travelottie

Marriott has an offer which includes 2 passes to 9/11 Memorial & Ellis Is admission.

Would anyone care to comment on these two properties -- would anyone recommend either?

Marriott NY Downtown 85 West Street @ Albany St.
New York Marriot East Side 525 Lexington Ave @ 49th St.

Meeting my sister in October. Will also be going to a Broadway show, walking a few neigborhoods (probably LES) and part of High Line. No museums this time, except possibly Tenement Museum.

Thank you,
Travelottie

doug_stallings

The 9/11 Memorial is free, and it's particularly easy to book tickets yourself. Ellis Island is not free, so that's worth about $25.

If you are going to Broadway shows and plan to explore Manhattan, then the midtown location is probably a better bet. The downtown hotel is close to the 9/11 Memorial and ferry to Ellis Island but far from most everything else. And it's much closer to more restaurants. Rooms are small, but if it's a good deal, that's the hotel you want in terms of location. I'd choose the downtown Marriott only if the deal were much much better.

travelottie

Thank you very much Doug that is very helpful info. I'd like to ask about one more possibility:
Courtyard Marriot 866 Third Ave.

The special also includes breakfast. I'm also interested because they will guarantee 2 double beds. I understand that that is not always the case with boutique hotels in NYC, which I would prefer, or with Hotwire or Travelocity.

Yes, it does state that 9/11 Memorial is free. Ellis Is & Statue of Liberty included. I will call and clarify what is included and check how much it's all worth.

ellenem

The Courtyard is at Third Ave and 53rd--less than a five-minute walk from the Marriott East Side, so much the same benefits as Doug described.

sf7307

We've stayed at the Courtyard - the location is great (very easy to get around from there) and the rooms, although very simple (after all, it's a Courtyard!) are huge by Manhattan standards. We would stay there again.

sf7307

The Courtyard also has a very small lobby - if you need an opulent lobby, or even just the kind of lobby that is for relaxing in, this isn't it.

travelottie

Actually. a lobby for relaxing might be a good thing (more of a big city feel) -- hadn't thought of it before sf7307 mentioned it.

So based on what Doug & ellenem write, I'll book the East Side, if the extra tickets/passes make it a worthwhile deal.

Based on our itinerary, would you look at UWS, Beacon Hotel etc.? I'm more familiar with UWS but most of our activities will not be in that area this time.

doug_stallings

The Marriott on the East Side does not have a big lobby for relaxing, so don't book that hotel if that's what you're looking for. I prefer the Courtyard myself, and it's usually more expensive than the Marriott East Side, so if you have a good deal on the Courtyard, grab it. Those are generally better hotels.

The Beacon is fine. It's in a more residential area, so if you want that kind of feel to the neighborhood, it would be a good choice, and it is closer to Central Park than the other hotels. But it's farther from most tourist sights, though that's not necessarily a bad thing, and if you are looking for a city experience you'll get a better sense of what a real neighborhood is like if you stay there.

travelottie

Thank you again Doug

stracciatella

Can you book the Marriott Residence Inn? I am staying here and it is very nice and comfortable, and it has refrigerators and a microwave, and dishes. It is near Bryant Park. There is not a big lobby, but there is a big area on the 3rd floor with sofas and tvs, and there is a bar there. The breakfast is free.

For me the only problem here is that restaurants are better more downtown.

sf7307

The problem with the Residence Inn (I've stayed there too) is that technically you can only have 3 people in a room, and the second bed is a sofa bed. The Courtyard has rooms with two real beds AND a sofabed.

mclaurie

The passes are a non issue. If the prices they're offering for the rooms compare favorably to other options on the dates you're going, fine. (kayak.com is one good website to check) Otherwise, I wouldn't limit yourself to these Marriotts. While some hotels don't have rooms with 2 beds, many do and if you book them (and often pay the premium) that's what you get.

travelottie

Thank you all, It makes sense that I should keep searching.
Travelottie

stracciatella

Are you 3 people? Because the Residence Inn has rooms with 2 real beds.

mclaurie

Don't know your dates or when you're going, but blakelyhotelny.com might be a nice option to consider. They have rooms with 2 beds, include a light breakfast with the room rate, have kitchenettes and are walking distance to theaters without being in Times Square.

mclaurie

PS, if you're sure of your dates, order tickets to the 911memorial.org now so you have them.

doug_stallings

It's fine to order your tickets in advance, but they are generally widely available up to the day before you go. A couple of weeks ago, I booked tickets for a Thursday morning on Wednesday evening and had no problems whatsoever (lots of times were open still), and there are a LOT of tourists in NYC right now.

travelottie

2 people, my sister and me.

I'm looking into Courtyard Manhattan/Midtown East, Residence Inn, Cosmopolitan Hotel Tribeca, & Blakely.

Thank you everyone.

EricH

FYI, the Marriott Midtown East was good enough for Alfred Stieglitz and Georgia O'Keeffe, the Courtyard is a converted office building and the Residence Inn is a Residence Inn.

travelottie

Update: My nephew made a reservation for my sister and me in October, 2 double beds, at The Westin NY Grand Central (212 East 42nd St), for $279 pre-taxes. It is currently the NY Hemsley Hotel and will reopen 10/1, after a renovation, as a Westin.

The reservation can be cancelled, so opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Travelottie