Posted: 10/15/16 at 8:51am
Hello all. Next year, I'm making my first trip to New York City in several years. Please can anyone recommend a decent place to stay that is not far from Times Square. I'm looking for somewhere that is reasonably priced, clean and is close to the central theatre area - I'm on a budget!!!! Any recommendations would be gratefully received. Much appreciated.
Posted: 10/15/16 at 9:01am
There are a couple factors to your question. What time of year are you coming to NYC? Obviously, the winter rates are cheaper than spring or the summer. What is the dollar range of what you want to spend for a hotel room? I was last in NYC in August and stayed at the "DoubleTree Times Square" which was right next to the show "American In Paris". It is in the heart of Times Square and right across the street from the discount ticket booths. I believed we paid $225 a night but had room for four so there was cheaper rates. This is a "Hilton" hotel so I believe we got a bit of a discount. It was very nice and I would recommend it to anyone. Once you let everyone know your price range you will get plenty of other recommendations.
Posted: 10/15/16 at 9:11am
Thanks for the information. I will be there in mid-April. Don't really want to pay more than $150 per night (standardroom needed for 2). Is that reasonable? Or am I being too optimistic?
Posted: 10/15/16 at 10:44am
Start looking around discount sites. Places to consider...Travel Inn, Row Hotel....but if you keep an eye on prices, you should be able to get close to your goal. (But April can be tricky.)
Posted: 10/15/16 at 10:54am
AMSTERDAM COURT HOTEL on 50th Street between 7th and 8th AVES...reasonable room rates, very clean and very helpful staff and obviously close to all the Broadway theaters and Times Square...
its is where i now stay when i come in to NYC to see shows!
Posted: 10/15/16 at 11:45am
"Thanks for the information. I will be there in mid-April. Don't really want to pay more than $150 per night (standardroom needed for 2). Is that reasonable? Or am I being too optimistic? "
Like another poster mentioned, try the discount sites and see what happens. The Row will be on the discount sites but not sure you can get it that low in the spring. If you went there in Jan-Mar you stand a much better chance of getting it under $150. The rooms are also very tiny, think shoe box - lol. Good luck !!!
Posted: 10/15/16 at 11:58am
You should be able to get $150 a night in April (exact dates however, will vary). Plug your check in and check out info into kayak.com. That will give you a great lay of the land. Looking at Hotwire and Priceline there are some good prices, but again depends on exact dates.
Posted: 10/15/16 at 12:04pm
This is my go-to family of hotels. I've been using them almost exclusively for more than five years, and they’ve never let me down.
http://applecorehotels.com/
Posted: 10/15/16 at 12:07pm
(And the Ramada Eastside via Applecore currently has mid-April rooms listed at $156.)
Posted: 10/15/16 at 12:15pm
Row NYC (formerly Milford Plaza) is very nice, if you're traveling in a small party (rooms are very small).
Posted: 10/15/16 at 12:27pm
I'm trying Airbnb for the first time next month so I can't recommend it (yet) except for the price part.
Posted: 10/15/16 at 12:50pm
If you have good credit, get the Hilton cc. Pay your monthly bills on it like phone, cable, groceries and you can get 100k points which is 2 free nights at garden or Hampton Inn.
Posted: 10/15/16 at 1:18pm
My last trip I stayed at two separate AirB&B's over 6 days (one was on the upper west side, about two blocks from the subway to midtown, and the other was 52nd on the west side, right in the middle of midtown). Obviously the 2nd one rocked for the location, but the first was only about a 15 minute commute. The first one was about $99 a night, and the second was $150 a night. I was very satisfied with both. Just read up on reviews, and talk to the host before committing to anything.
Posted: 10/15/16 at 2:31pm
I visit NYC 4-5 times a year and always end up at an AirBNB. I'd also strongly recommend reading the reviews and host's description to know exactly what to expect. I have paid $70.00 a night for really good locations (like 50th and 5th Av which you cannot get wrong with, especially considering my trips are all about watching shows and eating great food). Things to watch out for when you're selecting your AirBNB -
1. Private/public space - if you prefer a private room and bathroom, turn on those filters when you're searching for places. Again, make sure you know what to expect by reviews and listing description.
2. Distance from the closest subway - I prefer using the Subway when I'm there. If you prefer cabs, this is irrelevant. But I got burned my first couple times because I thought I was signing up for a great place at a great price, only to find out that I had to walk ~40 mins in freezing weather to get the house if I kept using Subway.
3. Check-in check-out times - if they are not per your needs, make sure you communicate with the host to confirm it's okay for you drop off your stuff etc.
