Courtyard New York
 

Hi fellow fodorites,

Is the Courtyard New York hotel out of the way? I usually stay smack dab in the middle of the theatre district. This is on 866 Third Avenue.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...-midtown-east/

I can get a family/friends discount at this hotel.

Looking to stay in the $250 price range. I decided not to return to the Milford Plaza, but I do like the location there.

Thanks!

Monica ((F))

PS: I meant to add: Is this hotel also convenient to transporation? We'll be driving in from Maryland but plan to walk, taxi, or take the subway.

Monica ((F))

That Courtyard hotel is on the East Side which means you are across town from the theatre district. For example, it could be a 20-30 minute walk to the West 50s where some theatres are and how fast you walk and how crowded the streets are.

That neighborhood is less touristy in that you have more offices than T-shirt shops in the neighborhood.

There is one subway line on the east side which runs on Lexington which is a block up from 3rd Avenue. The E train also crosses over from West to East not too far from there which can come in handy. There are also bus lines running north or south on just about all the east side avenues.

Not sure, but I think I last saw Milford Plaza surrounded by scaffolding so maybe they are undergoing a much needed renovation?

I've stayed at that Courtyard and highly recommend it. We walked everywhere, including to the theatre district. There's a subway station 1/2 block away and a Duane Reade right downstairs. The rooms are HUGE by NYC standards (some have two queen beds AND a sitting area with loveseat-size sofabed).

I should add, just so you know something about me, that we are "Marriott" people -- typically stay in Marriotts in big cities (have stayed in the Marriotts or Renaissance hotels in Chicago, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, New York, Anaheim, etc). We would normally only stay at the Courtyard "brand" near the airport, but NYC prices are so high, that we've stayed at the Courtyard and the Residence Inn there (as well as the Marriott Marquis and the Renaissance). Still, I would definitely return to the Courtyard Midtown East.

Thanks dmlove for your comments! I just want to make sure we're not out of the main area and as long as there's transporation we should be fine. I will check other hotel options in the meantime, but I did book the Marriott. With the friends/family rates, it was $239 plus taxes.

Monica ((F))

Monica the area is fine for transportation..you have the V and E as well as the Lexington Avenue trains within a 5 minute walk. These will take you most places although getting to the Upper West Side requires a change of trains, or a change of buses.

I live not far away (much further east and even further from transportation!) I walked home from LIncoln Center last night in about half hour and the theatre district is much closer.

It's a very nice hotel with big rooms. Good places for breakfast near there including Ess-A-Bagel. If you want parking near it, look on iconparking.com in the east 50's. There should be some reasonably prices garages a bit futher east.

The Residence Inn in NYC and the Courtyard Times Square South are probably more money but are closer to the theater district. The Residence Inn includes full cooked b/f I believe.

ekscrunchy, any chance we could meet up for drinks or dinner on Saturday May 10th?

Monica ((F))

We too will be staying at this hotel. We will be touring upstate New York and then driving to Manhattan. Where would be a good place to drop off our rental car? We will be using city transportation for our six days in the city.

Monica, I would love to meet you while you are here. We can discuss China!!

I will ask you to wait until that week to confirm, however, as there is a chance that I will be away that weekend.. For how long will you be here?

ekscrunchy,

Tony and I will spend 3 nights. We have friends flying in from Vermont on Sunday to spend time with us, so if you're not available the 10th, maybe the next time we visit we can catch up with you. Email me: mjpileggi @comcast.net

Brockbank, have your rental agency give you the best location for dropoff of your car.

Monica ((F))

Brockbank, I know that we picked up a Hertz car nearby the hotel.

Sometimes you can find great bargains at the Roosevelt Hotel. And Algonquin; I got great rates there through Priceline.

Third Avenue is not convenient.

Bill you're joking, right? 3rd Avenue and 53rd Street is not convenient? You're at most a 10 minute walk to Rockefeller Center/ another 10 minutes to the theatre district . . . 10 minute walk (tourist walk not NYer walk) to Bloomingdales north or Grand Central South . . . The E/F subway is a block away, the 4,5, or 6 is two blocks away . . . I mean really . . it's not like 3rd Avenue is Long Island City or New Jersey!

As an FYI, I'm booked at the Marriott, printed out the parking lot information via iconparking.com, and booked tickets for Sunday's Spamalot!!

Monica ((F))

Monica, which Marriott (did you go with the Courtyard Midtown East)?

Yes, I went with the one in Midtown East - 53rd street and 3rd avenue.

Monica ((F))

Have a great time!

Will do!!

Monica ((F))

Monica-
I live a block and a half away from this hotel. It is most certainly a very convenient location. The E and V are good trains, and the 6 is reliable. The V does not run on the weekends. The third avenue bus will take you up to the UES and you can walk a lot too. There are some good restaurants nearby, like Montmartre on E. 51st Street and heaps of others, and there is a drugstore below the hotel. Trust me, you will be fine!!!!

Skiergirl,

Thanks for the info on the area. I'll have to check out Montmartre. Any other restaurant recs for the area?

Is there a grocery store in the area. We usually like to buy bottled water for the room.

