new york city hotel question?
Sep 21st, 2005, 08:12 PM
#1
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new york city hotel question?
Haven't been to NYC in 30 yrs...though we travel a lot here and overseas, and lived overseas in the 70's. Will be there 2 or 3 days third week in Oct....want a convenient hotel in the $l75 to $250 range (I guess?? yikes)..comfortable, good view, and of course good locations, ...close to
restaurants (but not real high range ones).Is uptown or downtown better for GENERAL NYC,? and don't say it depends on what we want to do....OR I'd also rather NOT be given the idea of "Priceline" etc.
>)
I've done a LOT of research, but would like some help from those of you who have personal experiences with hotels....and what your favorites are.
THen we are going on north to the foliage..although did the foliage trip about 12 or 15 yrs. ago and the scenery was exquisit.! We had car and would get up early, eat breakfast with the locals in the dark in Oct. and get ahead of the tour busses . We don't care if the leaves are not at their peak this time....
My question is:...don't want to rent the car in NYC, so should we take the train from Grand Central Station to Connecticut or someplace to rent the car.? What cities might you suggest.??? and I'd like more info about getting there on the train.
We had sort of planned a Nova Scotia trip instead of the Foliage, but that is on hold for another time.
Thanks thanks thanks....
restaurants (but not real high range ones).Is uptown or downtown better for GENERAL NYC,? and don't say it depends on what we want to do....OR I'd also rather NOT be given the idea of "Priceline" etc.
>)I've done a LOT of research, but would like some help from those of you who have personal experiences with hotels....and what your favorites are.
THen we are going on north to the foliage..although did the foliage trip about 12 or 15 yrs. ago and the scenery was exquisit.! We had car and would get up early, eat breakfast with the locals in the dark in Oct. and get ahead of the tour busses . We don't care if the leaves are not at their peak this time....
My question is:...don't want to rent the car in NYC, so should we take the train from Grand Central Station to Connecticut or someplace to rent the car.? What cities might you suggest.??? and I'd like more info about getting there on the train.
We had sort of planned a Nova Scotia trip instead of the Foliage, but that is on hold for another time.
Thanks thanks thanks....
Sep 22nd, 2005, 03:57 AM
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Mari
I just booked at the Grand Hyatt for the week after Christmas. I looked at both large and boutique hotels and made my choice based on price, amenities and location. The GH is at Grand Central Station and I got an extra large king room for quite a bit less than I would have paid at the boutique hotels we were considering. I know it will lack charm but that's OK. I don't know if you'd be eligible for it but they have excellent discounts if you are 62 or over.
I just booked at the Grand Hyatt for the week after Christmas. I looked at both large and boutique hotels and made my choice based on price, amenities and location. The GH is at Grand Central Station and I got an extra large king room for quite a bit less than I would have paid at the boutique hotels we were considering. I know it will lack charm but that's OK. I don't know if you'd be eligible for it but they have excellent discounts if you are 62 or over.
Sep 22nd, 2005, 04:27 AM
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Not sure what you mean by good view. Most NYC hotels are highrises and are in the midst of and facing other highrises. So - there is essentially no view - except for a very few hotels that overlook Central Park - or the Times Square area (if that's what you want to look at).
If you mean facing the outside of the building rather than an airshaft or another building 4 feet away - that's more the luck of the draw in terms of rooms.
Am I defining view wrongly? Or are you willing to give on this? (The only hotels I know with a real view are very expensive.)
If you mean facing the outside of the building rather than an airshaft or another building 4 feet away - that's more the luck of the draw in terms of rooms.
Am I defining view wrongly? Or are you willing to give on this? (The only hotels I know with a real view are very expensive.)
Sep 22nd, 2005, 04:33 AM
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You'll not find anything with a view in Midtown for $175-$250 during October unless you catch a good rate at Le Parker Meridian (Central Park view) or Marriott Marquis (Times Square).
I highly suggest you look into the Embassy Suites downtown in the Financial District. That area is usually much cheaper (20-30%) than the most of Manhattan.
You may also find a good deal at The Ritz-Cartlton downtown. If not, have a drink at their bar on the 14th. Awsome views.
If you can get out of Midtown, you should be able to eek out your requirements in your price range. Good luck!
I highly suggest you look into the Embassy Suites downtown in the Financial District. That area is usually much cheaper (20-30%) than the most of Manhattan.
You may also find a good deal at The Ritz-Cartlton downtown. If not, have a drink at their bar on the 14th. Awsome views.
If you can get out of Midtown, you should be able to eek out your requirements in your price range. Good luck!
