New York Hotel

[dr&momto2boys]

Looking for a good deal on a New York hotel and also advice on which neighborhoods to target. We'll only be there 2 days and have our 5 young children with us (7 of us total.) We want to do the main tourist stuff... Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Central Park, not sure what else. Won't have a car or car seats to get around. Any advice is appreciated! Tell us where to eat too!
We'll need 2 rooms to accomodate us all, so I'm not sure using Priceline and taking our chances will work. The trip is end of September. Really would like to spend less than $1000 on the 2 nights' hotel charge and fees but not stay in a dump or inconvenient location.

 

[LinderInWonderland]

Two rooms really ups the price, but perhaps checking on a hotel with suites? My personal favorite for charm and location is the Salisbury Hotel on West 57th between 6th & 7th. Continental breakfast is included. You are two blocks south of Central Park, 10 blocks north of Times Square and close to subways that will get you to all the major touristy stuff.

For kids, you would be so close to the end of the park close to the zoos and the skating rink. Also close to the Plaza where you can visit Eloise's room.

 

[sunshinemelody]

Two rooms really ups the price, but perhaps checking on a hotel with suites? My personal favorite for charm and location is the Salisbury Hotel on West 57th between 6th & 7th. Continental breakfast is included. You are two blocks south of Central Park, 10 blocks north of Times Square and close to subways that will get you to all the major touristy stuff.

For kids, you would be so close to the end of the park close to the zoos and the skating rink. Also close to the Plaza where you can visit Eloise's room.

Wollman's Rink isn't open during the end of September, so that's out. Nor is any rink for that matter.

 

[LinderInWonderland]

Wollman's Rink isn't open during the end of September, so that's out. Nor is any rink for that matter.

The roller rink, too?

 

[mjkacmom]

Check out Affinia properties. You can probably get a suite for around $500 (expensive time of year in NYC, great weather), and they are more like apartments.

 

[bean]

We just stayed last weekend at Element Times Square. It's a Starwood property. It was nice with a free breakfast...sort of like an Aloft type hotel. I was surprised at how inexpensive it was ($130 for a King). Its super close to the Theatre district and Penn Station.

 

[sunshinemelody]

The roller rink, too?

I apologize, I assumed ice skating! Whoops!

Are you referring to Skate Circle? I know that Wollman Rink turns into a carnival space during warmer months.

 

[clori]

We like to stay near Penn Station/Madison Square Garden. We loved the Affinia Manhattan which you could price. Chelsea Savoy hotel was cheap and basic but worked fine for us and included bagels. I just stayed at Hampton Inn Times Square Central which had a nice free breakfast and was under $140. I stay at a different hotel each time and often find deals on travelzoo. Also look at hotel websites for AAA discounts. I usually check reviews on tripadvisor. Also not all hotels have free wifi so check that if needed.

Not sure the ages of your children but look at Sony Wonder Technology Lab - its free and my kids used to love it. If you have a local museum membership to see if it offers reciprocity. I get into a few places for free in Manhattan with our local science museum membership.

 

[gregokdisney]

Try Hotwire. I've had great luck with their specials, but you don't know what hotel you're getting until after you purchase it. I've done it in several cities, including NY. You just tell them which neighborhood you want. When we've gone to NY we stayed near Times Square. The first time was the Mayfair, which was nice enough, but old. This time, we got the Paramount, across from the theatre that has Hamilton, for $112 per night!

 

[mjkacmom]

Try Hotwire. I've had great luck with their specials, but you don't know what hotel you're getting until after you purchase it. I've done it in several cities, including NY. You just tell them which neighborhood you want. When we've gone to NY we stayed near Times Square. The first time was the Mayfair, which was nice enough, but old. This time, we got the Paramount, across from the theatre that has Hamilton, for $112 per night!

I don't know if that would work with the need for 2 connecting rooms.

 

[Gracie09]

Check out the jewel at Rockefeller. The rooms are not big but very clean and they have suites with kitchettes. It's close to a lot of things you may want to do

 

[LovesTimone]

We stay at the Westins Times Square, The subway was entrance was just around the corner, as well as about a 2 block walk to times square. We booked thru Expedia and have been very happy with our room. Remember this is New York and the rooms are small. While the room cost was a bit more than we wanted I have to say we thought it was well worth it, and location could not have been better for us.

Ellen's stardust diner is a fun spot, the staff is up and coming broad way singers and actors, they sing for their tips, food is okay, but the talent is amazing you are entertained the whole time.

The Lion King might be a good option for all of you to enjoy ( not sure all your kiddos are age appropriate)

Lots of corner deli, to duck into to grab a bite.

