Okay, I sent a message to bwino (she's halfway around the world so I'm not sure when she'll check the board. I looked at the map and picked out some (including HIX) and read reviews. My #1 pick would be the Staybridge...hands-down. If you want more luxe then the Barclay looks good. The 2 HIX I would pick based on location don't get good reviews at all.

I don't know who you are going with and what your plans are, but although I like to see a lot during the day I'm at a Broadway show at night. I like to stay in the Times Square AREA - which is NOT the same as staying on the bright lights portion of the strip. If you are paying for a room, then look at the Hilton Garden Inn or the Hampton Inn Times Square North. I love the location of both - close to the theaters, but not in the craziness. I love the location because it also feels like "home" to me - for many years, I stayed at a friend's apartment there. NeoPatrick also spent a month in the same location. He loves the area as much as I do - although the locals the board will chime in with their "go somewhere else". I've been staying there since before Guiliani's "clean-up", when the area was known for peep shows and before it was Disney-fied. Love it, love it, love it.

Another great location would be the Muse hotel, another Kimpton boutique hotel. Steps from Times Square - but away from the craziness - and was perfectly equidistant between Rockefller Center and our Broadway show.

So, I'm always going to pick West Midtown over East. I've stayed in every area of Manhattan (except UES, but spent a lot of time visiting a friend who grew up there) and I agree with the locals that EVERY area

oops!
...every area has great neighborhoods and great places to stay. In December I'd pick MTW. From your two options, either would be good...although I'd pick the Staybridge. If you are PAYING for the room (not using PC points) check out the rates for Hilton Garden Inn, the Muse, or Hampton Inn Times Square North.

IF you AREN'T going to Broadway shows, disregard the above and stay at the Intercontinental.

Whew! Didn't mean to type so much ;)

Whew indeed starrs and thanks. Which are your two top picks that you write about that don't get good reviews?

I am indeed paying for my room but at a discounted rate. I will check whether Hilton Garden Inn or the Hampton Inn Times Square North are on the list of options I have. If so, would you choose one of those over the Staybridge?

What is "MTW"?

Re the Intercontinental, I am having my doubts about it as well.....

No, I don't have any problems with the final two. I added in 2 HIX, but their reviews kicked them back out.

Check the prices of the Hilton Garden Inn and HITSN and see if they are in contention. If they are, MomDDTravel can give (very) positive feedback re their stay at the HGI and NeoPatrick can give his kudos about that neighborhood. I'll give him a shout out and ask him to come over to comment if you like.

MTW = Midtown West (vs East). I like West over East because I like to be closer to the shows, especially for getting back "home" at night, ESPECIALLY in cold weather. For ME (and the locals will argue with me), even the walk to the Hilton at 6th and 53rd is a long cold walk on a winter's evening. Call me a wimp, I don't mind. ;) I'd rather stay west over east. That's just MY personal preference - ingrained in 1990 after our walk from the show to the Grand Hyatt (when it was brand new). Yep, times have changed and Times Square and the area around it is VERY different than it was then. I wasn't "scared"...we were COLD!

In general, I'm going to pick a midrange hotel over a luxe hotel because I get tired of being nickeled and dimed at the luxe hotels. Even when I was on expense accounts, I hated spending $5 for a bottle of water, $11 for internet servies and $15 for the most basic of breakfasts. The midpoint hotels that offer very nice rooms (often newer and nicer than the luxe hotels) also provide free breakfast, free wifi, etc. Breakfast can be carb heavy, but I usually get juice and a hard-boiled egg so it works for me. This was confirmed when I stayed at the LaQuinta (no frills, but fine) on points and then moved to the Hilton (Priceline). I spent a lot more $$$ at the "nicer" hotel because you had to pay for everything that was free at the LaQ - even printing out my show tickets from Ticketmaster. Don't get me wrong - I can enjoy the high life at a Ritz or Four Seasons with the best of them. But when I'm spending my money, give me the midrange hotels - HIX or SS vs Crowne Plaza or Intercontinental, HGI or HI vs Hiltons. Again, my personal perferences. ;)

Possible trip report searches =
bwino - spent weeks at the Staybridge Suites
MomDDtravel - loved the Hilton Garden Inn and it's location
NeoPatrick - lived for a month near the Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn TS North

Again thanks so much for your time and trouble. I would love for you to get other people into this mix of correspondence and hear their thoughts.

I tend to agree with your personal preference of wanting to stay in the midprice hotels which give you so many extras that the pricey hotels will charge you extra for. So again I am tending towards the Staybridge. I will look for bwino's trip report as well.

I looked at other hotel prices that you mentioned and they are way more expensive than the deal I can get on PC.

Okay, I'll give a shout out to them.

Hi Flame 123, unfortunately I did not get around to a trip report and cannot believe that almost a year has passed since we were in NYC. Staybridge was great for us, we stayed for over 2 weeks and found it to be just what we needed. The room was small but comfortable, great bed, nice linen and pillows, bonus was a full size fridge and a coffee machine, hot plate and microwave. For our longer stay it was really convenient to do a light meal in the room a couple of nights. We found the room to be quite, comfortable and clean and within walking distance to lots of things and close to subway and busses when needed.

