"Country mouse" planning visit to NYC

Parent Cafe
1

I’m taking my D and her fiance to NYC for a long weekend in September. My primary goal is to see shows. I’m consulting with you fine folks to help me figure out where to stay, where to eat and how to stay safe. I’d love to be in walking distance of the theatre district. I’ve lived most of my life in rural/suburban areas (though I do go into Boston every few months for a show.) I’ve been to NYC several times as well – most of them back in the late 70’s when Time Square was a scary place.

I know it has improved tremendously since then.

I’m not looking to spend megabucks but I’m not aiming for frugality either. I’m guessing I’ll have to shell out upwards of $300/night?? Specific suggestions for hotels, restaurants and tips on how to survive NYC are welcome.

2

You might try to book Hotel 17. Most of the bathrooms are communal, but they have at least one bathroom which is shared by one double and one single room. It’s not deluxe to put it mildly. It’s one giant step up from a hostel but has fewer amenities than most hotels. It’s in a safe neighborhood.http://www.hotel17ny.com/

3

Can’t help you with where to stay as I don’t overnight in the city - but I was just down last week and had cocktails at the rooftop bar at the Viceroy. Spectacular view of all of Central Park. http://theroofny.com/

4

Check the prices on the Palace Hotel. If you use Expedia or another similar site you should able to book there for just under $300 this time of year. While far from my favorite NY hotel, it has a central location at 51st and Madison and is a short cab ride from the theatre district. I think it has to be at least a 4 star hotel so you will be very comfortable and in a very safe neighborhood. The Executive Floors get you a better room and a private lounge for cocktails but believe that is an “up charge.”

5

I just went to Trivago.com and found a whole bunch of Times Square hotels ranging in price and in happiness of reviews. That’s what I would do.

6

Sometimes your work will let you use Corp rates for personal travel…

The palace is nice. Hyatt Grand central. There are a number of boutique hotels here that are nice too!

7

We stayed at the Grand Central Hyatt. Several years ago but it was reasonable for NY and pretty convenient.

8

You probably want to stay in the Times Square area. Friends are staying at the Mayfair this weekend. I’m meeting them in the lobby but I haven’t been there yet. Price may depend on time of year, but if you pull up a map of Times Square, look at nearby hotels, there will be lots of options/price ranges and reviews available.

http://mayfairnewyork.com/

We moved here a few months ago so are still playing tourist. Last weekend we went on a Circle Line Harbor Lights cruise at sunset. It wasn’t horribly expensive and the views were wonderful. We took the subway to 42nd Street/Port Authority, so it would be conveniently located if you’re in the Times Square area.

9

We loved staying at the YOTEL in Times square. Rooms are small, but white, clean and high tech, with fantastic views from the bathrooms…

10

If - and I understand that’s an if - you want a better hotel or at least more room, look at Jersey City. There’s a Hyatt on the water, an Omni, etc., all nice places and there’s a suite option in Doubletree. I’m posting this because others might want to think about this too. The other reasons to stay over the water are: the view is otherworldly, the boat - which takes 6 minutes to cross - is right there and drops you next to WTC (and the new, very well done Irish Famine Memorial) and there are PATH stations. The one furthest downriver only goes to WTC but the one slightly uptown (Newport) goes to midtown.

11

I realize that your stated purpose in visiting NYC is seeing shows, but Times Square is a nightmare! Hordes of tourists filling every inch of sidewalk space. If you are not bothered by this, then there’s no problem staying in TS. I find it a bit too frenetic, and I lived in NYC for years. You could easily stay w/in walking distance of theaters w/o having to stay in TS.

You might want to subscribe to Travel Zoo NY. Here is the link to the hotel ‘deals’. Most of these are only valid through early September, so you may want to check back in a couple of weeks.
http://www.travelzoo.com/hotels/new-york/

I rarely stay in hotels in NYC since I live so close, but have stayed at two that worked for small groups and were relatively inexpensive.

The Affinia properties appear to be converted apt buildings so devoid of typical lobby amenities, but offering HUGE living space, by NYC standards. Some are studio set-ups so the three of you could share one space.

http://www.affinia.com/city-overview-nyc

The other hotel where we have stayed for a ‘girls’ weekend’ is the San Carlos. Again, it offered suites so that four women could share adjoined space. It is a little more expensive, and rooms are less spacious but nicer than the Affinia properties.

http://www.sancarloshotel.com

Friends recently stayed at the Park Lane right on Central Park South. While the rooms & bathrooms need an update, they were spacious (by NYC standards) and surprisingly less expensive than I had expected. Mandatory ‘resort fee’ included free ‘Happy Hour’ that offered wine, beer, & nibbles in a huge 2nd floor room overlooking the park. Excellent vantage.

http://www.parklanenewyork.com

As @college_query suggested, the Circle Line cruise is fun. They honor AAA discounts when purchasing tickets, or they used to.

