Rethinking New York Hotel/Area after reading your posts
 

I had been doing some research on the net over the last week for a short stay in Manhattan in October. Friends here(who may not know better:) all suggested staying in Times Square.

I've read many of your incredibly helpful posts and after continually seeing comments advising not staying there, but never reading anything specific as to an explanation. So...

...my questions become;

1)specifically, why not Times Square?

2)which area is better for a 1st time, short visit with a wife and 9 y.o. daughter in tow and why?

Since I read your posts, I have looked elsewhere just in case and have noted one place that captures my attention because of the ambiance and reasonable price: The Intercontinental Barcley. Keeping with that same theme, I was initially very close to booking the Michelangelo. I wanted something that wasn't too expenseive, but still said New York, rather than some non-descript chain like Crowne Plaza or Doubletree on 7th and W. 47th.

If you convince me to book something elsewhere like the Inter-Barc., what other hotels would have that NY charm to choose from?

Keep in mind, we want the convience of seeing Times Square, Central Park, as well as the EPB and the Statue of Liberty AND decent restaurants. And as much as the convience and hotel ambiance, it'd be nice to have the immediate area surrounding hotel to be charming as possible(if that is possible).

Thanks in advance folks!

Personally, I see no reason not to stay in Times Square. New Yorkers and regular visitors might find the commotion taxing, but it's the essence of tourist New York and need not be avoided. It's an exciting place to be!

We liked the Michelangleo's service and room very much, but we also liked the location, as it isn't IN Times Square, but a block or so away, at a (relatively--it's still midtown!) quiet intersection. So you can walk to Rock Center, 5th Ave, Times Square, theaters, the park and many restaurants. Have not stayed in any of the others you mentioned, but I'm positive you would like the Michelangelo.

I think most tourists like to and enjoying staying in Timesq Square, especially for a 1st time visitor. I live here and personally find Times Sq a bit crowded and noisy for my tastes, but as a tourists I do like to be in the middle of things. There are many nice neighborhoods to stay in but no one in the middle of all sites. The distance from central park south to battery park is about 4 miles. As long as you're near some subway lines, you are only minutes from most areas.

I think with a 9 yo daughter, Times Sq is a good choice. She should love it.

Staying "near" Times Sq. can be as far away as maybe 4-5 blocks, with all of the benefits but not so noisy and congested. Staying "IN" Times Sq. can mean a lot of noise and congestion and a "scene" at night that you might find exciting or you might find a bit much.

Look at a map and notice that what Times Sq. is: It is the junction of Broadway, 42nd st. and 7th Ave. Note that Broadway is going to be the most "bustling" and commercial of thoroughfares in that area, and note also that one of the major subway lines runs under 7th Avenue. And 42nd is a major east-west axis. That explains why it's so central; also most of the theatres are arrayed around B'way in that area.

So you can go a few blocks west of 7th and/or north (or south) of 42nd street and reduce the congestion, while remaining pretty central to what you might want to do. In general, the more toward either river you go to the east or west, the more residential things will get but the further from a subway stop you'll be.

I recently posted a trip report including my review of the Belvedere (so if you "search" on Belvedere, you'll find it). I mention it partly because you might like the hotel (not a chain, although part of the "Empire Hotel group" for booking purposes http://www.newyorkhotel.com/flashmain.htm), but also because it's a good example of hotels _near_ to Times Sq. but far enough from it to be in a pleasant yet central location. The Belvedere is 1-2 blocks from the 50th St. stop on the A-C-E (8th ave) line and another long block to stops on the 1-2-3 and the N-R-W lines, respectively. There are many many other neighborhood hotels in the same area.

Can't say I'm familiar with the Michelangelo but if you want to "shop" a bit more, try http://www.citysearch.com/nb/newyork and perhaps narrow your search for hotels to "midtown/hell's kitchen" (there isn't much left of hell's kitchen). This is not a booking service, just a survey that will give you maps and reviews of a number of places.

soled, we faced the same dilemma in making our choice for a visit this year. Spouse and I had previously visited NYC staying near Rockefeller Center, wanting to avoid the busy Times Square area. This time we initially booked a king deluxe at the Barclay for the same reason, although we are traveling with our 9 year old.

