After wanting to visit NYC for as long as I can remember my dh and I are finally getting to plan a trip there! However, we are not the "find me a cheap room for $500" types!
This CA girl is trying to cope with the sticker shock!
Here is what we are lookin for:
1) Under $300 is best (we find that to be expensive but we'll just have to deal with it)
2) Clean!!
3) Trying to decide if we want near Times Sq. Theater Dist...I *think* being near all the excitement would be "very NY" but I do want to sleep at some point....
3) Or, some other area? Here is where we'll be going: Ellis Island, WTC Site, Little Italy, China Town, Greenwhich Village, Top of the Rock, a Broadway Show, Central Park and just walking all around.
We will have 5 full days in Manhattan (we'll have other days to visit relatives in Long Island).
4) HolidayInn Express on 5h ave. looks good but is $315...with a nice continental breakfast maybe that is worth the extra $?
5) Or...Belvedere Hotel, Bentley, Paramount, Marcel Hotel, Hotel Chandler?? Most of these are in the high $200's
6) I know we won't be in the room long but I really want a good experience on this trip...again, not luxury but nice and clean.
7) We are in our early 50's and are great travelers...we will have fun no matter what!

Sorry to be so long-winded! I appreciate any help and/or information.
So looking forward to NYC!!
Shadow

Uhhhh...maybe I'm remembering wrong but Holiday Inn Express' continental breakfast is usually not nice...just hope for "edible".

Just found The West Park Hotel on Columbus Circle (3 star) for around $200 or a little more....
Any thoughts on this?
Thanks,
Shadow

Shadow, you don't mention when you're going so I can't check dates or where you're looking for prices. Quikbook.com is my fav. for shopping NYC hotels.

I don't know the West Park hotel. The location is great but I wouldn't chance it without some more info or reviews on tripadvisor. The Belvedere is a "BUDGET" hotel that people like but it's getting pricier. I think the Chandler is near Penn Station, not my favorite area. The Bentley is not at all convenient. The Paramount has TINY rooms. Don't do it!

Bottom line, the HI Express is new but that price sounds pretty high. Check on quikbook for any of the Affinia hotels. The Blakely is also good.

Mclaurie, you seem to really know your way around NYC. Is that home? We're thinking about a trip sometimes during the 06 holiday season. I hope it's not too late to start planning this. It'll be just my wife and I. Sure am learning a lot from your great posts!

Mooselywild, I read advice from you all over the place. You must be quite the traveller. Keep up the good work!

Hotels fill up quickly for the holdiay season so that's one thing you should do right away. If you can wait until late Dec., hotel prices historically drop pretty dramatically. Last year, Dec. 18th was a lot cheaper than before then. Coming on or just after Xmas (but not for NYE) is also a good price saving plan.

Thanks, speedbuggy, but it's more that I'm an obsessive researcher with relatives that travel a lot, and my father was career military when I was very young And the only places I've been to more than once for a significant length of time are in the Pacific NorthWest <sigh>.

Must leave N. America at some point!!!

But currently, poor college student has no money for plane fare, LOL....

The West Park hotel is a brand new hotel by Jason Pomeranc opening some time this year - not sure if it's already open, or going to soon.

Shadow - What are the dates of your trip? Though I've always stayed near the theater district (though never actually in Times Square), I wouldn't hesitate to stay in any of Manhattan's other neighborhoods either. The subway is so easy and cheap, that just about any place is convenient to any place else. If you want something "very NY" you might prefer a neighborhood to see the "real NY", but if you're going to see theater every night, it can be very nice to have only a short walk back to the hotel when you are very tired after a long day of sightseeing.

One thing you might consider is priceline, and definitely check www.travelzoo.com to see if they have hotel specials for your dates. It's not uncommon to find a good deal on nice hotels for just under $200, but these deals are usually only available 1-2 months before your dates, so it's best to book a cancellable backup hotel earlier on.

I'm not a fan of the Times Sq area. It is very congested and touristy. It's a fun to visit, if you will be seeing a show, but there are many better hotel areas.

No 1 are is near everything, all you need to be near is some public transportation (which most hotels are).

Of the hotels you mention, the only one I've see a room in, is the Marcel, and it was tiny and dark, but clean and in a decent location.

