NYC with toddler and infant - where to stay?
 

We're traveling to NYC the first week of December for business/show the kids Dad's hometown. We've rented an apartment for most of our stay, but it's not available for check-in until Sunday, and I have to be there on Saturday for business.

We have to attend a thing near Times Square on Saturday night, so we'd rather stay nearby so we can run check on the kids at some point (we're going to have to leave them with a friend our first night there - fun trip turning nightmare!), but obviously all the hotels in that area are either 1) prohibitively expensive 2) require a 2-night minimum or 3) don't have rooms that can accommodate. So...I'm hoping for some sort of hidden gems that I don't know about... We can't fly in a day early because my husband has to work on Friday, so we're only looking for someplace to stay for one Saturday night...during tourist season. Any ideas? We're happy all sharing one big bed tenement-style if it's cheap, but NYC hotel laws won't let us... =)

You don't have to stay in a Times Square hotel to go there for a "thing". It's easy enough to stay in a hotel elsewhere in the city that you can afford. I think what you need to do is to find something now; look on Hotels.com or another internet site that can show you a wide range of hotels to judge prices. Look at the hotels you can afford. And you will need to b realistic. If you want to stay in Manhattan, then you are going to spend over $300 per night. Depending on which Saturday we're talking about, AppleCore Hotels, which owns mid-range chains mostly near Herald Square (one subway stop from Times Square) that are in the $329 range. That's about as good as you are going to do in Manhattan. If that's not within your budget, then you really need to look in Queens.

Finally, please be aware that almost all weekly apartment rentals in NYC are illegal, and authorities are cracking down. It might be wise to book an alternative lodging you can afford that can be cancelled without a penalty close to your travel date just in case something happens with your apartment rental. And by all means, don't ever rent something from Craigslist or wire money to an apartment-owner (other than a deposit). That's just asking for trouble.

NYC had over 51 million visitors last year so tourist season is a somewhat useless phrase. And the first week in December can be a slight lull after the Thanksgiving parade and before the insane week of Christmas.

Thanks Doug_Stallings - it's not really an apartment rental, it's an extended stay B&B that is willing to rent it to us short-term with hotel taxes, so it's on the up and up. We're expecting in the $300-350 range for wherever we stay on Saturday night, we'd just prefer to stay closer to our children rather than on Wall Street or the like so that we can pop over to check on them or in case of an emergency. Many of the hotels in that area, however, are turning out to be more like $550 a night, so that's why I was hoping to find something more in our expected range...

I'm confused. Pop over to see you children.

You're not planning on leaving children alone in a hotel are you?

First, this would be close to madness.

Second, if the hotel finds out kids are there alone they will NOT be happy - and may call social services - unless at least one of the kids is at least 16 or so.

Or - are you planning on having a "friend" stay with the kids and looking for a room that will accommodate 5. If so - stop looking. there aren't any. It's against the fire laws. for 5 people you need a suite. If that's the problem, try Radio City Apts or the Affinia Group. the first is basic but handy (but probably already booked) and the latter are moderate but have a lot of suite configurations that might suit. And yes, the latter will probably be more than $500 at that time of year.

"so we'd rather stay nearby so we can run check on the kids at some point (we're going to have to leave them with a friend our first night there - fun trip turning nightmare)."

I think that the friend will be at a hotel on the night in question.

OP, do you have a mile radius when you go out at home? Do you pop in and check on them normally during an evening out. You are talking about approx. 6 miles to your Wall Street example.

The first Saturday in December 2013 is the 7th if anyone's interested in searching for the OP.

We like to stay at the Staybridge Suites close to Times Square. We stay on points, so not sure of the cost, but it's nice, and the rooms have kitchens with full size frig which is convenient.

Sorry, I'll clarify - a friend of ours who lives in the city has agreed to hang out at our hotel while we attend a work-related event on Saturday night. We anticipate our children being a bit apprehensive since it is an old friend of ours but not someone they know well since they have never been to the city. Since it's just one night in question, we're looking to stay nearby so that we can quite literally leave the party for 30 minutes at some point and go help tuck them into bed so they're not scared, and then go back to the party so I don't get fired. We plan on being back at the hotel by 10 or 11 pm at which point our friend will go home. Sorry, I didn't think the details were important.

Thanks for the Staybridge, volcanogirl - a little out of our price this time around, but a good one for next time. We have found reasonably decent rates at the La Quinta, the Hotel St. James, and the Beacon, and also at West Eleventh, which is probably much more comfortable than the others but too far away for a pop-by as planned...Any recommendations yes or no on those hotels?

Did you try the Hilton garden inn "time square" - I found their rooms a bit larger then most in NYC - it is right outside of time square.

It's "Times Square" - named after the NY Times - not "time square".
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The Beacon, while an excellent choice is farther uptown and will take longer to and fro - via cab or subway

ny - duly noted...forgive my 3:00 am faux pas...