After a bit more research, we decided to book the Doubletree Suites in Times Square for a few dollars more. The Barclay appeals to us but the rooms are small, about 220 sq ft (not unusual in NY). The Doubletree is 440 sq ft with a separate bedroom, so we are giving up some ambience for more space in a busier area.

I don't think you can go wrong staying in Times Square or more mid-town on a first visit as both areas are convenient for visitors, just consider what's important to you.

There is a W hotel in Times Square that your daughter might like. It's very trendy.

The Michaelangelo is also a good choice.

I've been in the W times Sq. the lobby is small, dark and loud. Trendy maybe for a 19 yr old but not a 9 yr old. Recently a visitor of ours stayed at the Doubletree SUites. It seemed very nice. There's also a refridgerator, microwave, & coffee pot which could come in handy.

Let me preface this by saying that whenever I travel I always choose the hotel location thats right in the thick of things. I like to be be close to all the action. With that said, let me say that there's "right in the thick of things" and then there's Times Square, which drives me nuts.

I live in NY so I'm used to noise and crowds and getting bumped and jostled regularly but Times Square is more than I can stand.

It's so choked with people you have to walk in the gutter half the time. If I'm with my husband or a friend you can't even walk together. And with a child, forget about it. I was there last year with my friend and her son, it was sometimes hair-raising keeping track of him since you can guess how 10-yr-old boys feel about holding hands.

Anyway, that's what I don't like about Times Square. Mind you, it's not like it's always that way and the lights at night really are a sight to see but I prefer it in small doses.

I'm one of the New Yorkers who despises Times Square (for tourists). Invariably, when visitors complain that NYC is loud/dirty/crowded/dangerous/disgusting, they stayed in Times Square. It is *not* a representative area of Manhattan, much less New York City. The restaurants are lousy and/or overpriced and it's the only part of Manhattan where I worry about my wallet.

For new visitors, I suggest Midtown East or Central Park South. Once you have a feel for the city, those so inclined often enjoy staying further downtown (SoHo Grand, Hudson, etc.).

I find the Park Central to be a good compromise. It's your standard NY hotel, about 5 blocks from Times Square (you can see the square from right in front of the hotel), a few blocks south of Central Park, across the street from Carnegie Hall and close to the theater district, Rockafeller center, etc. Also, it's right near two subway lines. You can get a very good rate on Travelocity.com.

Staying immediately in Times Square (e.g. the Hilton on 42nd between 7th and 8th or the Marriot Marquis on Broadway) can be taxing simply in the sense that at times the sidwalks are literally thronging with people and it's a bit time consuming to walk through. It's fun to walk through TS when it's like that (which is much of the time) but I wouldn't want to deal with it every time I came and went from the hotel if I was staying for a few days.

Staying a block or two east of Times Square and anywhere heading north from about 43rd up to the low 50's is (to my way of thinking) an ideal llocation in terms of convenience. The subway system is soo good and frequent that you can certainly stay elsewhere with a minimum of extra hassle but it's nice being close to things. I haven't stayed at the Intercontinental Barclay but have stayed at the park Central and wasn't wowed. I've stayed at the Novotel, the Clarioj and the East Side Marriott and found all of them to have rooms a bit nicer than the one I stayed in at Park Central. It's not bad but it's not "all that and a bag of chips".

I'm one of those NYC fans that will avoid staying in Times Square at all costs. Gekko's assessment is right on-target. The anti-NYC contingency seems to have Times Square in mind, specifically as it was 10 years ago. But it's still a bit TOO touristy for me. As an alternative place to stay, Midtown East is ideal, as far as I'm concerned. But look carefully, especially if you need larger rooms....

You've been given some great advice. You can stay near Times Square without staying in it and be there in a two minute walk.

