Hi we're going to New York over Christmas and were wondering if anyone knows of any decent budget hotels/hostels around Times Square. Is Christmas a good time to go? How about Christmas Day itself regarding food/drink/shops etc? Thank you.

Check out the recent thread posted by Tracker:

"NYC hotel costs and info over christmas and new years?"

Best dates for lowest rates will likely be from the 22nd through the 29th or 30th. Rates for the weekend before Christmas will be higher, rates over New Year's even higher.

Book something you can cancel, then try Priceline and/or Hotwire from time to time.

Few, if any, shops will be open Christmas day. Dining rooms and bars in the hotels will be open. Some restaurants and bars will be open, but many will not. Most places (even in the hotels) close early Christmas Eve.

Thanks for the reply. Are teenagers allowed to go to restaurants (with adults) where adults can have a meal and wine or are unders 21's not allowed in establishments where alcohol is served?

Yes - of course! All restaurants will allow people under 21 inside!

They will only be carded at the door if you go to a bar and there is a bouncer checking IDs.

just replied to your other post on this--to order an alcholic beverage at a restaurant, you must prove you are 21. (If your statement were true, there would be no children in most restaurants!)

Ellen, after reading your statement all I could think is that there are no children in most NYC restaurants! But it has nothing to do with alcohol laws.

We spend lots of time in NYC...have to say, I never gave it a thought BUT...I do not recall children being in the "restaurants" that we have eaten at in NYC either(?)

The kid friendly ones like...that space ship thing, hard rock and other chains of course have plenty of kids. We see them in line as we pass by...

This is a trip! no, in all of our times in NYC we have never dinned in a restaurant where kids were present.

Our teen does his own thing with our/his East coast friends and he/teens and kids have no interest in dining where we "die" to dine...no wonder we LOVE to go to NYC!!!!!!!!