Abby10

There are two of us visiting NYC May 9th -12th. I have found some Hotels on the web, but would like some input are location. We would like to walk to things. Where is the best reasonable shopping? We don't want the tourist gifts. Where are some great places to eat? It sounds like we want to stay away from Time Square's restuarants. Here are some of the Hotels we are looking at:
Sheraton NY
Doubletree
Warwick
Hilton NY
Omni
Park Central
Rockefeller
Belveder
Muse
Thank you for you help.

mclaurie

All of these hotels are in a central "midtown" location where most first time tourists stay, but the best "reasonable" shopping is probably not in that area. But then you say you want to "walk to things". What things? NYC is a big city and you can't possibly be within walking distance of everything.

There's a lot of discount shopping around Union Square but not that many hotels. There's a lot of moderate shopping around Macy's at 34 st. but the area is not that attractive. How old are you two and what do you expect to do in the evenings?

Of the hotels you list, I'd eliminate the Sheraton (too big, convention hotel, not in good condition) The Hilton NY is also a big convention type hotel but nice and well located for "typical tourist stuff". The Warwick near it is smaller, more historic. If you don't plan on doing much theater and your prime goal is sightseeing and moderate priced shopping, you could really stay anywhere. If you're looking for a reasonably priced hotel, the Park South is in a good location for restaurants and discount shopping and in a less touristy area. The Affinia Dumont and the Affinia 50 are popular suite hotels.

nytraveler

You really need to decide what you want to focus on walking to. Major tourist sights are spread out over an are 8 miles long, a couple wide and some island n the harbor. Other sights are spread all over the city. So no matter where you stay you're going to need to use the subway (or buses if you prefer and have the time to sit in traffic).

And you need to tell us more - ages? shopping discount trendy or super discount or discount designer? We have everything - but it's not all in the same place.

Agree not to stay right near Times Square unless you're doing mostly theater - it's just too frantic and tacky.

keepmovingon

You dont have to stay in manhattan you can come to brooklyn . the trains are near to everything and you can stay downtown brooklyn which is close to the city. you would save money,be safe, still close to the city and experience different cultures

Abby10

My daughter (21) and I would like to go to one play, the Art Museum, and do some shopping. We have already experience the sightseeing of NYC. What a great City! I know we will have to use the subway for some things. Thanks for your input.

nytraveler

Not sure which of the many art museums you mean -

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (the granddaddy)

MoMA - Museum of Modern Art

Guggenheim

Frick

Whitney

or one of the specialty art museums?

If you mean the first - it's one of the many on Museum Mile (The Met is Fifth Ave & 79th - 84th Sts).

mclaurie

Here are the museums in NYC, many of which are on the upper east side (east 70's-80's).

http://www.ny.com/museums/all.museums.html

The Metropolitan Museum is "the" art museum on Fifth ave. & 81 st.
metmuseum.org

The theaters are in the west 40's & 50's. All the hotels you list are near the theaters (although there are 2 Doubletrees, one in Times Square near the theaters and another in the east 50's-not as nice).

As I wrote, reasonable shopping is spread around. I would pick the nicest hotel for the best price. Of the hotels on your list, I think the Omni Berkshire is one of the nicest. Do you know about tripadvisor.com where there are reviews?