New York Hotel

We are sailing QM2 in July 09, our first trip to New York. Can anyone reccommend a nice hotel, well placed for the sights. We need a room large enough for 3, with a budget of around £200-£250 per night. I have looked at the Hyatt, the rates are good, but any input you may have would be great.

We are sailing QM2 in July 09, our first trip to New York. Can anyone reccommend a nice hotel, well placed for the sights. We need a room large enough for 3, with a budget of around £200-£250 per night. I have looked at the Hyatt, the rates are good, but any input you may have would be great.

It all depends just what you expect for your money. New York hotels are notorious for small rooms and to be honest for the prices I have paid for NYC I would expect something much better elswhere, But, how long do you actually spend in your hotel room anyway. My own preference is for an older style hotel in a good location, and providing that the bed, room and bathroom is clean and that most things work ok then I can forgo the fripperies. we have stayed at:-

The Waldorf,

- . nice but a bit too far east.

The Edison

- Art Deco - a bit shabby but right in the thick of it.

The Hilton

- 6th Ave. the Hilton is the Hilton wherever, but we had lovely corner rooms on both occasions.

The Ameritania

- one step up from a hostel but again great location esp. for restaurant row, and v. helpful friendly staff.

The Rooseveldt

Near Grand Central Terminal - possibly my favourite, they do a killer martini in their lovely lobby bar.

The Helmsley

Cunard used this hotel for a while - nothing special but no complaints.

The Pennsylvania

- opposite Madison Sq. Gdns.. V. shabby when we were there about 6 yrs ago but no compaints about the room we had. the lobby is a bit frantic though at all times. Believe it's had an overhaul recently.

We used to love the Dorset but unfortunately that's gone.

Also stayed at several of the chains which are what they are. But always in the midtown area. As it's your first visit that's where you need to be IMHO.

For your budget you should get a reasonable room in any of these which are all good locations. Just go with an open mind and don't sweat the small stuff.

There are several New Yorkers on this board who will be much better informed than I am and I'm sure one of them will be along to give you some tips. I envy you your first trip to this my favourite of all cities.

Gari

Please don't stay at the Pennsylvania. It is a ghastly hotel & one of the worst I've ever stayed in. This is echoed by a number of other people I know! (Trip Advisor would also echo this....)

Hi egit,

We would also recommend the Hilton New York on 6th Avenue, check out the Hilton website they sometimes have some good rates. We have stayed there a few times and will be there next week.

Enjoy your trip next year,

Jane

If you'd like to stay down near the water (its a very short subway or taxi ride to midtown), I really like the Embassy Suites.

And if you want to be near Times Square, either the Millenium or the Marriott Marquis are right in the center of things.

And if you want to be near Times Square, either the Millenium or the Marriott Marquis are right in the center of things.

Yes, and the Marriott has quite large rooms too, very nice.

The Warwick just opposite the Hilton is an old elegant hotel. We like that one.

The Wellington is a bit tacky around the lobby and lift area but we had a good room there.

I would be wary of hotels on the Upper West Side a lot of them are of the shared bathroom variety and the area is non too salubrious in parts. Trouble is, on your first trip you won't know which parts.

The thing is that everyone's expectations and requirements are different.

I've stayed at hotels which I thought were OK only to see them blasted as the "Hotel from Hell" on Trip Advisor. Maybe I have very low standards but's that's OK it makes them so much easier to attain.

Would that we could all stay at The Carlisle

Gari

And if you want to be near Times Square, either the Millenium or the Marriott Marquis are right in the center of things.

The W Times Square if you want "hip" crowd. The St Regis if you want to be near 5th Avenue shopping.

The Barclay Intercontinental - Park and 48th. I've been staying there since the 70's.

Yeah.. love the bar at the Roosevelt.. but for Manhattans. Room sizes vary quite alot at the Roosevelt. They are notorious for confirming a corner king....but then you wind up with a much smaller king.. with barely any space to walk around the bed. It's at Madison and 45th.

