Planning to send daughter, wife & mother in law to NYC. This is predominantly a Christmas shopping trip, but also sight seeing. lots of deals on offer, but where do I start? Where would be the best area/location to look for a hotel, as I believe i can then build on this?
All help appreciated

Most first time tourists like to stay in Midtown West which is also the area that Times Square is located in.

My suggestion, since this is a first trip and you are sending your family during the busiest, most expensive time of year is to look for a package.

With a package, you'll get the best price on hotel, airfare, attractions, and they usually throw in a dinner or two. Also, first time visitors are sometimes overwhelmed by having so much laid at their feet and at least this will give them an outline.

I also highly suggest a guidebook. It will help your family get a mental picture.

For first time visitors:

Statue of Liberty (Staten Island Ferry)
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Empire State Building
Broadway Show
Tree at Rock Center
Shopping: Bloomies, Bendels, Barneys, Saks, Bergdorf Goodman, Takashimya, ABC Home Carpet, J&R, Toys R Us.

Food: Serendipity and either Second Avenue Deli (Kosher Jewish) or Katz (Kosher Jewish style)

You mention that it's a Christmas shopping trip -- when are they planning to go? I ask because I had occasion to be in Manhattan for most of the month of December last year, and was astonished at how much difference there was in hotel rates the first couple of weeks of December and the week immediately before Christmas. The first two weeks, I couldn't find anything in Midtown for less than $300/night. The week before Christmas, I got a room at the Grand Hyatt next to Grand Central Station for $179/night, and could have had my pick of almost any hotel in New York for under $200/night.

I had a very pleasant stay at the Roosevelt Hotel the week after New Year's. It's a classic old New York hotel (80 years old) but very well maintained/renovated, with helpful staff and nicely appointed rooms, and it's usually pretty reasonable. My only caveat about it is if you're on a middle floor (4 through 13) DO NOT plan to get an elevator going down between 9 am and 9:30. Two days in a row I waited on the 10th floor for 20 minutes and through 8 or 10 completely full elevator cars before giving up -- first day I walked down, the second day I took the elevator up to the top floor and then down.

I think a midtown hotel somewhere near 5th avenue in the 30s thru 50s. Fifth AVenue is where most of the major department stores are and also where the great holiday window displays are, as well as Rockefeller center, and St. Patrick's.

Most tourists seem to stay in the Times Sq area, but that is far from the best or most interesting area to stay. In fact I think it's congested and very touristy (many overpriced chain/theme restaurants, souvenir shops, etc).

For 3 people you should look into the Affinia hotels (Affinia.com). Many are all-suite with kitchenettes.

Midtown, but definitely not Times Square. You might want to try Priceline, midtown east.

Be aware than many hotel rooms in NYC are not suitable for 3 adults. If they are planning on sharing one room you either need to go for a hotel that guarantees two double beds per room (few do) or get a suite hotel.

You might want tolook at affinia.com - a group of suite hotels that is moderately priced and gets generally good reviews.

Since there are 3 I agree a suite hotel would give them more room, and I would suggest staying in Midtown on the East Side near 34th St, since it is mainly for shopping, that way they have access to buses and the subway.

There is a lovely hotel on 34th and Lexinton called the Dupont Suites I think and it is close to everything, and the bus lines will stop almost infront of the hotel.

There are also some good restaurants in the area, so they won't have to walk far in the cold weather, and it's close to all the shopping on 34th St, and within a bus ride or walking to 5th AVe and Madison Ave.

During the holiday season, there is a holiday fair at Grand Central Station and an outdoor fair at Union Square which is at 14th St. There's also a huge Filene's and a DSW Shoes right across the street from Union Square.

Hope this helps, and hope they have a fun time discovering the city.

I'd also check with www.hotels.com for more suggestions.

Another nice suite hotel is the Avalon on 32nd and 5th av.

There is no one best location IMO. What's best for me is probably not best for them. If you/they are from a small town and not used to city life, staying midtown during that busy time could cause meltdown. If that's the case, I would suggest upper west side or upper east side. If they want to be in the middle of things but not in total chaos, midtown east would be good.

Would help us to know a bit more about them and what sort of budget/place you had in mind. The Affinia.com all suite hotels are a good idea for 3. I also like the Elysee hotel, a smaller classic place where they're close to the major dept stores but not in the middle of total chaos.

I would NOT suggest staying in Little Korea, which is 32nd St. It is noisy all day and all night long. It is also not one of the nicer areas of the city and few restaurants in the immediate area.

I can tell you a little about the AWFUL dinner we had in Little Korea, starting with corn tea (?) and it went downhill from there quickly. We actually saw one of those HUGE water bugs/cochroaches dying on the floor of the restaurant, and we decided it committed suicide, because of the awful food. We often laugh, about the worst meal we have ever had.

I've stayed on the upper west side for each of my visits to NY and I really like the residential feel after a full day of NY sightseeing. I think I would go nuts staying in midtown.

wantsomesun, did you mean the Dumont Plaza on 34th and Lex? It is part of the Affina Group. I like the Shelbourne Murray Hill much better. It is 37th & Lex. I love Murray Hill.

Definitely Midtown East.

Make sure you send them after the Christmas store window displays are up. They are fabulous. We were there in November but missed them. they went up later than I expected they would, around the 21st I think?

Many thanks for your suggestions, my wife has gone to the library today to get some guide books.
Much appreciated