Sorry I have not had a chance to read this thread, I just popped by after a message from Starrs.

One other thing - breakfast included - the dining area is small and sometimes very crowded but they also allow 'take aways' they have cups etc for coffee and paper bags to put fruit and muffin etc in so we sometimes just grabbed something and went on our way.

I would be happy to answer any specific questions you might have so please ask away. We spent months doing research for the right place to stay for our first trip to NYC and although there were plenty of great options we were very pleased with this one.

Bwino, someone said upthread that they didn't like the neighborhood around the Staybridge Suites. It would be fine for me. How did you feel about the neighborhood?

So you don't have to search -
<i>"I would say that you could do better on location. It seems to be hard by the Port Authority bus terminal and there are some types usually hanging around that you might not want to invite for dinner. Of course that can be true anyplace, and I don't mean that you would be in any danger, but unless you have a compelling reason to stay there, or really want the proximity to the theatre district, I think you can do better"</i>

Since you stayed there for two weeks, did you feel uncomfortable? I know I wouldn't and the many reviews on tripadvisor and elsewhere don't talk about the area negatively.

But you "lived" there for two weeks so you have first hand experiene to share.

I live in midtown Manhattan and am in that area fairly regularly so I think I am capable of offering my opinion, which I did above. The hotel appears, on quick glance at a map, to be near the back of the Port Authority bus terminal and across the avenue from a drop-in shelter for the homeless. There is a lot of street traffic since it is also near the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel.

Those are the negatives that I perceive from looking at the location on a map. Under no stretch of the imagination would I call the area dangerous, but I might use the descriptor, "grimy," which, like that other adjective so often cited, is in the eye of the beholder.

Unless I wanted to take in Broadway shows frequently, or had an abiding interest in being near Times Square, I would choose another location, perhaps downtown and based of course on the deals I could find for my dates. That is my personal opinion. Certainly if one is spending much time at theatres in the area, it would be most convenient, although the restaurant choices are not among the best that the city has to offer, to say the least.

We found the neighbourhood to be absolutely fine, the actual street the hotel is in does face the port authority but we never for a second felt it to be unsafe or unsavoury. There was always plenty of people on the street and in fact this is just one of maybe 3 hotels on this street so lots of tourists and business people around. Anytime we wanted to go to another part of the city we just used the subway. For us being so close to Times Square was part of the excitement of being in NYC.

And a typo above - it was actually just over 3 weeks we there not 2 weeks. Oh, and free wifi.

Thanks Bwino!

The area is perfetly safe. It is not, howver, very pleasant. It sort of depends on your expectations. (There will be some all night street life and homeless peole in the area.)

It seems like no one is deeming this area unsafe, having only a possibility of being somewhat unpleasant. I appreciate all your input. I will keep thinking of my possibilities and try and make an informed decision.
Thanks a lot!!

Flame, there is an age-old divide here that will never be decided or agreed upon. It's similar in the question "Which is better, Savannah or Charleston?" There will never be a resolution to that question. There will never be an agreement.

The locals cannot fathom that people would actually CHOOSE to stay in the Times Square area. The intensity varies from "stay anywhere else!", "stay there if you HAVE to", but never "that's a great option for a visit to NYC". There have at least a dozen threads with great long civil conversations on this. NeoPatrick, who has traveled the world over and spends a month at a time in NYC, has written extensively on the topic. Despite all those words, the divide still exists. Many of us CHOOSE the area over any other in NYC - and yes, having stayed in many other areas of NYC.

There are many of us who considers this area far more than "not unsafe" or "not somewhat unpleasant" but in fact would be our #1 pick for location. Some locals may find that inconceivable, but it is true.

As bwino said above "We spent months doing research for the right place to stay for our first trip to NYC and although there were plenty of great options we were very pleased with this one."

MomDDtravel - loved the Hilton Garden Inn and it's location>

Me :) Yes, I stayed there with GREAT trepidation because I HATE time square area. I get nervous in large crowds and have stayed at the Marriott Marquis a few times and felt like I was going to get hives. I stayed at the Waldorf once and LOVED that area more... BUT I was traveling in the fall with my daughter and the main focus of our trip was shows and I had hilton points to use - SO that meant - Hilton Garden Inn.

I LOVED it. It was far enough "out" of the center of TS for me to not feel overwhelmed but the location could not be beat - we could walk with ease to shows (my daughter was recovering for a foot surgery and long walking was still out of the question).

Try to get a higher floor my only complaint was I heard the subway underneath - seems hard to believe but I did. It has LARGE rooms for NYC standards and had two queens not two doubles - the staff went out of their way and when we were there - it had complimentary coffee in the am :)

I would stay there again no questions asked.

For those who decide to stay in the TS area, this New Yorkers' perspective on eating in the area offers a few good tips. The locals' take is obvious!

From a current thread on Chowhound:


http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/818271

Here are some recent suggestions for Italian restaurants in Midtown -
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...nd-midtown.cfm