Great hotels; Michelangelo, Le Parker Meridian, The Salisbury, and The Hudson (small rooms).

All are very close to what you mentioned you wanted to see except the Statue of Liberty.

You folks are being great with your replies, especially the Times Square vs. elswhere debate. So please, keep them coming.

But, I'm also hoping for more replies on comparable hotels to the Barclay. I like the 'feel' of it on the net, anyway, lol. And preferably in the areas some of you have mentioned; midtown east and Central Park south. That doesn't mean I've decided to stay at one of those two locations, only that if there's a hotel in real nice setting there, it would help me in the Times Square vs. elswhere debate because I've already narrowed down the hotels in Times Square that interest me.

We're by no means wealthy, so the price range we're looking for should be no more than $270 and even with that, I'm hoping to get a lower firefighters or government rate if possible. I've already noticed some have govt rates on their websites and some don't.

One thing is for sure, New York looks more incredible, the more I see it on the net. Can't wait to get there.

Thanks again for your replies, you all are very helpful people.

If you want to find a good deal on hotels, the best places to start is Quikbook.com and Travelzoo. I know Travelzoo had a special on some New York hotels. Not sure which ones, but you can check it out.
I live here, and therefore don't stay in the hotels here. I can agree though that you are better off being a bit away from Times Square. It's fine to be at but not to stay at.
I have seen some very nice hotels in the midtown east area. A lot are being renovated as well. Any place you pick will be within walking distance from a subway, so do not fret about getting around.

I've stayed at the Inter-Continental Barclay, and I absolutely love the location. I love the ambience. It has an unmistakable New York feel to it, a big-city hustle and bustle, and it's gorgeous inside. The rooms are quite small, which is indeed a New York hallmark. I felt cramped by myself-- the queen-sized bed seemed to take up the entire floor in the room. I can't imagine that room with one other person, let alone two (even if it's a child). I would hope they'd set you up in a larger room, if available. But I can say it's a wonderful hotel, one of my favorites. And it's a great location, close to everything!

Stayed at the Michaelangelo for New Year's. 51st Street and 7th Avenue, Perfect location, just off Times Square, near Rockefeller Center and Central Parkand across from Carnegie Deli. Very large rooms.

If you opt for Midtown East, check out the Marriott Eastside. If you do a search here, you'll see many Fodorites (myself included) have given it excellent reviews. The hotel often runs rate specials, especially on the Marriott web site.

This Marriot looks to be very, very close to the Barclay. Maybe a half block east, almost on the same road. Barclay is on 48th, between Park and Lexington. Marriot in on Lexington, right around 48th.

The reviews look great for this hotel well as the Barclay, but it's so hard to see which of the two places would be better.

So, on the note of finding differences when narrowing down, I've found a funny thing. Literally ALL hotels in Manhattan in this class range have the EXACT same government rate; $208 a night(I know we could do better on priceline, but I feel more comfortable knowing which hotel we'll be staying at).

So, what I have is a choice of hotels that have nothing to do with price, because they're all exactly the same. In this particular case I have the Marriot and Barclay which are apparantly yards away from each other, so location would mean nothing either when decision time comes.

To help narrow it down in other ways: If all the rates are the same for me, which of these three locations are better BEFORE I decide on a particualr hotel;

1)Central Park South
2)Midtown East-i.e., Barclay or Marriot
3)A tad off Times Square i.e., Michelangelo
4)Right on Times Square-i.e., Doubletree

?????? :)

OK, kinda late into this narrowing down thing, but I just read another post on the Shelburne Murray Hill and the hotel looks pretty cool on the net(exact same gvnmt rate for the studio-208). Especially with the rooftop dining. Is the location too far south of the sights and action of Central Park, Times Square, ESB and stuff? How does the neighborhood compare to the others in Midtown East and Central Park South? Or, am I wasting my time with that area for such a short trip?

