem to make a beeline for that trendy area. True, it has more than vestiges of its history as "hell's kitchen", but it is extremely convenient, an easy walk to theaters, and with great restaurant choices.

"Beeline", "trendy area", "convenient".
I'm sorry. Are we talking about the same neighborhood?

The way I see it, Hell's Kitchen's one and only redeeming quality is its proximity to the theatre district.
It is, however, host to some of the worst tourist-trap restaurants in NYC.

By the way, New York critics and theatre patrons agree, overwhelmingly, that all of Broadway is having its worst run in history.

I know this is obnoxious of me and I love my city, but please, people, get out of the theatre district!
There is so much more to see and be a part of.

Some of the the replies here are confusing to me as I, too, don't see Hell's Kitchen as anything that can be described as trendy nor hip.

I agree about the 4 or 5 small restaurants representing different cuisine along 9th Avenue, as well as it's close proximity to the theaters, but it really doesn't offer anything more than that.

I know that that those making a "beeline" to live in this area do so only for cost considerations and not for quality.

If you read the original posting, you will see that cacy was looking for a place that is "convenient to transportation and reasonable eats." Clinton definitely does fit that bill.

Trendy? Hell no. But they never said they were looking for that.

Ninth Avenue has lots of cheap, good ethnic eateries. If they were tourist traps, they would not be that good or that cheap. Now, 8th Ave is a different story...

I agree with what the OP was asking about and that the location may fit the need. However, if you read my response, it's some of the description by some of the responders that I couldn't quite place with the location.

4 or 5 restaurants along 9th? Just from memory here are only a few I can think of off hand on 9th between 43rd and 50th:

Marseille
Jezebel
Film Center Cafe
Mercury Bar
Amarone
Amy's Bread (not really a restaurant, but worth noting)
Cara Mia
Delta Grill
Roberto Passon
Arriba
Hell's Kitchen
Pietrasanta
Rachel's
Zen Palate
Uncle Nick's
Puttanesca

Plus a whole lot of others I can't think of off hand.

I can name more than that, but it doesn't mean that I'd suggest nor endorse any of them.

Besides, the 4 or 5 I refere to (and which one of the responders was referring to) is the block of international restaurants along 9th.

Well, I asked for opinions and I'm certainly getting them. Even if we don't end up staying in the Clinton area I'm intrigued enough to at least walk through while on our next trip. We may have been there on our last trip..I just can't place the area.

In August (our first trip to NYC) we stayed on the Upper West Side and we really liked it--especially after going to Times Square. We also enjoyed downtown. In fact we did not get to see/do all we wanted to downtown.

ciaony, I like downtown and have spent time looking online at apts offered there. I started wondering if downtown would be isolated at night-- difficult to get back to from Times Square/the Village. Would there be enough activity around to feel safe coming *home* at night? ..I know this is Manhattan we're talking about and it's probably not like other cities where downtown closes up after dark. Is it anything similar to the UWS at night where you can get out and walk and find places to eat?

mclaurie, thank you for the additional sites. As for what I'm looking for.. room for 4 with 3 beds is necessary, 1 1/2 baths would be nice, something newer would probably make me feel better since I have no feel for where I could go wrong in choosing something, close enough to transportation and affordable eats so we (or the kids on their own) could be out at night. I'd like to keep the price around $300 per night. That may be laughably low. I'm open to any area of Manhattan that is easy enough for a tourist with no clue to navigate.

I'll spend tomorrow researching the sites you listed. Thanks.

cacy, if you liked the upper westside, the Clinton area is not really like that at all. It's got a grittier more commercial feel to it. It's really just west of the Times Square area if that helps. I think it's great for people who want to do a lot of theater and it's certainly convenient for transportation but it doesn't have the neighborhoody feel that the UWS has. When are you coming and for how long? I ask b/c you may find more options during holiday times and if coming for 2 weeks, you may have more apt. options.

From a practical point of view, since you need 3 comfortable beds I think you have to be more concerned with whether the apt. has the amenities you need and be a bit flexible about location.

I agree downtown locations like the village (Greenwich Village), Chelsea, Union Square, Soho would be a nice with teens and give you the opportunity to explore these areas a bit more. Don't worry about activity at night. There'll be plenty.

There are a few b and bs. that function somewhat like apartments. In that scenario you might even consider 2 rooms within the same place for 2 baths and a bit more privacy. Look at the West 11 st Townhouse (I've heard they're not very good at responding to email and can be abrupt in the upfront communications but are very nice once you get there). Also Abbingdon Guest House is another in the village. A 3rd place in the village is listed under "Rooms to Let". Info here

http://www.ibbp.com/obb/newyork/roomstolet.html

Hope this helps.

Hi mclaurie..Yes, I was picking up on the grittier look and wasn't sure if it was safe or not--by safe I mean if you'd have to know what to look out for, which I would not. Now, after reading all the comments, I would stay there. I just wouldn't want something old, dark, smelly, and stained. I'm afraid my budget may be putting me pretty close to that and my kids would kill me.

I agree about being flexible as to location and I am going to concentrate more on downtown now that I feel more comfortable with it. We didn't have time to see much of the village or other areas you mentioned so we wanted to spend time there anyway. My husband's an artist and we didn't even set foot in a gallery!

BTW, I'm hoping to come up there next May - mid to end of the month because of exams. But..we do have some flexibility and anytime during April or May would work. I wouldn't want to come much earlier because I'd have to buy winter coats, boot, etc. ....We don't have those in south La. ;) I know I've started looking awfully early.

We want to stay a week.

mclaurie, your info has been helpful and I do appreciate your time. I'm off to do some more searching....

Southern La??? How did you fare in the storm? My good friends from NOLA are living in Houston for now.

Happy apt. hunting. ;) You do know about tripadvisor.com for hotels etc., right?

We came through the storms well. Some fence sections down and outside shed roofs blown off but compared to so many others..we have no complaints.

My husband and I were in NY as Katrina hit. Our children were here in Baton Rouge an MS. ....Made for an *interesting* trip for us. Also, we came home from NY to a city that had almost doubled in size with all the NOLA evacuees. It's been quite interesting down here lately.

I hope your NOLA friends can go home soon. Such a sad situation for so many.

Yep, I know about tripadvisor and use it often. :)

Only the Wall street area would be "deserted" at night.
Good luck and travel safely.