Donna Lord

We are thinking about staying at St mmoritz on the park for 4 days during christmas time. Does anyone have any comments about the hotel?
Also we would appreciate any info on the sights in New York City .
Donna (australia)

RONALD DOBRYDNIO

I WAS BORN IN NYC BUT HAVEN'T LIVED THERE SINCE 1962 SO TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT WHEN READING MY COMMENTS. NYC HAS MANY GREAT MUSEUMS. SOME OF MY FAVORITES: THE CLOISTERS (A BRANCH OF THE METROPOLITAN ON THE UPPER WEST SIDE - A RESTORED FRENCH MONASTERY WITH A FABULOUS COLLECTION OF MEDIEVAL ART); THE FRICK MUSEUM (EAST OF FIFTH AVE. - MR FRICK'S MANSION WITH HIS ART COLLECTION); THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM (USUALLY OVERLOOKED BY TOURISTS BUT A FIRST CLASS MUSEUM); THE J.P. MORGAN LIBRARY; THE GUGGENHEIM; THE JEWISH MUSEUM. I STAYED AT THE ST. MORITZ SOME YEARS AGO AND I CAN'T RECALL ANY PROBLEMS - IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR SOME TIME THOUGH SO I SUSPECT IT HAS BEEN RENOVATED - REPUTATION GOOD AS I RECALL. VIEW FROM TOP OF RCA BUILDING IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER IS BETTER THAN FROM EMPIRE STATE WHICH IS BETTER KNOWN. BE SURE TO GO TO TOP OF WORLD TRADE CENTER IN FINANCIAL DISTRICT (SOUTH MANHATTAN). SUGGEST GO THERE AN HOUR BEFORE SUNSET BECAUSE YOU CAN SIT LOOKING NORTH AND WATCH MANHATTAN LIGHT UP - A GORGEOUS SIGHT. IF YOU LIKE TO WALK TRY WALKING OVER THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE FROM BROOKLYN TO MANHATTAN - THE VIEWS ARE GREAT AND YOU SEE THE CITY FROM AN ANGLE MOST WILL NOT. ROCKEFELLER CENTER HAS INTERESTING TOURS BEHIND THE SCENES I THINK YOU WILL LIKE. TRY WALKING NORTH THROUGH MANHATTAN BEGINNING ON A SUNDAY MORNING. YOU WILL SEE THE CITY AT ITS MOST TRANQUIL (BE SURE TO TRAIPSE THROUGH THE WALL ST. AREA THEN) AND YOU CAN MAKE VERY GOOD TIME. NY SANDWICHES ARE GOOD AND THICK IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK. SOME CAFETERIAS DO A SURPRISINGLY GOOD SANDWICH AT REASONABLE PRICES - THE NEW YORKERS EAT IN THESE PLACES. IF YOU WANT TO WATCH PANDEMONIUM AND THE NEW YORK RUSH HOUR AT ITS HEIGHT GO INTO THE 42ND ST. SUBWAY STATION (6 LINES CROSS THERE I RECALL) AND STAND BACK AND WATCH FOR A HALF HOUR. HAVE A HOTDOG EATING IN THE STREET AND TRY A KNISH (MOST TOURISTS HAVEN'T A CLUE WHAT THEY ARE). THE SMALLER NEW YORK ITALIAN (AND OTHER) RESTAURANTS ARE NUMEROUS AND REASONABLE. TRY MAMA LEONE'S IN THE THEATER DISTRICT ONCE - ECCENTRIC DECOR. BE SURE TO TAKE A BOAT RIDE AROUND MANHATTAN ISLAND ON A SUNNY DAY OF COURSE. DON'T FORGET THE STATUE OF LIBERTY AND ELLIS ISLAND. THE NY STOCK EXCHANGE IS OPEN TO VISITORS. GREENWICH VILLAGE WORTH YOUR TIME. CHINATOWN IS QUITE LARGE NOW. TRAVEL BY SUBWAY - ITS THE FASTEST IF NOISEST WAY TO GET AROUND - AVOID THE RUSH HOURS THOUGH (UNLESS YOU WANT TO REALLY EXPERIENCE A NEW YORKER'S DAILY TRAVAILS). IF THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE A PARADE UP LOWER BROADWAY WHILE YOU'RE THERE GO TO SEE IT - THE PAPER FALLING IS GREAT. WHILE IN THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT POP INTO THE HEADQUARTERS BUILDINGS OF THE BIGGEST BANKS - DECOR CAN BE IMPRESSIVE. IF BANKERS TRUST STILL HAS THEIR BLACK MARBLE DECOR YOU WILL ENJOY IT. DON'T FORGET THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART AND, OF COURSE, THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART - MOMA HAS GOOD FILMS FROM TIME TO TIME. AVOID ASKING "TOURISTY" QUESTIONS OF BUS DRIVERS - YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED AT THE OCCASIONAL (RUDE) RESPONSE (THESE POOR GUYS ARE BURNED OUT BY THEIR JOBS).