Posted: 10/16/16 at 6:04am
If you check hotel rates online, watch out for a trend that has showed up in the last couple of years (at hotels where i had stayed previously that didn't used to do it). Some will now charge a nightly extra fee, calling it an "energy surcharge" or "resort fee". The fees are mandatory, but not included in the published rates. I've experienced $24 and $36 daily extra fees, for example, in recent trips to NYC. It seems like just a deceptive strategy to get the rooms listed earlier when sorting by price on a search engine like kayak.com or similar. So if the $150/night is a hard cap, you might have to search for rates below $120 or so without the extra fees (not to mention hotel taxes on top of that).
Updated On: 10/16/16 at 06:04 AM
Posted: 10/16/16 at 6:49am
Yes - I was going to mention those pesky resort fees, a stitch up.
Candlewood Tavern on 39th Street is great, about 10 minutes walk from Times Square, a citibike stand outside the hotel, this is more apartment than hotel, with free laundry in the basement, but cool kitchenette in your room.. I will be staying there in November.
Posted: 10/16/16 at 7:12am
Please remember to research the hotels you are considering. Trip Advisor is a good site. I learned that the hard way when I stayed at the New York Inn in June 2015. It's a friggin' dump! I'm surprised the City of NY has not condemned the property. AVOID it like the plague. Some of the places I have stayed at: the Milford Haven, Washington Jefferson, Econolodge, Mayfair and Portland Square Hotel on W. 47th.
Posted: 10/16/16 at 8:42am
LIC Hotel in Queens is new,clean,cheap and close to Times Square(5 stops away on the E).
Posted: 10/16/16 at 9:55am
We really like the Yotel on W 42nd at 10th Av. Tiny rooms but smartly designed. Only downside for 2 people is the bathroom is just separated by a curtain from the room. Definitely youth-oriented.
If a gay hotel works for you, just 4 doors down from the Yotel check out the Out Hotel. Their site has constant discounts. Best perk is a really elegant outdoor hot tub/spa area. Not sure what the future will bring as I understand new owners are shifting it away from the gay label.
Posted: 10/16/16 at 10:08am
I almost always stay at the Row. It isn't directly on Times Square like some so not horribly hectic outside, but very convenient to subway and theatres - it's on 8th Ave between 44th and 45th. We usually get a good deal. The rooms are small but fine for 2 people, and the customer service is great. We usually end up with a room that includes either free breakfast or free prosecco at the bar, and having City Kitchen in the lobby for quick but really good meals between shows is great. The other one I like is Pod 51 on the east side. It is right by the crosstown E train which takes you right into the theatre district in about 10 minutes. The rooms are very small, but I spend very little time in my room when traveling to the city other than to sleep so it works for me. It's much quieter over there but there are lots of great restaurants and bars around and it has a nice rooftop to hang out on.
Posted: 10/16/16 at 10:08am
I almost always stay at the Row. It isn't directly on Times Square like some so not horribly hectic outside, but very convenient to subway and theatres - it's on 8th Ave between 44th and 45th. We usually get a good deal. The rooms are small but fine for 2 people, and the customer service is great. We usually end up with a room that includes either free breakfast or free prosecco at the bar, and having City Kitchen in the lobby for quick but really good meals between shows is great. The other one I like is Pod 51 on the east side. It is right by the crosstown E train which takes you right into the theatre district in about 10 minutes. The rooms are very small, but I spend very little time in my room when traveling to the city other than to sleep so it works for me. It's much quieter over there but there are lots of great restaurants and bars around and it has a nice rooftop to hang out on.
Posted: 10/16/16 at 12:05pm
themysteriousgrowl said: "This is my go-to family of hotels. I've been using them almost exclusively for more than five years, and they’ve never let me down.
http://applecorehotels.com/"
Thanks for this info! I just booked a room with them for Veteran's Day Weekend. All my "usual" places were MUCH more expensive!
Posted: 10/16/16 at 12:58pm
Although I've successfully used Airbnb before, a word of caution: Hosts can cancel your booking at the last minute and, though Airbnb will refund your money, you might find yourself scrambling to find other accommodations.
This just happened to me, with only 2 weeks til my NYC vacation. Was able to book into the Washington Jefferson for slightly more $, but I had few other options without substantially increasing my costs.
Posted: 10/16/16 at 1:07pm
I saw that. There was one I was going to try for, but 2 of the 3 comments were about cancelations...one just 24 hours before it was suppose to happen! Decided it wasn't worth it!
Posted: 10/16/16 at 1:12pm
That's my biggest concern too but the reviews were good and I keep on checking in with the host to make sure everything is still good. Fingers crossed! Mine is closer to Washington Heights but about a block away from the A