Monica ((F))

You can buy bottled water at any Duane Reade drugstore, and these are generally more convenient than grocery stores; prices are about the same.

The closest and best regular grocery store that I know of to that hotel is the Morton Williams grocery store (with scaffolding in front right now) on 2nd Avenue at 48th Street (maybe 10 minutes walk).

This is a really good location because you're near the 53rd Street/Lexington Ave. subway that takes you to the west side, as well as the 51st/Park subway that runs on the east side (down to Brooklyn Bridge and Wall Street, up to the Metropolitan Museum). It's really one of the best locations in all of Midtown because you avoid the crush of tourists in Times Square but are still within easy striking distance.

As for restaurants, if you want to splurge on a steak, there's Smith & Wollensky at 49th/3rd Ave., but that's at least $60 per person.

There a lot of neighborhood restaurants if you walk down below 42nd Street on 3rd and Lexington. I've grown very fond of Sarge's deli between 36th and 37th on 3rd Ave lately (a pastrami platter big enough for 3 costs $17); it's not Katz's, but it's pretty good. Second Avenue Deli is now on 33rd Street, just east of 3rd Ave.

And Buttercup Bake Shop (which for me has cupcakes that are infinitely better than Magnolia) is on 2nd Ave between 51st and 52nd.

Thanks Doug for your information. Steaks sound good, but we usually go for ethnic dining. We do plan to stop at Katz's for lunch on Sunday or Monday. Can't wait for their pastrami sandwich! Oh, and their cheesecake!!!

So glad to know this hotel is in a very good location!

Monica ((F))

Monica, there's a Duane Reade drugstore right next door (literally). Have you been to Katz' before? If not, I'll be happy to explain the "procedure"!

dmlove, is $1 still the appropriate amount to slip the guy for offering you a taste?

It is! And make sure he sees you doing it!

Monica -- for fabulous shanghai food where the NY Fodorites GTGed, try Our Place Shanghai Tea Garden at 141 E. 55th Street, don't miss the xiao long bao!

Tony and I have been to Katz' just one time, so no, I don't know the "procedure." Please tell!

Shanghainese, thanks for the info!

Monica ((F))

One time should have been enough ('cause you wouldn't have eaten if you didn't follow the procedure). Anyway, when you walk in, each person will be handed a ticket (like an old-fashioned little movie ticket). Then you pick a line -- each "cutter" has his own line (none of that red-rope bank line stuff here). When you get to the front of your line, put a $1.00 in the cutter's tip jar, and make sure he sees you doing it (it'll make the difference between a skinny little sandwich and a sandwich thick enough to be shared by two (or 3). Order your sandwiches and soup - he'll give you a taste of each sandwich meat you order. I would suggest ordering the pastrami extra-lean. Its' the only mistake I made, so while it was delicious, I did have to pick off quite a bit of fat on the edges. You get french fries (fabulous) and sodas in a different line (we used a different person to perform that task!). Then you find a table -- anywhere you can that's free (except the tables along the wall in the front room, which are for waitress service (which would eliminate half the fun). Try to sit in the front room; there's more tables around the bend,but it's also more subdued back there.

Each item you order will get marked on your little ticket. Then when you leave, you each hand in your ticket, even if it's blank (because someone else did all the ordering), and they tote up the bill.

Hope that helps.

Monica..Hi! I just returned home from a trip and caught up with this thread. I will e-mail you.

The closest supermarket is the Food Emporium on Second Avenue and 51st Street on the West Side of the street. I live in the area, as I think I mentioned. In general, is NOT good for eating. Prices are much higher than elsewhere and much of the ethnic food is diluted to western tastes.

Of course, there are some good places ( Shanghainese mentioned one), but for ethnic food (or any other kind) we almost always leave the area. If you want to stay around and want Chinese, you can either try the Shanghai place or, for Sichuan, go to Grand Sichuan on Second Avenue and 55th Street, west side of the avenue.

Your hotel is VERY convenient, as Skiergirl mentioned above. Again, I will write to you about getting together.

dmlove,

Thanks for the info. The one time Tony and I were there, we actually got a table and the waitress took our order. Tony had asked, "which is better, the ruben or (I forget what he said) ?" and the waitress FIRMLY said "The Pastrami!" as if there was no other choice. And wow, those sandwiches were piled thick. I ordered 1/2 sandwich and soup and Tony had to help me with my sandwich! Of course, we had to squeeze room for a slice of their cheesecake! :)

ekscrunchy, got your email and I responded. Hope we can meet you in NYC.

Monica ((F))

I forgot to mention two popular and moderately priced Turkish places on Second Avenue, Sip Sak and Taksim. Both are very close to the hotel and are good for plates of mezze appetizers, which can make a whole meal. Their main courses are a little less interesting but still decent.

Sip Sak 928 Second Avenue at 49th Street

Taksim 1030 Second Avenue between 54th and 55th Streets

Both on the east side of the street. Be sure to ask for any off-menu specials. The owner of Sip Sak is quite a character, by the way.

Hope to see you soon!

ekscrunchy,

Thanks! We love Turkish food!

Talk to you tomorrow and I hope we can meet up Saturday night.

Monica ((F))