nytraveler

By staying in White PLains you 1) may well need a car to get to the train station, 2) will spend more than 1 to 1.5 hours per day traveling back and forth and 3) will have to pay train fares (which may eat up any savings).

Also, most areas of White Plains are perfectly pleasant while there are others that are not very nice. You would need to sort out exactly where the hotel is and what the neighborhood is like. (Is it a place you would be comfortable returning to alone at night?

Gwendolynn

Don't know if you're still considering Gracie Inn. I live in the neighborhood and once checked it out for friends. Kind of basic.. but nice. And actually it's not as out of the way as it seems.
It's right off York Avenue and on York Ave there is the M31 bus that runs down to 57th Street and all the way west to 11th avenue. On 57th street you can connect with all sorts of bus line and subway lines. Of course, it's not the fastest way to travel - (The M31 used to be called the Bloomingdales Express until it's last stop was moved away from the store.)

There's also the 79t St Crosstown at York and 79th which takes you to the Lexington Ave.
subway (77th st) or thru Central Park to the West Side (stop near Museum of Natural History and a few blocks from the NY Historical Society...... plus West Side subway and bus connections.

Our neighborhood is kind of quiet (NY quiet that is) but the Inn is not far from Carl Schurz Park, a little gem that runs along the East River from 84th st. to 90th street. (Gracie Mansion
is in the park at 88th street.)

Enough good coffee shops and restaurants to keep one busy on a limited visit.

cferrb

5alive, it wasn't the OP who asked about White Plains, it was me, another board user. I thought it might be an option worth exploring.

nytraveler

It's true you can get to the rest of the city from Gracie Inn. And the commute isn;t bad if you live there. (I used to live on 80th and East End and took the bus to work - but to 55th & Third so a couple of blocks from the bus stop.)

But tourists want to be no more than 3 or 4 blocks from a subway - so they don't start every day with a 30 minute trek.

Gwendolynn

nytraveler... I'm on EE, too... so tell me about traveling -
I was just thinking for the OP that staying in Manhattan... even way over here
would be more enjoyable than LIC...(you can see LIC from Carl Schurz if need be.)

I have a lot of sympathy for visitors trying to find a reasonable place in Manhattan.
Reminds me of our searches in London.

janisj

>>Reminds me of our searches in London

nelsonian

Have you looked at Long Island City. Several of the hotels are close to the subway and only one subway stop to Times Square. We stayed at the Country Inn and Suites for three nights and found it a comfortable stay. It is not luxurious by any means, but we got free wi-fi and free breakfast for a daily rate of $ 139,00. This was November 2012.

nytraveler

That's interesting - I've always found hotels in London more expensive than London for the same thing in New York. And never anything for less then $250 - even off season - and up from there.

janisj

nytraveler: From your posts over time it is pretty obvious you and your family travel fairly up market. Not any sort of slam - just an observation. At the high end - I think London hotels do run more. But in mid-range and below, there are just tons of good London hotels in the $150-$250/£100-£160 range.

Plus rental apartments run from about £90/$135 to the stratosphere. Really nice, modern two bedroom flats can be found for less than $300/£200 a night

Clousie

Have you looked at the Millburn Hotel on W 76th Street? Have stayed there twice and found it to be quite pleasant. Includes breakfast and free wi-fi which doesn't occur in too many other places. Also has a mini-kitchen and loved that it is so close to so many great food markets. I usually picked up a prepared meal at a market and returned to my room to relax and eat.

Rates for September before taxes $239. http://www.milburnhotel.com/

nytraveler

Well a lot of my travel is business - so that is 4*+ or 5*. When we're on our own dollar we try to get good deals - but our vacation time is limited and we have reached the age (50's) when we want to be comfortable.

We have stayed at some places that were very reasonable - but you're right - we don;t shop by price - that's secondary. But we sometimes have relatives visit NYC and don;t have room to put them up so know some of the budget/moderate places in our area (the upper west side). that's why I recommended the Newton - which is always a good deal.

But admit that we have no use for a kitchen when traveling - so have more choices.

And we don't look at apartments - we want a full service hotel with concierge and breakfast in bed. Have never found hotels that we liked in London at those price ranges unless there is some sort of special deal. But we do like to be very central - and do want a full service hotel. (I fully understand traveling at that price range - and did in my 20's - but you reach a point where comfort is just more important.)

ktspiv4

We have had fantastic experiences with AirBnB. They offer 3 options from room rental to entire space. Give it a try.

janisj

ktspiv4: "We have had fantastic experiences with AirBnB. They offer 3 options from room rental to entire space. Give it a try."

What don't you understand/get about the info in this thread???

singabob

Its spartan but the YMCA offers clean, basic rooms in fairly convenient locations for less than $100. However, I would wait a few months as prices may re-adjust with the major hotel chains. NYC is a great world city and you should recognize convenient accommodations is worth every penny. Look at it as a "once in a lifetime trip." You can find a good bargain occasionally in the Wall Street area over weekends, too.

ziptrippin

I think sharing accommodation will be much cheaper but at the cost of privacy.

ktspiv4

janisjon: What don't you understand/get about the info in this thread???

Yikes janisj... no need to be rude. Fodors forum can be a great place to practice just being nice & informative; there are plenty of other forums available to jump down people's throats...

vjpblovesitaly

No need to be stupid either which is exactly what your suggestion was

ktspiv4

Civility is a lost art.

nytraveler

So is providing correct and appropriate information. Many people would think that your suggestion to others to break the law is not very appropriate.

I know there seem to be a lot of people that don't understand this - since laws are different is other places. But in NYC short-term rentals/sub-lets are almost all illegal. Full stop.

And if you are scammed - or the lodging is not as promised - you have no recourse.

ktspiv4

Not at all, I would never suggest providing correct information being wrong.
I suggest, however,there is a more civil way in informing the misinformed. I see plenty of misinformation on Fodors & other travel forums & I have never corrected anyone in a manner using terms as "stupid". It is unnecessary.
We have not used airbnb for NYC but have had success in other areas, perhaps I should have shared that.

I always hope that people will try a bit harder to be nicer & less condescending in their replies.

I haven't been on Fodors since last year & each visit I read replies to people that are fantastic & some that are just awful. I will never understand why people do that, pretty cowardly to be rude online.