<p>we decided to go to NYC during the week of christmas. is the subway system good enough to get around sightseeing? and which area would be a great place to book a B&B? queens? broadway? times square?</p>
<p>Yes, the subway is excellent for sightseeing. Between that and walking, you should be fine. Just plan ahead - it’s $2/ride but there are a few ways that you can save money. If you buy 5 rides, the 6th is free; there are also “fun passes,” or at least there were a few years ago, that are good for the whole day, unlimited.</p>
<p>As for booking a B&B - I think it would depend on where you want to go. If you don’t stay in Manhattan, at least try to stay near a subway stop.</p>
<p>You should probably plan to stay in Manhattan to make it easier to get to all the great places you’ll want to see…do you specifically want a b&b?</p>
<p>You will find rates unbelievable during Christmas…</p>
<p>Head over to the Fodors Travel Forum </p>
<p><a href=“United States - Fodor's Travel Talk Forums”>United States - Fodor's Travel Talk Forums;
<p>or Thorntree/Lonely Planet for more help</p>
<p><a href=“Thorn Tree is coming to an end - Lonely Planet”>Thorn Tree is coming to an end - Lonely Planet;
<p>I also like <a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com%5B/url%5D”>www.tripadvisor.com</a> for good information.
I have a friend who just stayed in Manhattan at a place with a small kitchenette and she loved it. I’ll get the name and post it later.</p>
<p>try craigslist.com for sublets…</p>
<p>Don’t stay in Brooklyn! For easy access and lots of nearby sights, stay anywhere between Chinatown and 130th street.</p>
<p>Book now. Christmas week is very very busy in New York.</p>
<p>gives me a really big headache just trying to select a place to stay. do you have any suggestions? under $100 for a double room (figured we won’t be in the room 80% of the time).</p>
<p>Sorry, but there is no way you will be staying in Manhattan at Christmas time for under $100 a night. Don’t forget the room tax too - over 13% + $3.50/night occupancy fees.</p>
<p>Look at hostels maybe.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.hostelworld.com%5B/url%5D”>www.hostelworld.com</a></p>
<p>The subway is a great way to get around. The one-day, unlimited-ride pass costs $7. You have to buy it at one of the ticket machines (not from an actual person). I learned the hard way recently that the machine won’t make more than $6 (or something like that) in change, which made me have to go back on the street and break a $20 before I could buy the ticket.</p>
<p>It was helpful for me to plan out subway routes using the MTA website ahead of time to speed up the getting-from-Point-A-to-Point-B process.</p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>
<p>It’s doubtful that you’ll find a hotel room for less than $100 anywhere near NYC, even in Jersey. Even a hostel room, or the Y, is going to be close to that amount for two people.</p>
<p>lol sorry. i meant less than $100 per person. which means a room that cost less than $200. and a hostel would be fine too. :)</p>
<p>thanks flatlander for that helpful info.</p>
<p>I’d probably recommend the Hotel Edison. It’s not too bad and they are showing rates right now around 180-200/night. You need to reserve NOW though. Everything will be sold out before you know it.</p>
<p>I go to NYC every couple of years or so and I usually stay at the Hampton Inn on 8th Ave. in midtown. It is reasonably priced and very centrally located to the theatre district, Rockefeller Center, shopping, and the C-E subway line that will take you the length of Manhattan. The rooms at the Hampton Inn are very large by NY hotel standards and there are some really nice amenities (free breakfast, etc). I have also stayed at the Belvedere in the same area and that is nice too. The problem is that both of these hotels are showing rate hikes starting on Dec. 26; I guess to catch the crowds coming in for New Year’s. This may be true of most of the hotels, I don’t know. I have not stayed at the Edison, but I have passed it many times and the location is great. Christmas is an awesome time to visit NYC…everything is just decorated so beautifullly. I am sure that the native New Yorkers on this board could be a lot more help than I, however feel free to pm me if you want more advice,etc from the strictly “I’m a tourist and this is how I do NYC” perspective.</p>
<p>The Edison has a great location but the hotel itself is pretty drab. The rooms are small, even by NYC standards, and they’re in need of being refurbished. Even at the Edison, you might get a room for the Tuesday of Christmas week for around $250 (without taxes) but it will climb to $350 for Wed. to Friday of that week and be up to $550 by Saturday. This, in my opinion, is insane and is a good example of how the holiday week is the most expensive time of the year to visit NYC. The Edison <em>should</em> be a $200/night hotel tops. Anyone who pays $550/night there has lost their mind! 
The Big Apple Hostel is one which I usually recommend to students who can’t afford a decent hotel. It’s location is good, it’s clean, and in a safe area. Just checked it online, and even they are already totally booked for that week.</p>
<p>^ The Edison is showing the $180 rate right through Dec 28th. (It is sold out for New Year’s.) It will not last. And no, it is NOT a great hotel, but it is OK. (Unlike the Hotel Pennsylvania - not OK at ANY rate.)</p>
<p>weenie, where are you getting those rates? I checked The Edison’s own site and they’re showing that they’re sold out from the 26th on (I assumed, perhaps wrongly ;), that the OP wasn’t interested in Christmas day itself)through that weekend. Expedia gave me the figures I quoted above. I agree that the Edison is OK, if it can be arranged for $180/night, its location gives it big bonus points.</p>
<p>Oh yeah weenie, I agree. The Hotel Pennsylvania is NOT ok at any rate…can we say sketchy?</p>
<p>banedon17, what dates are you planning to be in NYC? As you can see, it makes a difference in availability and price.</p>
<p>most of them are sold out 
<a href=“I%20assumed,%20perhaps%20wrongly%20,%20that%20the%20OP%20wasn’t%20interested%20in%20Christmas%20day%20itself”>quote</a>
[/quote]
actually, Christmas is the reason why we picked NYC. 
dec 22nd till jan 2nd. peak period, i know. i put the blame largely on my indecisive friends who cannot make up their minds and partly on the friend whose parents are indecisive. :)</p>
<p>alwaysamom: Yes, on the Edison web site, I still see availablilty until the 29th.</p>
<p>banedon:
If you are really planning on going to NYC for 10 nights I’d look for an apartment. Post on Fodors or slowtrav and get some suggestions - especially if you need more than one room! You really will not get a room for New Year’s anyplace.</p>