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New York - where to stay and what sort of accommodation??
Never visited NY before but keen to visit and see this amazing city. We ( 2 adults and 16yr old son) will visit for 1 week from about 28 December 11. Ok, do we rent an apartment for a week or stay in a hotel?? Any thoughts? Where do we stay? What part? Any suggestions guys? We will want to see all the tourist sites including Broadway, Museums, Art Gallery's etc etc. We are not keen on staying in a 'corporate' cold hotel? Something more boutique and homely?? Apartment sounds Ok too as we can cook the occasional meal? Any advice people? We are all ears? Any thoughts about what a typical surly 16 year old boy might like to visit? Thanks in advance. (from Australia)
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mid town 4 stars from $110 or so bidding priceline.com always best cheapest for me usually pick up the Hilton or Hyatt 70% off... www.chelsealodge.com nice for me for no bid for budget hotelparksavoy.com on Central Park. It is illegal for individuals to rent apts many scammers Never wire money always use a legal agency and CC Avoid craibslist vrbo tripavertizer individual scammers Happy Hunting at leat the AUD is super strong right now. A great time to come from Oz... www.virtualtourist.com New York great NYC tips from locals surly kids love "The Village" |
I would give that "surly 16 yr.old" a tour book and let him decide.
Apartment rentals of less than 30 days are illegal in NYC. but there are apartment/hotels that you might consider....ie. Radio City Apartments and the Affinia Group. As far as where to stay, you can pretty much stay anywhere in Manhattan as long as you are near a subway station. |
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I agree with the recommendation of the Radio City Apartments or Affinia Group.
I like Priceline, but it isn't a good idea for you, since you may get a room with one bed. |
I recommend the Staybridge Suites - rooms have kitchenettes
http://www.staytimessquare.com/ SusieQQ has a great idea re giving him a guide book and letting him pick activities he wants to do. Make sure to include his picks on the trip. Read trip reports on here for some really great ideas. |
You canot rent an apartment - renting for fewer than 30 days is illegal in NYC. You will see some advetised - many are scams and the others are - hope you won;t be caught. Landlords, and coop/condo broads do NOT like this and do all they can to prevent people from these illegal rentals.
It would help to know your budget since the early part of your trip is high season - and New Year's Eve is the most expensive night of the year. Because of that I would avoid hotels near Times Square -- other areas will have prices that are less outrageous that night. Radio City Apartments are in a great location and prices are good for the modest property - but it often sells out months in advance. The Affinia group is a bunch of moderate and pleasant all suite hotels around the city - and have all sorts of suite configurations. The Beacon on the upper west side also has suites - but again - often sells out far in advance. You cannot use Priceline since all they promise is a room with one double bed - and in NYC that is all many rooms have - and are often not that much bigger than the bed. You can check other discount sites that let you insert a number of people - so you can be sure to get a room that allows 3 people - try travelzoo.com, kayak etc. Agree if the kid is surly have him look at the student guides (Let's Go and Thorn Tree section of the Lonely Planet web site. If he's helped to pick out sights and activities then he can have no reason to complain. And the city has something for everyone - f you tell us his interests (besides 16 year old girls - which he won't get in NY) people can make specific recos. |
Price range for hotel room? The week between Christmas and New Years is expensive, so knowing your budget will help you get appropriate recommendations for hotels.
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Typically, when visitors complain that Manhattan is dirty and crowded, they stayed in the Times Square area, which New Yorkers avoid like the plague.
So, from a location standpoint, I suggest NOT staying in Times Square. Enjoy NYC! |
<i>...the Times Square area, which New Yorkers avoid like the plague</i>
That explains the demise of the Broadway theater, and the deserted subway station at 42nd Street and Broadway. Thanks. |
People who live in the huge and bustling city of New York of course "hate" Times Square, the busiest and liveliest area you may ever see, but prefer quieter neighborhoods. But for many of those who live in quiet, leafy suburbs and neighborhoods across America, the busiest and liveliest most "lit up" area of NYC is just what they want.
New Yorkers don't vacation in New York City so of course the visitor's desires are probably exactly opposite those of residents! Makes sense. It still amazes me that some don't understand why people want to travel to the most different city possible from their own homes and then seek to avoid what makes it the most different from their own homes. That simply makes no sense to me. Although I totally understand why those who live in the busiest noisiest city in the country want to avoid the busiest noisiest part of it. Logical indeed. |
What Neopatrick says...
We prefer the TS area BECAUSE it's nothing like home! ~Liz |
Touche, NP.
