Just checking in. I looked at BigAppleGetaway's calendar and it is fully booked for May except May 31 then open the first two weeks of June. I believe it is currently $250 a night (with a 7 night minimum). I love that apartment. There is a dining table with four chairs. If only there was a bigger top, or you could get a "plywood" or something and put on the top, there are two more chairs that could work as dining chairs and I think there would be room to seat 6 that way.
There is a full kitchen and a pretty big passthru open to the dining/living room if you were doing a buffet and several sit at the sofa and four at the table. The views are impressive from up there especially since it is very open for several blocks to the north and out to the Hudson River.


We arrive for the full month of June also staying in Worldwide Plaza, but in one of the low rises on the 49th Street Side.

Regarding the Upper West Side VRBO you mention, it really looks lovely. There is no doubt it is more nicely furnished than the BigApple Getaway, and appears more spacious. The dining area is a huge plus if you're serious about doing the dinner party thing. I really don't see any drawbacks there, but would be curious where it is. I'm wild about the Worldwide Plaza location -- Big Apple Getaway on 50th between 8th and 9th, because we do so much theatre which is all in the neighborhood, but if the VRBO one is convenient for you, I think it looks great.

Many apts. ask for a security deposit, but I've never heard of a $750 deposit!

Thanks, Patrick. Thanks, mclaurie.

We're reasonably flexible about time and could go in June or even July, though I wouldn't want it to be too not. Who knows about the weather these days, though.

If I understand you correctly, the Worldwide Plaza and the Big Apple Getaway are the same place, right?

I have to wait till SO goes back to work on Monday and checks the 2008 academic calendar and then we'll decide for sure. The Big Apple Getaway looks great and is in a fine location for us too. Maybe we'll have everyone over for brunch -- that's a bit more casual.

Yes. Worldwide Plaza is an entire block of development running between 49th and 50th, 8th and 9th. I think it was developed maybe 10 years ago? At the 8th Avenue end is a huge high rise office building. There is a subway in that building, so very convenient. In the center of the block behind that is a huge open plaza with a couple of casual eateries and outdoor eating. Beneath that plaza is a group of OffBroadway theatres (Altar Boyz plays in one of them) called New Stages. The Western half of the block is the high rise apartment building with the privately owned apartment called BigAppleGetaway in it. The owner is a Californian and they just own that one and rent it out by the week. Sitting around that building is a group of low rises -- three stories, I think -- with other apartments in them. We're renting one of those for the full month of June -- just a fairly large studio with an outdoor terrace. But it is only rented for a full month, already booked the entire year, and rents for just $2900 a month! We couldn't afford the Big Apple Getaway for a full month (he'll discount it only 10%, so it would still be almost $7000 for a month!)

A really odd thing. BigAppleGetaway is on the 33rd floor with fantastic views. It is actually apt. 33-H. We've rented it twice. This past May/June we rented another apartment for a month -- on the southeast corner of 50th and 8th (above Thalia restaurant). When we got the final contract we nearly fell over. It was apartment 33-H. What are the odds of renting the same apartment number less than a block apart?

If you contact the owner, tell him that Patrick from Naples referred you (not that it gets me anything, just so he'll know it's a personal referral).

Thanks, Patrick. I'll be sure to do that. I just told SO that I had a reference for an apartment from people on Fodor's whose judgement I absolutely trust.

Just don't think that the apartment is "elegantly furnished". It's pretty simple and fairly cheap. Comfortable and nice, but nothing special. The pictures on the website do give a pretty accurate depiction. I think our initial impression was that it was larger than it seemed in the pictures though.

wow - that's a lot of info. I'll have to digest it after we get back from Costa Rica....thanks for all your input! I thought the Murray Hill suites sounded good but now I want to check out the Milburn too!

Casual is fine, Patrick. We're not expecting or needing anything fancy, just clean, central and convenient (and cheap -- I think I've just coined the 'four C's of travel-apartment seeking!).

If you ever decide to rent that Riverside Boulevard apartment, I'd love to know how it worked out.

hdm, a good friend lived in that complex and it was a GREAT location to use as a base. I loved the location and the apartment.

Which apartment are you talking about, starrs? The big apple getaway? Or that vrbo one on Riverside Boulevard? And did you stay there with your friend who lived there?

My friend moved to an apartment on the 30 something floor in the Worldwide Plaza. Doorman/ elevator, very nice lobby. Her apartment was gorgeous (she moved her furniture up from GA). I loved the location. Steps away from B'way. I stayed with her several times and used it as a base for a lot of sightseeing and shows.

Ironically enough, she now lives in the UWS not far off Riverside. I just did a google map for Riverside Blvd and that looks like a fabulous location. It's further south than my friend's place, but if I mapped it right it's close to Lincoln Center. The listing sounds like it's still a very residential area. The WWP location is in the Times Square area - which for me is a plus.

I dunno, hdm. I don't know how you could do wrong with either. The security deposit would not scare me for a longer-term rental on a place with nice stuff in it - as long as its refundable when you leave with no damages.

I'm leaning towards the big apple getaway right now. I really like having the personal recommendations. (The other does look gorgeous, though, doesn't it?)

Now I'm picturing inviting our friends for a casual brunch instead of a dinner party and setting up the food on that counter between the kitchen and the living room/dining area.

I do like the location, too. I love the UWS and if I lived in NY that would be my first choice of neighbourhoods. Your friend must live close to our friends at 72nd and West End. It's such a great neighbourhood.

Now if I can only pin SO down to a date. From the website, it looks like the beginning of June is available and that would be a good time for us too.

Come meet us in NY!

hdm, I looked at the floor plan. Identical apt - just a different view (hers looked north with a glimpse of the Hudson. Another plus, Neo likes it.

Ummmm...further north, but I had to google the address to doublecheck the cross street. I thought "How weird would that be?!?"

Woo hoo! I just put in my booking request for the big apple apartment from April 27 to May 3. I hope it's available and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's still $250.

Wish me luck!

Luck!

I second (third? fourth?) the Milburn suggestion, we stayed there a few months ago with our two kids AND our nanny (the management were accommodating about it). The bedroom was spacious enough for the two kids to bunk in with us. It's in a great part of town to see NYC with kids. The rooms are not beautiful but it's reasonable value.

Several years ago, we stayed at a hotel called the Kimberly.It was located near the Radio City area, I remember because we walked there. We had a one bedroom with living room and kitchen set up. We were in NY on a business trip and were bumped into the Kimberly from the Parker Meridian. At first, I was disappointed that we were bumped, but the apartment (hotel room) was very spacious. Since we had our kids, who were young at the time, it was perfect. The living room area had an open up couch.
Check it out. I am not sure what it costs or what it is like today. I think it was about 5 or 6 years ago when we went. Hope this helps.

Yay, I just booked the bigapplegetaway for the last week in April! The owner was very responsive and nice to deal with. Have you looked at the pictures of the apartment in Ixtapa? It looks gorgeous.

We're thinking of driving down so now I have to think about parking but I'll start a new thread for that.

Thanks, NP and McL, for your help with this.

hdm, for parking go to iconparking.com and look for the best price near where you are. Reserve and print out a confirmation when you're ready. I suppose you could also ask the owner if they have any sort of deal in the building in nearby.