Hyatt rooms by and large are small for three... unless you go with the more expensive room type.

The Westin Times Square is nice too, but my preference is for Eastside properties.

I have also tried the Sofitel which is just off Fifth Avenue: a lovely hotel and great if you can shop around and secure a good price. The Hilton at Times Square is well located with large rooms and again can be some very good deals!

The Michaelangelo is in a great place just off Times square. Very big rooms by New York standards and good staff baring the doormen.

A first class small European style hotel (which includes breakfast) is the Algonquin on 54th street between Park and Madison. It is a small very friendly hotel that does not cater to the convention crowd.

Hi Egit

Would recommend Embassy suites at Battery Park, it's next door to the World Financial Center, all rooms are 2 room suites both with separate TV'S great if you have young Family, I have stayed their 4 times and always requested Riverview rooms, that are great because you see the Cruise ships sail past the Hotel, also a Multiplex Cinema is connected to the Hotel, and every evening they have a Drinks reception in the Hotel

( it's a free Bar for 2 Hours )

To book use WWW.HILTON.COM and not .CO.UK as Embassy Suites are only on the Hilton US website. Great Hotel Pre or Post Cruise.

Michael Mac

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=93011&stc=1&d=1223679418

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=93009&stc=1&d=1223679301

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=93010&stc=1&d=1223679301

Looking at gari's list I can tell you about the Edison and the Hotel Pennsylvania... as well as some other information about additional considerations to look for-

I stayed at the Hotel Edison this past New Years... as he says it is a little run down but you can't beat the location for the price, it is right in the Times Square bowtie. We are staying there again next week before our QE2 crossing on the 16th. They also have valet parking which is a lot cheaper and more convenient than trying to coordinate a garage or street parking, which I wouldn't try to navigate even with my little smart.

The Hotel Pennsylvania has new and old rooms.... book early to try to get a refinished room because I don't think there is a price difference. It is in a great location if you come in via Amtrak as it is right across the street from Penn Station. Also you will be a block away from Macy's and the Empire State Building.

Finally, not on gari's list, if you have an RCI time share membership you can try to book the Manhattan Club. It also has valet parking and is a couple blocks from Central Park. I like it for the size of the rooms and the refinished decor.

I usually take what I read on tripadvisor with a grain of salt... someone will always be uhhappy with something. Things like "the lobby was dull" or "the hallway was too small"... really who cares? I once read a negative review of the Omni Parker House in Boston, probably the best hotel I have ever stayed in. You can't account for different tastes, though the traveler photographs are often helpful.

Depend on where you are going, expect to pay an average of $300-400 midtown, although I have seen some for less. Beware when you are booking online via Expedia or Travelocity to ensure that you have a private bath, as many NY hotels have shared baths which cost less... so if you see a low price, this is one thing to check.

I would recomed the Doubletree hotel in Time square. It was built as an Embassy Suites. So it has a nice layout for three. Its also write at time square.:)

Great article in this weekend's NY Times on "Frugal New York" which gives suggestions on where to stay, dine and do for folks on a budget. See this link:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/travel/12frugal.html?8td&emc=tda1

There's also a nice suites hotel in midtown. It's over on the east side, but a quick cab ride away from action elsewhere:

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/nycme-courtyard-new-york-manhattan-midtown-east/

I would also recommend the Parker Meridien hotel. It's a very modern, clean upscale hotel with a beautiful, indoor rooftop pool with sweeping views of central park and a first-rate gym. They have a few good restaurants too. A low key bistro, the famous "burger joint" and a fancy breakfast restaurant that gets high marks for that meal. Room service menus are posted on their site:

http://www.parkermeridien.com/index1.php

It's close to Central Park, the Plaza, Carnegie Hall, Carnegie Dell, a lot of good restaurants and not too far from Fifth Ave. and Madison Ave. shopping.