Central Park is really beautiful lots to see, also the Met is there and you can pay what you want to visit, I would hit the rooms that you know the kiddos will enjoy.

 

[msmama]

Try looking at groupon too. There are often NYC hotels on there.

Also, if you can go during the week and not on the weekend, you'll save a lot on room prices. I don't know if that's an option.

I personally like midtown, but if I'm in the city I often end my days with a show, so it's convenient to get "home" to my hotel if it's in midtown. Anywhere between Penn Station (so 34th Street) and Central Park (59th Street) and between 8th and 5th Avenues are my prime locations.

For the most part it's super easy to get around because the streets are numbered and in a grid (gets a little tricker when downtown).

 

[Tricia's mom]

We just stayed a night at the Fairfield Marriott in Chelsea . It had a wonderful breKfast and was really close to the subway , easy to get around. The area was lovely as well. Just down the block from FIT.
I've also stayed in Times Square at Roomate grace. They have rooms with bunk beds and a great pool and awesome free breakfast. The rooms are small but it's a great hotel.

This phot was right outside our door.
The view out our window.

 

[SGMCO]

We went to NYC last summer in June for a week and stay in Long Island City which is 5 mins. on Subway to Mid-Manhattan-perfect location, near Queens Bridge. I found a good deal on Travelocity website to a Boutique Hotel that was Cute and very clean, only one block from Subway and Free Breakfast. The hotel was called: "Nesva Hotel" and it was $170 per night . You can go up to the Roof and see all of the Manhattan Skyline which was beautiful at Night. We were put on the top floor and the view as amazing. It was so nice to get out of hustle and bustle of Manhattan for the Night, across the bridge seemed less stressful and more quiet. Plus, we ate several times at the best little restaurant of our whole trip--right next door to our hotel.

 

[si-am]

We loved the Roosevelt, just a block from Grand Central. It was a 10 minute walk to Times Square so not a bad location at all. Rooms were really small but the hotel is historic and elegant. Good deals pop up quite frequently.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Have you considered AirB&b? NYC is very strict about how many people they allow and I never heard of anywhere allowing more than 4 but if you found a nice apartment in the west village in a brownstone or something you could probably put a bunch of kids on airbeds for $15 each and save a lot of money. I know a few people who love this method, just make sure you find owners that have a lot of reviews and read all of them. West Greenwich Village & Battery Park City would likely be the two neighborhoods I would do considering your young family

 

[mjkacmom]

Have you considered AirB&b? NYC is very strict about how many people they allow and I never heard of anywhere allowing more than 4 but if you found a nice apartment in the west village in a brownstone or something you could probably put a bunch of kids on airbeds for $15 each and save a lot of money. I know a few people who love this method, just make sure you find owners that have a lot of reviews and read all of them. West Greenwich Village & Battery Park City would likely be the two neighborhoods I would do considering your young family

You are always taking a chance since they are not legal in NYC. If it's a scam, you have no recourse.

 

[tasha99]

I like to stay in Midtown, and we were very happy with Hyatt Place last November--excellent location, staff, and the breakfast was free and really good. We had a redeye, and they let us check in at 6 a.m. I've also stayed at the Avalon Hotel in Midtown (there's one over by broadway as well). It was good for the price, but my room was small and breakfast was expensive, so I never got it. Staff there was really excellent as well though--it's weird that despite the stereotype, I have found New Yorkers to be some of the friendliest, nicest people anywhere. I feel safer walking around at 3 am in Manhattan than I would in my home town (though honestly, would never do it here). I have a best friend who lives in NYC, so I go pretty often to visit him (kind of a new friend, so only twice so far, but he's keeper, so I figure we'll be going 2-4 times a year from now on).

I like Midtown because anywhere in Manhattan is pretty walkable from it, and it's so close to Korea town. (Restaurant recommendations: We always go to BCD Tofu house for tofu soup if you like that sort of thing, though the korean bbq is mediocre there. 2nd Avenue Deli is our other "must visit" restaurant for pastrami, pickles, and coleslaw.)

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Try Hotwire. I've had great luck with their specials, but you don't know what hotel you're getting until after you purchase it. I've done it in several cities, including NY. You just tell them which neighborhood you want. When we've gone to NY we stayed near Times Square. The first time was the Mayfair, which was nice enough, but old. This time, we got the Paramount, across from the theatre that has Hamilton, for $112 per night!

I don't mind not knowing which hotel, but it's a MUST to get two rooms at the SAME hotel. I've been hesitant to use Hotwire because of that.