Now that I made my reservations, I am starting to have doubts. I am traveling with teenagers, who like to be out and about walking NYC at night. Are we within walking distance to anywhere if we stay at the Avalon?

The Avalon is on E 32nd St. right? If so you are in the shadow of the Empire State Building and Macy's and all the shopping they might want is around the corner.

The Subway is 1 block east on Park Ave and 33rd ST (Lex Ave line) to get up and downtown, also to get to the upper west side, you are a LONG block away from the B/D to the west side. They would probably love strolling Columbus Ave in the evening, all the stores are open late and tons of restaurants.

Staying there you are also within walking distance of the Theatre District a little over 10 blocks away.

Hope that helps.

How far is Columbus Ave? Are there restaurants around our hotel? (yes, we are on E 32nd St)

Has anyone ever stayed at the Best Western Hospitality House? If so, what did you think about it?

The Avalon is located in more of a daytime business and chain shopping area than a residential area. They will find more evening activity on the street if they walk east to Third Avenue. You will find more restaurants in that direction as well.

Columbus Avenue is miles away—on the Upper West Side west of Central Park (59th Street and north). To reach this area, take a subway (1, 2, or 3 train -7th Ave line- from 33rd and 7th Ave-Penn Station) uptown.

I suspect the teens would prefer the East Village for walking at night. The East Village is also miles away. The epicenter might be 2nd Avenue at St Marks Place (8th Street). To reach this area, take the subway (6 train- Lex Ave line) from 33rd St and Park dowtown to AStor Place and walk a few blocks east.

If your teens want to explore NYC at night, they can take the subway as well as walk. It's easier if they are covering longer distances. Times Square is 10 to 15 minutes away by foot; Korean Town with its karaoke bars, Kyochon, etc. is a block away; the East Village is a few subway stops and then a few blocks walk; Greenwich Village is a few subway stops away; Chelsea is about 15 minutes by foot.

You're staying in a particularly central and convenient location for tourists, being out of the crush of Times Square crowds but within easy reach (probably 20 minutes travel) of virtually any place in Manhattan. It really doesn't get any better than this.

Best Western Hospitality House is on east 49th Street between Park and 3rd Ave. It's closer to the UN, Midtown, and Times Square but little else, and you have fewer nearby subway choices. However, I suspect the hotel itself has more to offer you since the rooms have kitchens and seem to be larger than the typical Manhattan hotel room. It's not a bad location, though not quite as central as the hotel's web site might suggest. It sounds perfect for you actually.

Choosing the right location is harder than I thought. I want it to be convenient to restaurants and shopping as well as the bus stops (since my friend cannot use the subway). Too many factors to consider I guess.

I forgot about the bus stops. The Avalon is better for buses. This isn't really that difficult. What you want is a hotel near major avenues on the east or west sides of Manhattan. It just so happens to be easier to navigate on the West side, which is why the Avalon is such a good location for you. The fact that your friend can't use the subway is always going to make navigating the city much more difficult.

I live on 2nd Avenue and take the bus all the time, but there are very few tourist attractions that you are going to want to visit there, so it means you either have to switch to a cross-town bus or walk, and your friend can't walk easily. The major bus routes up 6th Avenue and down 5th Avenue are going to be most useful to you as you navigate Manhattan, or (as I believe I recommended) when you take the double-decker buses for the sake of your friend. Your teens won't have any problems regardless of where you stay, but it's better to be in the thick of things.

Yes there are lots of restaurants very close to the hotel, in fact right downstairs, if you like seafood is IchiUmi an all you can eat seafood restaurant, and for teens that might be heavenly. The food is very good and well priced.

Also walkable from the hotel are restaurants up and down 3rd AVe and everything you can think of for cuisine. A personal fav is Rio Grand a tex/mex on 3rd and 38th St, the entire bottom floor of a condo building, good food and for the parents great margartitias.

Before you arrive you might pick up a couple of books on the city and get the teens involved in what they would like to see so they might own a little more of the trip.

Thanks for your replies. Travelbuff, above you mentioned "you are a LONG block away from the B/D to the west side" What is B/D? Also on your latest reply you mentioned restaurants that are close by..is that to the Avalon or BestWestern?

Doug, my friend doesn't plan on going out all day but mostly when we do something special...broadway, etc. Do you know how far the bus stop would be from the Avalon?

There are about 30 restaurants (mostly Korean or Asian) within 2 blocks of the Avalon. There is even a relatively expensive new Mediterranean restaurant in the hotel.There are also restaurants fairly close to the Best Western, but not nearly as many midrange places.

The Avalon is, if I remember correctly, about mid block on 32nd, so you can go uptown on Madison or downtown on 5th. You can also go uptown on 6t, but that is the equivalent of 4 regular blocks west. The block between 5th and Madison aves is among the shortest in Manhatten, making this location ideal for buses. But you might have to take a crosstown bus to get to the east or west side. You are two blocks from the Empire State Building and a half block from three drugstores and lots of American fast food. I'd urge your friend to get out into the city even if .you have to take cabs. There are plenty of things to do. You might be able to rent a wheelchair at the Metropolitan Museum, and that is a place you could enjoy for hours.

And you are also pretty close to Artisanal, which is a great place for a special brunch on weekends.

FYI. chi umi, which was mentioned, has been closed, so I'm not sure it's open again yet. If I get over there soon, I'll check.

Thanks Doug. We are also hoping to go to the American Museum of Natural History if possible. Sounds like The Avalon might be our best bet!

The immediate area of the hotel i really a business district and tends to be quiet at night, although there are some restaurants - but it's not going to be lively. If you go further east and a little south there will be lot more going on in the street.'

Or you could hang out in a more residential area where the streets are much busier at night (upper west side, Village, lower east side etc) with a lot of sidewalk cafes and some shops that are open until midnight or so.