The Hotel Pennsylvania is okay if you are looking for a budget choice, but it's the hotel equivalent of a bus station -- lots of people milling around all the time, a pretty diverse section of the population, harried brusque service and it only gets you from here to there. Also, my husband notes that the public restrooms (he's been to conferences there) can be pretty disgusting. Room-wise it's like a Holiday Inn. I visited someone in a room once and it seemed fine.

The St Regis if you want to be near 5th Avenue shopping.

...and you have an income similar to the Queen's.

We are sailing QM2 in July 09, our first trip to New York. Can anyone reccommend a nice hotel, well placed for the sights. We need a room large enough for 3, with a budget of around £200-£250 per night. I have looked at the Hyatt, the rates are good, but any input you may have would be great.

Oooh, it has to be the Waldorf Astoria. The history & spirit of NY seep from its walls. The rooms are much bigger than other hotels too.

Where ever you go, enjoy:)

Sharon

The first time we went to NY we stayed at the Double Tree Times Square right in the heart of Times Square. It was a great location for a first time visit. Times Square is something to see at night. You can walk around, there is a subway at the corner. Excellent location if you want to be in the thick of things. If you want to be away from the crowds then don't stay there. Since they are suites you will have no problem with space. I just checked for a Friday night in July and it was $319 plus tax which should be in your range.

ANother favorite is the Lucerne on the upper west side, a couple blocks from central park, nice area and not as congested or crazy as the time sqaure location. The subway is at the end of the block. I checked for a friday in July and it was $350 a night plus tax. It is a very nice hotel and again another great location. There are many restaurants in the area you can walk to and the subway can take you where ever you want to go.

Those are my two locations. I would check on expedia.com and check their customer reviews. They have been right on for me. Last time we stayed at the Hotel Belleclaire. Upper West side and a couple blocks from the Lucerne. The rate was better so we tried it and it was fine for us. When I read the reviews someone wrote that the fire alarm went off in their room in the middle of the night. Wouldn't you know the same thing happened to us. When it went off at 5 am I just laughed, that is after I checked and there was no fire. I think the reviews are invaluable expecially in a place like NY. There are so many hotels in so many areas and when it's your first time you have no idea where to stay or what to expect.

Hotel Belleclaire would be a choice for you as well and it would be cheaper that the other two locations I mentioned. Again the subway is a block, maybe two, away. They do have rooms where you share bathrooms but there are also rooms and suites with private bathrooms which is what we had along with a view of the Hudson river.

I hope you will be able to spend a couple nights in NY. There is so much to see and do. I love it. Like anywhere there are places to be at night and places to not be. The subway is very easy and we have never had a problem not feeling safe.

Have an excellent trip!

Thanks for all your help. We are staying for 5 nights post cruise. l am still looking,can't make up my mind.

No politics involved but there is a nice place right across the street from Rockefeller Plaza called 3 West 51st club - you don't have to be a member of anything to stay there. It is really nice. I believe the rates around around $200 to $250 a night and you are right in the middle of everything. Older hotel but the rooms are nice, beautiful antique furniture and nice bathrooms. They have a pub on the 3rd floor that serves meals. My TA has booked us there several times.

Morrie

No politics involved but there is a nice place right across the street from Rockefeller Plaza called 3 West 51st club - you don't have to be a member of anything to stay there. It is really nice. I believe the rates around around $200 to $250 a night and you are right in the middle of everything. Older hotel but the rooms are nice, beautiful antique furniture and nice bathrooms. They have a pub on the 3rd floor that serves meals. My TA has booked us there several times.

 

Morrie

Does this hotel exist anymore? I was trying to check it out and every link I found said reservations could not be made through their site anymore. I never could find a website for the hotel itself. If you have a website or telephone number I would take it.

Thanks.

Does this hotel exist anymore? I was trying to check it out and every link I found said reservations could not be made through their site anymore. I never could find a website for the hotel itself. If you have a website or telephone number I would take it.

 

Thanks.

It appears that they only accept reservations for groups, wedding parties, and conferences. No individual bookings.

It appears that they only accept reservations for groups, wedding parties, and conferences. No individual bookings.

Thanks for the info.