I lived in NYC for thirty years and, during that time, some of my happiest memories of those years are of times I spent in and within two or three blocks of Times Square. |
Does your 16 year old have an interest in film?TV? www.movingimage.us might appeal to him,and it's easy subway ride away from Manhattan.Very interactive.
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A note on weather, since no one's mentioned it yet: If you are native Aussies, and don't visit ski resorts regularly, then December in NYC will likely be *much* colder than what you're used to.
Zero to minus 5 Celsius is not uncommon, not counting the wind chill - which is significant, when the wind rips through skyscraper-lined streets! Snowstorms are also, obviously, a possibility - a few inches is pretty (til it turns into nasty black city slush, anyway), but sometimes the city can get really slammed. Look up "December 2010 North American blizzard" on Wikipedia if you want to see what we got up and down the East Coast, including Manhattan, the day after Christmas last year. If you're coming all this way, you will definitely want to be comfortable enough to walk outside, sightsee, etc! So, if you don't own or don't want to pack winter-level outerwear, then bring roomy waterproof windbreakers, and plan to layer - a LOT. Silk or polypro long underwear (tops and bottoms) is great because it is compact, can be worn under just about anything, including relatively dressy outfits, and you can wash and drip-dry it at your hotel. Completely-waterproof shoes, with good treads for snow/ice, and warm socks are a MUST - again, if you don't want to pack them, plan on buying them there. Hats and gloves, the same. |
You will need warm outerwear for sure, but I personally think long underwear is a bad idea because buildings are overheated - the minute you get inside you'll be shedding your outerwear, but won't be able to easily remove long underwear.
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My life-long experience with visitors to New York confirms my opinion that the vast majority enjoy their time in Manhattan more when they do NOT stay in the Times Square area. (Of course there are exceptions; if you are one of them, super!)
<i>None</i> of Manhattan is anything like "the quiet, leafy suburbs." I can't imagine a visitor mistaking midtown east, Yorkville or Soho for Des Moines. To choose to stay in the shadow of Red Lobster and Olive Garden, when so many better options are available, doesn't make sense to me. As <i>Time Out New York</i> said, <b>"When the apocalypse comes, Times Square will be the waiting room for the damned."</b> Visitors to New York City can do far, far better than Times Square. <i>Certainly</i> every tourist should walk through it, and it's often unavoidable to reach a theater, but don't voluntarily stay in the waiting room for the damned. |
Agree not to wear ski underwear. this works only if you are outdoors te whole day. When you are in and out, in and out - as you will be touring NYC you can take off your coat -- and if you want your sweater - but can;t really get the underwear off. Indoors tend to be very warm - and you wold swelter and sweat with the heat.
Agree you must have waterproof shoes or booties with nonskid soles that are comfy for walking miles, hat, car, gloves and sturdy folding umbrella. Substantial snow is possible that time of year - but a little snow (less than 4 or 5 ") and sleet/ice is probably more likely . And you really do need to give us a budget if we're to help with lodging. |
Gekko, this discussion goes on over and over and over again - and has for years. There are hotels that open out to the craziness of Times Square - and hotels that are a block or so (even a half of a block) - and it's almost a world away. I have two friends who have CHOSEN to live in the midst of what so many of you say that New Yorkers hate. I wish some New Yorkers would just accept that SOME people like it as much as SOME people hate it - and some CHOOSE to live there over any other section of the city.
I've stayed in just about every section of the city and the Times Square AREA is still my #1 choice - ESPECIALLY if I plan to see a lot of shows. The Muse, the Hampton Inn TS North, the Hilton Garden Inn are GREAT choices and aren't in the middle of the craziness. The Staybridge Suites TS is a great choice if someone wants a kitchenette. I agree about not wearing long underwear. You'll burn up inside. I like thin cashmere sweaters with a warm winter coat, scarf, gloves, hat or ear muffs. I wear black jeans most of the time and black boots or black walking shoes. Even better, two pairs of shoes so you can alternate. |
thanks heaps guys - now no fighting amongst yourselves!! We will love it wherever we end up staying whether it be near Times Square or not. Yes, we are skiers too so no probs with the clothing advice. Now here is the next question - after staying in the big Apple for a week and sampling its many and varied delights we want to stop off at a ski resort for 10 days on the way back to the land of Aus. Where to go? Ease of access important - we are good skiers so nothing too easy? Like some village atmosphere. Utah, Colorado, California, Idaho, Wyoming? Too much choice!! HELP?
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