my daughter is visiting ny for 4 days with her friend and they're staying at hotel 17 on east 17th street for $59/day. while i am happy that they found something very inexpensive, i am worried about the proverbial catch. a px like that even where we are from (an hour from philly) is rare. what is the neighborhood like 235 east 17th?
i looked at mapquest and such but they mean nothing to me. is anyone out there familiar with the area? my daughter's 19 and she thinks she's mature but she's a mere 19 and this mom is worried. any help would be so great!! thanks.

Mrs Brown (and your lovely daughter):
Check out
http://hotel17.citysearch.com/1.html
for some info. The neightborhood is not uptown chic but should be fine.

eeeeek, mrs brown.....if you love your daughter, get another hotel. c'mon..there has to be a catch for a $59/night hotel in NY!!! i don't care if you say it's not uptown, there has to be catch. this px sounds too ominous.

235 E. 17th St is between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. The neighborhood is fine. I would be more concerned about a hotel that charged $59 a night in NYC unless it was something your daughter got through Priceline or a similar service. I trust your daughter knows this a shared bath facility.

The neighborhood is fine. I question the hotel. They only take cash (no cards). If she needs low budget, she may want to check out the various YMCA's around the city.

Have your daughter bid on Priceline. She can get a better hotel for a good price.

I'd suggest Priceline too, I'm staying at the Grand Hyatt for $85 in a few weeks. www.biddingfortravel.com is helpful in determining what to bid.

Thanks for allaying the fears of this mother. I really appreciate all your help. Unfortunately, she has already made reservations and I doubt if she can still cancel them. If she still can though, how are NY's YMCAs? I checked the net and there's one on 47th on the east side and one on 23rd of the 7th avenue. which is a good one, location and quality wise. Again, thanks guys!!

I too would be VERY VERY VERY leery of anything that's $59 in Manhattan. That's the going rate of a park bench...

If they only take cash she should be able to cancel. If not just write it off. That hotel is sleazy at best.

The hotel website says there is a 72 hour cancellation. I second the Priceline idea.

Your daughter may also want to check out the Youth Hostel in NYC. It's on the upper west side near Columbia University. I can't vouch for it, but at least you'd know it was a legit youth hostel, not a flea bag joint. They have a website:

http://www.Hinewyork.org/home.htm

I'd look into it if it was my daughter (who's 20 and loves to travel as well). Good luck and your concerns sound totally reasonable.

I can vouch for the HIAYH Hostel, located at 103rd & Amsterdam, 1 block east of the 103rd/Broadway subway stop. Clean, & safe. They use the electronic door keys. Suggest she bring a padlock to lock her locker with, as she could be sharing a room with as many as 11 others. I believe the rooms are in configurations of 4, 6, or 12 beds.

Thanks Ann. I love my daughter but I am sometimes worried with this streak of independence. I know I shouldn't be worried as she's a smart cookie but I can't hep myself. This is all a dress rehearsal I'm afraid. She wants to go to Europe when she finishes college in 2 years. Egaaaaad. Are the people in the European forum as friendly as the people here? I haven't visited them. Thanks all!!

They're friendly but not as friendly and unselfish as the folks here. And I truly understand your fears. This Ny trip is a good dry run for her but more for you. I assume this is her first real trip away from home?

If she is looking into the YMCA, have her go to the one near Central Park in the West 60's. They are usually very safe, they have security guards stationed at the door to make sure only residents go to the rooms. The rooms are very basic with shared bathrooms (like living in a dorm), but are usually fairly clean.