I don’t know if you are looking for other activity suggestions, but walking the High Line is fun, and free. The 9-11 Museum is now open. I drag out of town friends though Grand Central Terminal @ 42nd & Lex, the NY Public Library @ 42nd & 5th, and the old Post Office at 33rd & 8th.

You can have an inexpensive meal at Bouchon Bakery at Columbus Circle and enjoy a wonderful view of the park. If you wish to spend money to enjoy a better view from a higher vantage, there is the Mandarin Oriental, but a drink will set you back $18.

Probably more info than you wanted!

12

I prefer to stay where we can walk around Times Square or to the shows. Times Square is a great place to walk aournd now. Nothing like the 70’s. A quick look on hotels dot come shows hotels under $300. I use my Marriott points to stay in their properties around that area. Anyhwere in the theater district is fine. If you know which shows you want to see you can select an hotel closer. We walk from Central Park and Lincoln Center down to Macys and between Broadway to 5th avenue without any issues. Have walking shoes :slight_smile:

13

Marriott Courtyard Chelsea. I’ve stayed there three times in the past year. Easy walk to Times Square. I have another reservation later in the month.

14

We made a similar trip last year and did stay at the Jersey City Hyatt, right on the river with ferry service directly to Manhattan from the plaza area. It was tremendous, comfortable…I can’t imagine anything IN the city being better, especially if you are driving.

15

How about the Beacon Hotel? I think it’s in your price range. It’s in the 70s on Bway so if you are feeling energetic you can walk, but otherwise it’s an easy subway ride. I only know it from taking cont. ed classes in their conference rooms, but it seemed fine to me. Google reviewers give it four out of five stars.

16

Yes, it’s nice to have a short walk back to your hotel after a show, but we hate staying in the Times Square chaos. It seldom feels unsafe, but it’s always grubby, crowded, and touristy. If you must stay in that area, consider the Iroquois or the Algonquin which are at least on a quiet street. Check out the betterbidding website and then look at priceline for deals. You should be able to do better than $300 a night. Not sure that NYC hotels are the best use of points as they typically require three times the points that a room in another city requires. Be prepared that many NYC hotel rooms are very small. We like staying on the UWS with its more residential character. But you won’t be in your hotel much anyway for a short stay.

Re: staying safe, use the common sense you use in Boston: be aware of your surroundings, don’t dangle your purse over the back of your chair in a cafe, and keep it zipped and close to your body on the subway or street. Step inside a coffee shop or drugstore (there’s one on every corner) to consult a map.

For reasonable (by NYC standards) pre-theatre dining, consider db Bistro Moderne, The Marshal, Marseille, Becco, and Danji. Shake Shack is also fun if you want something inexpensive, and we love Don Antonio for pizza in the theatre district.

If you wind up at the Natural History museum or the NYHS, don’t miss Levain bakery nearby. If you want a small art museum experience, visit the Frick or the Neue Gallerie (the latter has a wonderful cafe). Morgan Library is beautiful, uncrowded, and also has a good cafe. You should have decent weather in September to walk through Central Park; it helps to be able to spend some time in some green space when you are in a city.

17

The area with restaurants near TS catering to locals is around 9th Ave & 50th St.
World Trade Center Observatory opened 2 weeks ago. The views are gorgeous. Buy tickets online if you decide to do it. Then check the plaza around WTC, World financial center and stroll along the Hudson towards Battery Park. Beats Times Square hands down.

18

I visit NYC frequently and never tire of walking in Central Park. Also second the Circle LIne boat tour.

We travel a lot and have found that memberships in hotel clubs have paid off. We belong to both Hyatt and IHG. I will be staying in one of the IHG hotels in Manhattan this weekend for $70 plus points.

19

If your primary goal is to see shows, then staying in the Times Square area is your best option. There are dozens of hotels there in a variety of price points. Check trivago for prices ad availablilty. Times Square has been safe for a long time. Staying in that area makes it easy to walk just about anywhere, i.e., UWS, UES, Central Park, museums, etc. One thing I always recommend to those new to the city is to walk the HighLine. Circle Line is fine but the tour around the entire island is LONG and gets kind of boring. Take the ferry to Staten Island for a taste of the city from the water and see the Statue of Liberty from a close vantage point. I also recommend visiting the memorial at the site of the World Trade Center.

For shows, keep an eye on playbill.com for what will be playing then. If there is a particular show that you want to see, order tickets ahead of time. You can get discounts through playbill and/or broadwaybox.com. For same day tickets, TKTS is an option but you never know what will be available and it wastes time standing in line, in my opinion.

Have fun!

20

I like the Park 79 by the Museum of Natural History. A little out of the Time Square bubble, but not too far that you cannot easily get there if you want.