If it were me, I'd go with Midtown East for a couple of reasons: 1. it's easier to roll out of your hotel and find a decent (but not exorbitantly expensive) restaurant than on CPS. 2. You are further south and, therefore, closer to Times Square, ESB, etc, but still within walking distance to the park. 3. Both are lovely hotels.

If you take that location, be sure to have breakfast at Ess-A-Bagel (50th? on 3rd Ave) and at Fresco's to Go (51st b/t Madison & Park). I would recommend Fresco for dinner, although I'm not sure what they have for a 9 year old. It is a family run place, though, so I'm sure they wouldn't mind having your DD there.

Soled, I don't blame you for hesitating to use Priceline -- there are some real stinkers of hotels participating!

BUT I just did a lot of research on www.biddingfortravel.com, where people report which hotels they've gotten, prices, reviews, etc. The Courtyard by Marriott Midtown East is the only MTE hotel in the 2.5-star range that's been reported, and sure enough that's what I won. Just got back from 4 nights there are $75 per night, and couldn't have been more pleased. It's on Third, between 52 and 53, just the area you're looking for.

I encourage you to go to biddingfortravel and read up!

My favorite location is Central Park South and it is very close to Times Square. Out of the hotels you have listed, the Michelangelo. It is just south of Central Park South.

GoTravel, why is it your favorite location? Why better than Midtown East? I've never been to Manhattan, so specific reasons would help me so much more.

To help you folks understand this, I'm from Phoenix and have been here most of the last 45 years(me pretty much have only vacationed in Cali, Vegas and Mexico), so New York is so different from the way I live that it's really hard to picture the areas.

Thx.

Can I ask why people seem to be ruling out Midtown West?

One thing to remember when weighing fine distinctions like Central Park South vs Midtown East is that you're considering places that are in reality just a few blocks apart, a $3 cab ride or a couple of stops on a bus route! From the southern edge of Central Park to Times Square is only about a mile. Everybody has their favorite, and each area does have its own personality, but the bottom line is that they're all in the middle of Manhattan and none is really far from anything that you'll want to do. In fact, if you asked a few different people to outline these areas on a map, you'd probably find that there are no firm borders and that people's ideas of where one area ends and another begins would overlap a bit.

soled, a helpful resource for me has been tripadvisor.com, which has reviews of many hotels in the major cities.

Midtown East is fine as long as it's no further east than 3rd Av. The nearest subway line runs along Lexington Av, and those crosstown blocks can start to feel quite long.

That's what crosstown buses are for!

In fact, I prefer taking the bus -- even when I have to switch buses, it can be less hassle than trekking around underground at the subway stations. Bus stops are closer together, so they often entail less walking than to and from subway stations. I get to see what's going on. And they're nicely air conditioned! My bus map is my favorite must-have NYC travel accessory.

I like Central Park South because it is very close to Central Park, Times Square, nice walk to the museums, close to Columbus Circle, Bergdorf Goodman, Tiffany, Prada, St. Patricks, tea at The Plaza, Rockefeller Center, many subway options, and tons of other shopping.

It is just a personal preference.

We (2 adults and 4 kids in the 10 to 14 age range) stayed on the upper west side at Hotel Beacon. Couldn't have been happier with the experience. You can do a search on the hotel name on this forum to find many other comments on it.

We liked the hotel because of its very spacious suites (including kitchen) for a very reasonable price. We liked the location because, while it was within walking distance of Central Park, museums, etc., it wasn't super-crowded or intimidating for the kids - a more relaxed area to recoup in after a hectic day. (Four of us are from San Francisco and the other two from DC, so we are not completely unused to cities, but it was still nice to be able to get away from the crowds. Of course if you're going to the city to be PART of the crowd, then something else may appeal to you. )

curiousgeo, I have been reading tripadvisor.com, but I like the questions, answers and follow up questions I can get in this format, also. In fact, you guys have been great, but...

...no one responded with anything about the Melburne Murray Hill area as an alternative. I've read here that the place and area are nice but is that getting too far from things? And is it comparable to the others?