WELL, THIS SHOULD KEEP YOUR DAYS OCCUPIED. HAVE A GOOD STAY IN THE "BIG APPLE."

RONALD DOBRYDNIO

Donna

We stayed at the Helmsley Middletown on 48th Street between Lexington & 3rd (Midtown) on our last trip and were very pleased. Very nice, very reasonable, wonderful neighborhood. The Grey Line Tours company offers an Uptown tour and a Downtown tour. Tickets are good for two days and you can hop on and off at any of the dozens of stops. The commentary is quite interesting also. A terrific website for NYC is www.metrobeat.com. The maps are particularly fantastic, especially if you have a color printer. On the menu at the left, click on "Tourist Town". Good luck with your planning!

sharon

one evening has to be dinner or apertifs at Rockefeller Center to see the lights, skaters, tree etc as well as the decorations at Saks,etc. Another touristy but magical dinner place is Tavern on the Green in the greenhouse room. Best romantic lighting, food is pretty good. Late nite at Stars at the top of Rockefeller Center is chic and very old time New York Glamour... Haven't seen the latest Disney incarnation of Times Square but I plan to see it in August when I go, my most recent memories have been so depressing I am excited to see its' new look, even though I have heard disney dissing about it...You have to do a broadway show...and I always tell people to get tickets for something at Lincoln Center (opera or symphony) and see what's at the Metropolitan Museum, even if that is not your normal interests. It is what New York is about. It is also fun to visit the floor of the New York Stock Exchange..see this relic (actual trading floor as opposed to computer exchange) and feel the excitement that makes this country so great.

diane

Hello. I am a born and raised NY'er, not living there now. Everyone has given you great ideas, and you should try to do them all. NYC is magical at Christmas. PLEASE, do not stay at the St. Moritz. It is very well-priced, but truly a dive. My parents and I stayed two summers ago, and I bumped into old friends who stayed this past Christmas, both times, so hideous. There are many other good hotels. I hope you have a great trip.

pamela

pamela

As stated above, the St. Moritz is not a great choice for a hotel. If you prefer to stay on the park, I suggest The Essex House Hotel. They have beautiful rooms and the staff is wonderful. The direct phone number is 212-484-5110. Make your reservations soon! You've chosen a wonderful time to visit just remember to dress warm and wear comfortable shoes.

Kevin Keith

ABANDON SHIP!! As ANOTHER NYer, I implore you to chose another hotel. The Essex House is a good nearby alternative. Good luck!

john pollard

A fellow Aussie, I go to N.Y.every December/January,the advise given so far is spot-on.The Circle Line trip (embark pier ? end of West 42nd.Street.Also include Brooklyn Museum
and walk back across Brooklyn Bridge.Stay at the Beacon Hotel on Broadway at 74th, they have reasonable suites with kitchen so you can save money by shopping at all the exciting deli's (like Zabars)and do your own cooking as N.Y. food doesn't
realy compare with Oz variety unless you pay big bucks.The 72nd Street subway is nearby and buses are tops at only $1.50 without distance limit.Enjoy !!!

Carole

One more quick "Nay" for the St. Moritz. I stayed there not too long ago and I could not believe the shape of that over-priced hotel. There are lots of other great choices in NYC though...good luck!

Neal Sanders

I would avoid the Essex House as well. This is no longer the hotel that once provided "premier accommodations" to SNL guests. Rather, it is the Hotel Nikko's presence in New York. If you are from Japan and wish to stay in a very comfortable hotel that is a little bit of Japan in America, then the Essex House is fine. I was there last October, my stay was anything but pleasant, and the guest services manager had a limited knowledge of English. One good bet in addition to the ones mentioned above: the Sheraton Hotel & Towers at 53rd and 7th Avenue. See if you (or your travel agent) can get their package that includes breakfast. If so, you'll find that its a very complete hot and cold buffet that is (by NYC prices) worth easily $20 per person.

Ronald Dobrydnio

Hi Donna: contact www.hotelstravel.com. The home page contains an ad for the Roosevelt Hotel which someone recently recommended highly and its just finishing a major renovation so they have lots of special offers to attract new business. It happens to be located very centrally in Manhattan so that's another plus. Good Luck.

Ronald Dobrydnio

One more time: scroll down and you will see a discussion and comments on the Roosevelt Hotel. It may be more expensive at Christmas time.

Rjordan

Re hotels: We've stayed at the Doral Tuscany, an upscale hotel well-located in the Nurray Hill district with affordable (for NY) weekend rates. The Doral also has two other hotels, next door to the Tuscany and a block or two away, that run a little bit less. Look into it.