We got an incredible deal ($230 RT on Vayama) on flights to Lima through NY so my husband & I, and our 14 y.o. daughter will be visiting NY for the first time from San Francisco for a very short time. We have two nights & essentially one day, arriving in NY on 6/14 @ 7:00 p.m. at JFK & leaving on 6/16 @ 11:00 a.m for Lima. We are returning through NY & will have one night & a full day until our plane leaves at 5:30 pm. on 7/04.
Having never been to NY before, I haven't a clue where to stay. I've looked on Kayak, Hotels.com & tripadvisor, but it's all meaningless to me as I don't know the areas. I would like to spend under $200 per night, preferably $160-180. Any hotel suggestions would be appreciated. Also, what would be the advice for getting to & from the airport. I'm assuming it would be better for us to stay near the airport on our return visit & take a cab/bus into the city for a day of sightseeing. I would love some suggestions. I have used the Peru forum extensively for planning our trip to the Amazon & Machu Pichu & it has been wonderful.

Staying near the airport is NOT a great idea - since it wil take at least an hour to and from the city - probably by taking the hotel shuttle back to the airport and then the Airtain and either subway or LIRR from Jamaica into the city.

That said your budget is a low one for 3 people at that time of year. I would start searching now using travelzoo.com etc (not Priceline since many room hae just 1 double bed)for best prices for a triple room. You might try the Newton on the upper west side which sometimes has internet specials and is relaible although not fancy.

Cab from the airport to and fro the city will be about $120 - much better spent on a hotel actually IN Manhattan.

How much luggage will you have? And are you willing to trek into and out of city with it on public transit (requires some flights of stairs from subway to the street usually)?

Friends stayed last year at the Park South Hotel and were able to find discounted rates in your range through hotels.com. It worked well for them since there were three of adults all sharing a room and they had two double beds. Also they said the included breakfast was generous.

For your dates the Park South is charging about $300 per night for 3 adults. The Newton has a double double room for about $210 including taxes. Several other moderate hotels I look at are also about $300 for those dates - even with internet specials. (Realize that a room for 3 is typically a larger, upgraded room versus a basic one.)

I found another site today that quoted less for Park South, but it may not have been a reputable site . . .

It's always possible another site has a better site - as long as it's one you're familiar with - and understand any cancellation penalties.

Thank you for your suggestions. I've gotten used to Peruvian prices! I did find the Park South for $214 on Priceline. I will revise my budget & keep looking. Any other hotel suggestions are more than appreciated.

For 3 people that's about the best you're going to do at that time of year - unless you want to look a places that might offer a shared bath - the Pod hotel has rooms with bunk beds and a shared baths and might be less. Or, you could look for one of the brand new hotels, which often offer special low rates for their first month or so.

The sights are scattered around so no one location is going to be near everything but I do agree, staying near the airport is not a good idea. It will take an hour or more to travel in each direction and the area has absolutely nothing to offer in the way of restaurants or services. You're basically stuck at your hotel for eating.

Usually we say, stay near enough to a subway station and you'll be fine. In your case, in an ideal world I'd say stay in midtown for the 2 nights at the beginning of the trip (to be near Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Fifth ave., Empire state and the start of tour buses if you plan on doing that) and perhaps stay in a downtown neighborhood for the last night to be near Soho, Chinatown and the village. That last night, a Sat. night of the 4th of July weekend may not offer a lot of options though as many hotels won't take a 1 night stay on a holiday weekend.

The Travel Inn is not a glamorous hotel but it's clean and not far from Times Square in midtown west. They have a room with 2 double beds for $175/night plus tax (tax adds ~ 15%) for June 14-16. It's $140 on hotels.com for a "standard" room of 1 or 2 double beds. I'd just be worried about what happens if you get only 1.

Radio City apartments is in a more central location, not so far west, also in midtown west. It's a bit threadbare(although very well liked) and is under $200/night on quikbook.com Look at the reviews of these on tripadvisor and check the photos on the review page. Oyster.com has info and photos of the Travel Inn.

There's nothing wrong with the Park South and if it offered larger beds (ie 2 queens vs. 2 doubles), I'd say go for it.

I shop hotels on kayak.com and quikbook.com

Thank you for your great responses. They are very helpful! We booked the Park South Hotel for two nights & are now working on the one night on our return. All of your suggestions have been really helpful.

Sightseeing: Get reservations for top of the Rock for 360 degree aerial view of Manhattan. You buy tix and they tell you to show up at a certain time and up you go. Much better than Empire State Bldg, and you'll avoid the lines. Great orientation. Across the street is St. Patrick's Cathedral. You could then walk up 5th Avenue 10 blocks next to/through Central Park then 23 or so more blocks to the Metropolitan Museum. Or, the New York Public Library (and short tour) is very cool and then go across the street to Grand Central Station whose main concourse is fab. Nice restaurant under the bridge at 42nd street on way to Grand Central. Or eat in the garden outside of the Library. Yes, Broadway, Times Square. Greenwich Village and Soho.

Thank you for all of your wonderful suggestions. My daughter, age 14, is very musical & would love to see a Broadway play. Should we go to Lion King? Any recommendations?

Lion King is never discounted. If budget isn't an issue, it's a good choice but there are loads of shows (like In the Heights, South Pacific, West Side Story, Next to Normal (particularly popular with teens and young adults) that are discounted if you look on the left column on broadwaybox.com Wicked is the most popular show for teen girls, but that too is never discounted and a hard ticket to get.

Do I read this correctly that you got a round trip flight from San Francisco to Peru for $230?

I will look into Next to Normal and the broadway box site. Yes, I did get RT flights from JFK to Lima for $230. The flights are less than one night hotel in NY! Hotels in Peru are also very inexpensive, unless you use a tour operator.

We stay at the Milburn Hotel in the upper west side. Although it's a bit out of the center of things, we love the "neighborhood" feel and the selection of restaurants/stores nearby including the Fairway and Zabar's. The subway at 72nd takes you right down to Times Square. It's listing right around $200 and they have a very nice complimentary breakfast in the morning. My daughter loved Wicked and although it is expensive it's really worth it. So would be Lion King. The TKTS booths have discount On/Off Broadway shows (Wicked/Lion King are never there) so you could check the day of to see what's available. Also, check the Wicked website - they have a lottery for tickets before the show that we actually won. We also like the Tenement Museum. Check out the Hopstop.com for excellent public transportation directions. Enjoy!

Wow. $240 round trip is amazing.

I mean $230 (even more amazing) ; )