Check the Affinia.com. They sometimes have special offers that are really good deals. Many of their hotels are suite hotels, and have kitchens. A few years ago we had a bunch of visitors stay at the Shelburne, in studio and 1 bedroom suites. They all loved it.

For the best deal, you can look into using priceline. You should be able to get something good for under $200. For more info check biddingfortravel.com and betterbidding.com.

Shadow -

You stil haven;t given us the dat4es of your trip. Assuming we is a couple and you can take a smaller room there are lots of places for $300 now - but in Novermber or Deember it will be a real challenge to find something decent.

If you let us have dates people can give more specific suggestions.

IMHO times Square is NOT a good place to stay unless you plan on theater every night - too loud, dirty, tacky and not at all typical of NYC (although many tourists think it is - that's like thinking all the people in San Francisco live on the golden Gate Bridge).

Sorry...it was late (or early am) when I posted....I am hoping for mid-late October.
We will only do theater one night so I don't have to be that close.
I will keep working on this....
Thanks for all the advice and info!!
Keep 'em coming!!

From a 115 degree day in the CA (High)Desert,
Shadow

Shadow,

Trip Advisor reviews for the West Park are really appalling;
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev..._New_York.html

Having said that, jlm_mi posted that "The West Park hotel is a brand new hotel by Jason Pomeranc opening some time this year - not sure if it's already open, or going to soon".

Maybe it's under new ownership now (or is about to be)?

Jim

You also might check www.hotels.com for more suggestions.

I can recommend the Roger Williams Hotel on Madison Ave as within your price range. It was completely redone a couple of years ago and is quite nice and I don't think I have ever even seen it mentioned here.

Also you might try the Hotel Grand Union on E 32nd St, (www.hotelgrandunion.com) good size rooms and also on the newer side. The hotel is on a quieter street, within walking distance of shopping and subway/bus with a few good restaurants close by.

I've just booked Michelangelo Hotel for Christmas at a rate of 295/195$ and it has great reviews on TripAdvisor. I don't know the prices for October though. Check it out at www.michelangelohotel.com

my Mom and I stayed at the Michelangelo in late June and before taxes etc it came to 240 - with, it was 275 a night. I recommend it - nice hotel, great location.

I can also recommend Roger Williams hotel. One of my relatives always stays there when in Manhattan on business. She's the "Martha Stewart" type, so I know it has to be tidy and up to snuff.

I used to work at the W Times Square a few years ago, Christmas 2003. A double was about $300 a night, plus tax. I can highly recommend the hotel--clean, hip, great views, new bathrooms, plenty of room to move around.

Come on, Times Square ain't that bad! (At least if you don't mind schoolgirls walking smack right into you with their A & F shopping bags!)

Kevin

if you can get the Michaelangelo at that time for your budget, take it. It is in a great area and a wonderful hotel. We walked to/from the theater district but you are not in Times Square -- right next to it.

The Belvedere is not nearly as nice. If you stay there, stay away from the elevator as you will hear it all night. This was an ok hotel for budget but not one I would look forward to -- the Michaelangelo, I look forward to.

JJBhoy - Your post was really interesting (those are absolutely horrid reviews!), so I did a little more searching.

It appears that Pomeranc is indeed remodeling the West Park hotel and turning it into "6 Columbus". The new hotel was supposed to open this summer, but this article from May indicates progress was slow at that point:

http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/20...us_Deep_Sixed_

Here's the website for 6 Columbus, which says opening summer 2006:

http://www.6columbus.com/

They are not yet taking reservations for any dates. This hotel is in the same family as the 60 Thompson, and the also not yet open Thompson Lower East Side, for anyone familiar with them. No idea what the price range will be when it does open.

Sorry for my incomplete previous post - I hope it doesn't steer anyone to stay there under previous ownership!

<"Thanks, speedbuggy, but it's more that I'm an obsessive researcher with relatives that travel a lot, and my father was career military when I was very young And the only places I've been to more than once for a significant length of time are in the Pacific NorthWest <sigh>.">

moosleywild, while I understand you are trying to help, could you please keep your advice to first hand knowledge? We are all pretty savvy researchers and googlers.

That's harsh GoT - plenty of people relay valuable second-hand accounts from close friends or family about their travel experiences.