Sep 22nd, 2005, 05:09 AM
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we were in New York last summer. We stayed at the Michaelangelo on W 54th. it ws convient to everything. There are always taxis to take you around. the hotel eas lovely the rooms big for NY. The beds were more comfortable than at home. if you go to expedia, they have some great deals, and you can read the reviews. we loved it.
Sep 22nd, 2005, 07:25 AM
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hdm if you haven't had a chance already join Hyatt's Gold Passport program. You will enjoy a few little "extras" including complimentary coffee and a morning paper. We stayed at the Hyatt at Grand Central and found it to be very convenient with good service. I think you'll be satisfied.
Sep 22nd, 2005, 07:39 AM
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A better plan for foliage viewing is to take a Metro North train on the Hudson line in New York and rent a car. I know there's an Enterprise branch near the Croton train station, which is a major station 35-40 miles north of the city.
Foliage viewing in the Hudson Valley and adjacent Berkshires is magnificent.
Foliage viewing in the Hudson Valley and adjacent Berkshires is magnificent.
Sep 22nd, 2005, 08:34 AM
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First, NEITHER uptown nor downtown are "better." But I also think the days of picking a neighborhood for NYC hotels if you're worried about price are over. With prices so crazy you've got to pick the best hotel at the best price you can find for your dates.
Did a search on quikbook.com for Oct. 19 for 3 nights and saw nothing below $250 I'd pick. The Beekman Towers is available at $269/night (you might be able to find it for a better price elsewhere). Is it the best location? No, but it ain't bad (near the UN) and NYC has good transportation in case you forgot.
Better options if you do Tues-Thurs. The Salisbury is available for $232/night. Very central location on west 57 st. Not fancy but very large rooms (most with kitchenettes) and good area for getting around.
BTW, I do think it's worth trying Priceline if you'd be happy with the Hilton NY or Hilton Times Square. Bidding 4 * in midtown west, people have won one of those for under $150/night at times. For a 2-3 day visit you'd be more likely to get lucky.
As to the car, there have been several requests like this lately if you try a text search. Unless you find a bargain I think schlepping bags on a train outside the city is not worth the trouble. And btw, it will be around peak time for leaves.
Did a search on quikbook.com for Oct. 19 for 3 nights and saw nothing below $250 I'd pick. The Beekman Towers is available at $269/night (you might be able to find it for a better price elsewhere). Is it the best location? No, but it ain't bad (near the UN) and NYC has good transportation in case you forgot.
Better options if you do Tues-Thurs. The Salisbury is available for $232/night. Very central location on west 57 st. Not fancy but very large rooms (most with kitchenettes) and good area for getting around.
BTW, I do think it's worth trying Priceline if you'd be happy with the Hilton NY or Hilton Times Square. Bidding 4 * in midtown west, people have won one of those for under $150/night at times. For a 2-3 day visit you'd be more likely to get lucky.
As to the car, there have been several requests like this lately if you try a text search. Unless you find a bargain I think schlepping bags on a train outside the city is not worth the trouble. And btw, it will be around peak time for leaves.
Sep 22nd, 2005, 08:47 AM
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We recently stayed at the Lucerne in the Upper West Side and enjoyed it. I would call it a mid-range hotel -- comfortable and clean with friendly staff, but not super luxurious. Our room had no view to speak of but was quiet. The hotel is located in a nice neighborhood --a block from the subway, two blocks from Central Park and in an area surrounded by many reasonable restaurants. There is an Alamo car rental office (and I believe a National) two blocks away which is where we rented our car.
Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip!
Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip!
Sep 22nd, 2005, 08:53 AM
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I just checked the Lucerne's website and see the prices are much higher now than they were mid-summer. Yikes is right! I was able to negotiate a bit of a discount by calling directly when we booked which might be worth a try. You might also try the Excelsior, Salisbury and Belvedere which get pretty good reviews on this site. Good luck!
Sep 22nd, 2005, 09:27 AM
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For price (under 200)and location, we were pretty impressed with the Wellington. It's pretty basic, but how much time will you spend in your room? It definitely gets mixed reviews on tripadvisor.com but I thought it was fine. Request a renovated room, though. It's a block from Central Park, close to theatres and has a subway stop right next door. Plenty of restaurants nearby. We really enjoyed a great meal/music at Swing 46!
http://www.swing46.com/
http://www.swing46.com/
Sep 23rd, 2005, 08:34 AM
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Just looked myself for a saturday stay over in October...everything in Mid-town starts at $300 per night. Might want to check out the Hyatt in Jersey City which offers fantastic views of the city's skyline. I believe price was around $175 and its a top rate hotel (i've stayed)...and you can take either the staton island ferry which is romantic, or the "path" subway which will bring you up and around Ground Zero. Have a nice trip!
