Stop in NY before London
 

We are a family of four planning a trip to London in May. We are using ff miles to get to NY. We arrive at 11:00 p.m. May 1 and will spend two nights before leaving for London 9:00 a.m. May 3.

Where do we stay? What do we do? How do we get there? Never been to NY. Help!

Thanks

Flying into JFK.

Thanks

Without trying to sound too negative, you will have only one day in NYC, so I am not sure it is worth it. I would suggest you consider skipping NYC, stay overnight at an airport hotel, and head on to London the next day.

It is very hard to do justice to a place the size of New York in one day. This after arriving late the night before, which by the time you get to zour hotel will be around 12 30 am if you are very lucky and your flight is on time. You will have all your luggage with you, and will have to lug it all back to the airport early on the 3rd. You would need to be back at JFK by 6 30 am (I believe some airlines even saz 3 hours before for an intl flight), which would mean you would have to leave you NYC hotel by 5 30 am. You then have a day flight ahead of you, and will arrive in the afternoon and will need to try to stay awake to readjust your clock.

Not sure all this is worth it for one day. If you really want to do it, I would suggest a hotel in mid town, which will permit you to see this part of the island like Times Square, 5th Ave etc, Central Park, etc. To really save time and with all your luggage, you are best off taking a taxi from JFK to mid town, which will cost about 40 dollars.

I would stay in the midtown area. Take a cab to your hotel (rates are "set" if you hire a cab at the JFK taxi stands you will not be over charged), get a good night's sleep, and then maybe take the hop on/hop off bus tour the next day? If you do the tour you don't have to worry about where everything is and how to get there and you can see some areas that you would miss if you just set out walking. Also, you don't want to spend the day wandering and beat yourself into the ground in NYC and arrive is London already tired. Have a nice dinner and get to bed fairly early so you are ready to go on the 3rd.

What type of hotels do you enjoy? Modern or traditional? Do you need 2 rooms or a family suite? Let us know and I'm sure you'll get some great suggestions.

Here's another recommendation for a hotel close to the airport from which you are departing. Since you will have to transport yourselves to the city and back anyway, this is best done without all your luggage. You'll want to be at the airport for your departure at least two hours ahead, three is better (we always allow three hours and rarely have much time to spare) for internatinal flights. That early in the morning, they may not have all the security lanes open yet.

On the second, you could head for Midtown. Best bet, especially if the weather is nice, would be to ride the hop on/hop off Downtown Loop buses (see the Grayline website), getting off at the must-do places (Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Empire State Building, Greenwich Village, Central Park, etc...) and stopping for a nice lunch somewhere. Or, for much less that bus tour tickets, just pick a few places and taxi from one to another.

While I think skipping NYC or staying at JFK is practical advice, if taken as an adventure, here's what I would do. When you arrive at JFK, take a taxi ($35 flat rate fare + toll & tip) to NYC. At that hour it should only take about 45 mins. oe less. Stay at the Doubletree suites hotel in Times Square (check price on quikbook.com, hotels.com & then compare to hotel's own website) for 1 night. See if you can negotiate late check out. On May 2, do the Greyline bus tour downtown loop. Buy discount tickets ahead of time for a Broadway show online at playbill.com, theatermania.com, hitshowclub.com etc. for that night. After the theater, collect your luggage from the hotel (you will have checked out around 3pm & can leave your luggage at the hotel). Take a cab to a hotel at JFK for night #2. I don't think any of the JFK hotels are great. Recently did a search for a friend & the Radisson looked like it might be the best but really don't know. Again check prices on quikbook etc. You'll be right near the airport for your 9am departure.

Check hotel reviews on tripadvisor.com

Thanks for the great replies. I couldn't get ff tickets for May 2, so I'm stuck with my schedule. We are leaving for London out of JFK as well.

I think the ideas about staying at the airport both nights and coming into the city and doing the hop on/hop off bus tour sound good.

Since we will need two rooms, I was thinking of using Priceline. How far in advance should I bid?

Thanks!

Here's an opposing viewpoint. We spent three nights in New York and then did a similar day flight to London from JFK. I say go into the city and stay. I assume you have to be at JFK by 7 AM which means leaving your midtown hotel by 6 (no problem at that hour, in fact we got there in just over a half hour -- no traffic). While that seems early, don't forget your approx. arrival time in London of 9 PM will really be like 4 in the afternoon to you, so it is great to get up very early and help tire yourself out for a midnight or so bedtime in London (which will still seem only like 7 PM).

You have to take a taxi or whatever out to JFK. Why not do it early in the morning so you can enjoy two nights in the city, instead of cutting your evening short to head out to an airport hotel just to spend the night?

If I were arriving at 11PM, I'd hardly call the first night a "night in the city". And, for a 9AM international flight, you're going to have to cut your night short anyway to get up early the next morning. And, I'd want to be as close to the airport as possible for an early flight. What if there's an accident on the way or a disabled vehicle on one of the bridges?

Oh, please, an accident or a disabled car? Is there a taxi driver in New York who couldn't turn that 30 minute drive into a 45 minute one?

And although that first night may be sort of a lost cause -- but really are you saying New York City closes down at 11 PM-- I'd sure hesitate to give up my second night too, by going out to sleep in a tacky airport hotel. If you people are going to give us reasons to spend an extra night in motel city, please give us a justifiable reason.

I can only offer a general opinion: stay in the city. What in the world would be the point of being stuck in an airport hotel?? Even arriving late, you'd see a bit of the city, and be able to hit the sidewalk as early as you like the next morning. (Have a fabulous trip!)

Barbara, I basically agree with Patrick. I think it would be awful to stay out at JFK for both nights. Unlike other cities, the hotels at JFK are not very good, there's nothing nearby & you might as well be in Peoria. I don't think they're that much cheaper either. That's why I suggested 1 night in the city. If you want to avoid switching, I'd stay both nights in the city before I'd spend 2 nights at JFK.

Okay - maybe we should stay in the city. It will be Sat. and Sun. nights, leaving Monday morning. Do the hotels offer weekend rates or should I try to get something on Priceline?

I'm not a Priceline expert having only done that once. But one problem is with four of you, you can't get one room for four on Priceline (or can't be assured of it anyway). Not sure if you are looking for two rooms or one rooms for four. Currently you can reserve a room with two double beds for four people at either the Marriott Marquis or the Renaissance Times Square for $299. Hopefully there will be specials between now and then, but weekend rates are not a big thing in New York.

Priceline clearly states, at least for NYC, you can't be guaranteed a room for more than 2 so that's not an option.

If you're looking for one room & can manage with 2 queen beds check the Gorham hotel. Or look at the all suites hotels on affina.com.

I was thinking two rooms, because I will be traveling with my husband, daughter and mother. My 20-year-old daughter said she would share a bed with grandma, but would rather not. The Courtyard Marriott Midtown East has good reviews on bidding for travel - it's the only 2.5* listed - what do you think about it?

Thanks for the help - I'm feeling much less stressed about the whole thing.