We are coming to New York 12/25/06-12/31/06 and would like to stay somewhere in Midtown. We are a family of five (three pre-teens)and would be fine in a 2 dbl or 2 queen room. I would like to stay under $300/night. It looks like the Hampton Inn is the best deal so far with 2 queens and breakfast for $310/night. I've read good reviews about this hotel, but I'm afraid to committ without finding out if this is really our best deal. We don't want to be smushed together but we don't need to spring for a suite. The complimentary breakfast could end up saving us some money. Any suggestions would be appreciated...thanks!

Have you checked out the Affinia group? Their hotels always get decent reviews and are all suite so you would be less squashed. (I know their December rates are a lot higher than your range - but that week is usually somewhat lower - and there may be something available.)

I've heard great reviews about the Radio City Apartments -- Nice suite-like accomodations at a reasonable price right in Midtown area. Do a search on this site and also check their website and TripAdvisor reviews -- Generally consistent good recomendations. I think it might be what you are looking for.

88shannon88,

Another place which might suit you is the Best Western Hospitality House on E49th St.

Here's a link to my trip report which gives full details & includes a link to their website;

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34778469

Jim

Staying under $300 a night for 5 people is the clincher. I have a one bedrm. suite at the Affinia Manhattan booked for that week (two queen beds, and a sofa bed) for $278. I booked it a few months ago.

Something weird is up with their site. Just now when I plugged in your dates and 2 adults, two kids, I get rates for a 1 bedrm. suite w/2 beds (what we have booked, also has sofa bed) that vary by night btwn $339 and $379 that week. But if I plug in 2 adults and 3 kids, it brings up a weekly rate of just $289 a night!

If you can get one of the 1 bedrm suites w/two beds and sofabed at the Affinia Manhattan, that is a great deal and a nice hotel and great location, and it seems 5 people are allowed in that rm type.

I think if you try to put 5 people in a regular hotel rm. (like Hampton Inn) you are perhaps going to run up against regs for maximum occupancy.

I'm sorry but I don't get the math of how 5 people fit in a room with 2 beds designed for 2 people each. I suppose you MIGHT be able to fit a roll away, but don't assume without asking and it might up the price. Also, many hotels don't allow 5 in a room b/c of fire laws. When I look on quikbook.com for your dates for 4 people, there are dozens of good options under $300/night but for 5 there are none at that price and only a few period.

As for "springing for a suite" you might find the kitchens that generally come with the suites a huge bonus for breakfast, snacks, take away meals.

On affinia.com a one bedroom suite in the Eastgate Tower is available for a bit less than the price you have for the Hampton Inn (but no breakfast).

This apt. rental might be another option.
http://www.oakwood.com/furnished-apa...howDetail.html

I didn't see emd's reply before posting.

Five people in one room that isn't a suite will be "smushed".

Manhattan hotel rooms are notoriously smaller than the average.

Aside from any of the Affina rooms and Radio City Apts, try the Salisbury.

I checked posters dates and Radio City and Salisbury are booked as is BW Hospitality.

Another option is to contact the London Agency www.apartments2book.com and see what they have. Often their prices are very good for some of these apt/hotels and they may have blocked out some rooms.

What do you mean you're "afraid to commit" to Hampton Inn? What is the cancellation policy?

For those dates, as soon as I found something that would allow 5 persons in the room, I would commit pretty damn quick...then keep looking if you're not totally convinced.

I agree with Tracy! That's a tight budget, especially for 5 so if yo ufind somehting, grab it. Most hotels let you cancel within a day or 2. ANother suite hotel you can look into is the Avalon. $300 for any kind of room in Manhattan is tough, and even tougher on a holiday week, and one that can accommodate 5.

88shannon88, do yourself a favor and grab that rate at the affinia manhattan for the 1 bedrm sutie with two queen beds and sofabed and kitchen for $289 a night! I can't imagine anything is going to be better that that! I looked for weeks for us and then found that one-- for the same week you are going and it is still available.

And if you somehow find something better you can cancel it, but I would grab that right now if I was you.

Thank you all very much for your help and advice! I did book the Hampton Inn, but what I meant by "afraid to commit" was that I didn't want to stop looking there if there were better options that I hadn't found yet.
I checked out all of your suggestions, and I think the Affinia looks great but I didn't find it for $289/night. For six nights it totals $2351 with taxes. The Hampton Inn would come out to $2202. So, between the Hampton Inn and the Affinia - which is the better hotel and better location in your opinions? (We don't mind being in the middle of the touristy area and would like to be near everything)
Thanks again!

88shannon, go to the affinia site, pick the affinia mnahattan, put in your dates and 2 adults and 3 kids and the weekly rate of $289 a nite comes up for that room. I just did it again.

If you can't get it to come up, I would call their reservations people and tell them you want that weekly rate of $289 on that 1 bedrm suite w/two queen beds and sofa bed- it is coming up for me right now.

88shannon, here is the link to the page with your dates, number of people, and that $289 a night room:

http://tinyurl.com/e5u2s

ut-oh, maybe you are departing Dec. 31 instead of Jan 1 and that is why I can get the weekly rate and you can't...

the affinia suite would be roomier than the hampton inn room, plus it has a kitchen.

Go for the Affina.

Unfortunately the Eastgate Tower (another Affinia hotel) 1 bedroom that I mentioned above is no longer available. They do have a studio suite that evidently will sleep the 5 of you (but I'm not sure how) for $1422 for the 6 nights and there's a studio available at the Shelburne Murray Hill. Even though a studio is essentially one big room, you do get the benefit of a kitchen.

Interestingly, if you search for a room for 4 (2 adults and 2 children) on the Affinia site, the Affinia Manhattan price for a 1 bedroom is $2024 for the 6 nights. I would phone them if you want that and see whether you can get that rate.

I'd still take the Affinia Manhattan! Thsi comes form someone who has crammed two adults and two preteens into a regular room at the Sheraton, and who also has had a much better expereicne w/having same family in an affinia Suite.

At Affinia Manhattan for $150 more for the 6 nights you get so much more space. I can't imagine 6 nights in a regular small hotel room w/5 people, even if you can get away w/it. At Affinia you get the separate living area (and if you only use it for the sofa bed to have someone sleep on and the suitcases and spreading out those preteen clothes it will be more than worth it), and a full kitchen.

If you are talking about the Hampton Inn Madison Square Garden (and not Seaport or Chelsea) I looked at pics of the rooms and although they look new and nice, there is NO space around the beds. It looks like there is about 3 ft at the end of the beds before you hit the walls. See good pic of this at:

http://tinyurl.com/h25ad

Where will you put your suitcases w/5 people? For me, this would be incredibly claustrophobic and set my family up for cat fights over the space, esp. w/the preteen kids.

If you are worried about the breakfast money, it won't cost much to get breakfast food to either cook or nosh on in your nice kitchen at the Affinia. And you'll have a fridge for drinks (a big deal in my book, another money saver) and dinner leftovers. You can even make and pack sandwiches for lunch a few days w/that kitchen- and that would save you a lot of money.

Hurry and book the Affinia Manhattan and you can make a final decision later. That room is going to disappear just like the one at Eastgate tower.

Ok, I'm done now.