Do you mean the Shelburne Murray Hill? It is a great boutique hotel, large rooms with kitchens, quiet location, cool rooftop terrace. >)

We love the Doubletree Suites at 47th and 7th because when we go to NY (where I grew up), it's for a theater weekend--four shows in two or three days and a trip to the jewelry street for a souvenir. We like to saty where most of what we want to do is a very short walk away, we can see the TKTS line from our window, and can easily get back to the hotel for a rest between a matinee and an evening performance. The subway is handy if we want to go to Chinatown or the Lower east Side for Sunday brunch.

October is a very busy month and rooms fill quickly, so it's recommended that you make a reservation or two and then keep researching, collecting opinions, and shopping.

For me, where to stay is always determined by my plans while there. If we're planning to see one or more Broadway Shows, we like to be within a reasonable walk of the theater. We just don't care to bother with subways and buses when we're all dressed up. And, it's often difficult, if not impossible, to find a taxi when it's raining, at showtime, at dinnertime...

Walking all about is one of the best ways to "feel" like you're in Manhattan and enjoy all the sights.

I cannot imagine visiting NYC without taking your daughter to the new Toys 'R Us in Times Square for a ride on the ferris wheel and a visit to Barbie's enormous condo. For sure, the lines are often long, but we've gone by lots of times where there are no lines at all. If you're staying nearby, you can always wander past now and again.

lol, yeah GoTravel, I meant Shelburne. I was eating M&Ms at the time, so you know where my focus was.

On that hotel, I did read the positives you mentioned in your post, but I was really wondering about the location situation and it's convience. Of course, being an unsophisticated fireman from Arizona, I'm not too sure what 'boutique' means in the hotel world, lol.

djkbooks, I already booked the Barclay just in case. I still have some time so I just want to make sure and decide in the next 2-3 days.

And thanks for the advice on Toys R Us, I had already planned on surprising her with that visit and FAO Schwartz. She's a good kid and deserves the fun she'll have.

On some of the friendly suggestions for hotels that are essentially anonymous chains, I know they're usually pretty nice hotels but being from the southwest, I think we'd like something that has a real NY feel. That's why the Barclay, Marriot East Side and M(Sh)elburne stood out to me. After all, it's a vacation and the whole idea is to enjoy the atmosphere you pay for. So, something like the Marriot East side or Doubletree maybe really nice places, but I don't think the atmosphere is what we're quite looking for.

Soled, it seems to me you've gotten a lot of useful information but it also seems to me all you wanted was someone to give you a thumbs up (or definitive thumbs down) on the Barclay. Since you haven't gotten any info that has talked you out of the Barclay, why not just book and stay there?

To other posters, you have gone to a lot of trouble here to help Soled out, and fortunately for all of us, it will remain available to others via the "search" function. In the meantime, to pick up on someone's question, why do most of you feel the east side is preferable to the west side?

As to the Barclay, I can heartily recommend it. I have stayed there twice in the past year, both through Priceline at $100 each time. It is really lovely. A beautiful lobby and the staff is friendly. On my last visit we also had a night at the Waldorf-Astoria across the street and my friend commented that she preferred the Barclay.

Often when I travel to NY it is with my daughter (now 11).We have stayed in on both East and West sides. The first couple of times I specifically chose the west side because my friend lives there. I had lived in NY on the eastside for 3 years and never really hung out on the west side so it was interesting to explore. The past few visits we have stayed on the east side and I think I prefer it. The streets are a bit less crowded and because i never really consider myself a tourist, I feel more at home.

By the way, we are going again on Mondayand with this Priceline bid I got the Courtyard Marriott for $75 (it is going for around $200 on their website). It has nothing but positive reviews on the biddingfortravel website so I am very happy. The cheaper the rooms, the more times we can go!

Soled--enjoy your trip. NY is a great place to have fun with kids. People have posted some great ideas on this board, including one about creating a scavenger hunt type activity--looking for NY thongs (pretzel carts, yellow cabs etc.). I'll try to top the thread for you.