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This is a great shabby chic hotel in downtown Manhattan that offers comfortable accommodation at a price you're unlikely to be able to beat in New York.
Woody Allen used the hotel in his film Manhattan Murder Mystery and the hotel claims that Madonna has stayed there at some point, though I have no idea if this latter fact is true or, indeed, if anyone could care less.
There are shared bathrooms on every floor and these are cleaned regularly and always in a decent state. The rooms, depending on size, have a wash basin and a TV.
Very comfortable all round and, although a fair way out of the centre of New York, the hotel is very close to the Union Square/14th Street subway station, which is the intersection of a number of subway lines, effectively making it very easy to reach anywhere in the city.
225 E. 17th Street, New York, NY 10003
+1(212) 475-2845
www.hotel17ny.com/
Google map: bit.ly/gCH3ju
New York City wakes to fresh snowfall, the season's first. It's a Saturday in December. You breakfast in the warmth of your hotel's restaurant watching newscasters talk excitedly about the snow as if this is the first time ever that it's fallen. "After this I'm getting my toboggan out and going to Central Park" one gleefully declares.
Outside, picture postcard families shuffle by, towing rosy cheeked children in galoshes and ear muffs carrying imperfectly formed snow balls.
Later, you wander the unusually quiet streets around Soho. There is no traffic. Warm orange light glows out of the festively decorated shops making it feel as though you've stumbled into the Christmas village on your mantel piece. Warm air and smells of cinnamon and orange hit you as you enter, along with animated welcomes "How you all doin' today? Cold isn't it"
Later still and you're in Central Park watching ice skaters glide effortlessly by, framed by New York city skyscrapers. The smell of roasting chestnuts fills the air. What sounds there are are muffled by the snow, but somehow not the echoing sounds of the tourist laden horse drawn carriages passing by and the jingle of the bells of the many jolly rotund Father Christmases collecting for charity at every street corner.
And as you pass through a snowy Washington Square on the way back to your hotel that evening, you stumble upon the local residents choir singing carols by candlelight. You can't help but join in, despite being cold and eager to get back to your hotel to sit by the cosy lobby fire with a hot coffee and warm cookie.
The perfect end to a perfect day in an unexpected winterland.
Hilton Garden Inn 6 York Street, New York, NY, United States
+1-212-966-4091
bit.ly/9fzUlG
Google map: bit.ly/c4r4Ao
This is a very uniquely decorated 'hotel' which is more like a hostel, but is particularly cheap for New York accommodation and the artwork is like no other.
www.carltonarms.com/
160 East 25th Street, New York NY 10010
+1 212 679 0680 or +1212684 8337
Google map: bit.ly/aRmiic
A lovely kitsch and cute classic films themed hotel with an in-house cat and lovely staff. Each room is named after a filmstar (we were in the Kim Novak suite) filled with film posters that they had starred in and even larger pictures in the lobby, halls and breakfast room. Feels like a home from home in the middle of the Big Apple - you're right on the corner of Chelsea, the meatpacking district and the west village. They post you a newsletter under the door every morning with suggestions of things to do and sights to see and they will book you tickets to anywhere you want to go. We went on honeymoon and they sent flowers to our room. Very very charming, free internet and business centre with compuetrs and printing, lovely breakfast and staff who would do anything to ensure you are happy in this lovely hotel.
317 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10014
+1 (212) 929-1023
www.chelseapinesinn.com/
Google map: bit.ly/cHYLFn
Hotel right in middle of Manhatten, just a stone's throw from Grand Central Station.
Would class it as a three/three-star plus hotel and maybe a little tired around edges. However at £70 a night, this was great value for NY.
Look around at the various accommodation websites and you'll see a big difference in price for this hotel from £140 to £70 per night.
We used Expedia as it was the cheapest.
45 East 45th St. At Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.theroosevelthotel.com/
It's in an excellent location not far from Union Square with trendy cafes within 100 meters. Rooms are ensuite and a lot more effort put in to the overall quality of the hostel than you will generally find in all of NYC hostels.
27 East 7th St
New York City
(212) 228-0828 Phone
reservations@villageinnhostel.com
www.villageinnhostel.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/yb87vtj
NYC vacation rental market is swamped with blatant scams. It is safer to stick to airbnb.com or roomorama.com when looking for an apartment for short-term stay. Craigslist might still have the best bargains though, if you've got the time and patience to hunt for them. In order to weed out the scams, stick to two simple rules: after you've made contact with the person offering a place for rent, ask the magic question: "With all the scammers out there, could I please send a local friend over to take a look at the place before booking?" (doesn't matter if you really have anyone there who could go over, no reply = scammer). Second, do not pay anyone anything in advance unless there is a way to reverse the transaction (read: PayPal only). Anyone requesting full stay's rent plus a huge deposit in advance via bank transfer or money order is a scammer, and they're most likely using photos and descriptions stolen from legit real estate ads.
This hostel is the only all-girls hostel in New York and is perfectly located right next to Central Park, with bags of the ‘New Harlem’ spirit and character you would expect for the area. Its main draw is the ideal location, you can easily get the express trains to most places in Manhattan from here as well as take a stroll around during the day.
With an antractive pink front door, this brownstone hostel blends in with the surroundings and neighboring houses. Inside the interior is simple and fresh and there are loads of opportunities to meet other female backpackers in the evenings when you are back from sightseeing.
www.hostelbookers.com/article/travel-for-women/top-women-hostels/
It is a website which I read about in an article on this site. It has apartments or rooms to rent all over NYC. I rented a fab studio in Greenwich Village for $150 a night through them (how cheap?!) The owner was very helpful and nice - he even contacted me after we left to say I had left $50 in the studio and sent it back to me! Owners don't get paid until after your stay so it is all safe and secure plus the website is nicely designed, easy to use. Highly recommended. The apartment I stayed in was called 'Famous Street' and I found it by searching for 'two people, whole apartment $150 max'. Only minor downside is that I couldn't find a way to search by area.
The Greenporter is an old-style US motel, just two hours from central Manhattan. The difference with this motel is that the central parking lot has been replaced by a beautiful swimming pool and hot tub (complimentary towels and loungers) and this motel has fine dining in the shape of La Cuvee Bar and Bistro, which offers locally-sourced food and a selection from the local Long Island vineyards (wine tours available).
Greenport, a historic seaport on the North Fork of Long Island, provides an excellent contrast to the hustle and bustle of NYC. You can drive (or better, hire a bike from Bike Stop on Front Street) and take the short ferry to Shelter Island, home to deer and secluded bays, then another short ferry to Sag Harbor on the South Fork, with its artsy shops and eateries.
Two minutes walk from the station or the bus station (the 'Hampton Jitney' takes you from Penn Station in air-conditioned comfort, with charming hostesses who provide complimentary drinks and snacks). Ample parking by the motel too.
The Greenporter
326 Front Street
Greenport, NY 11944
phone: (631) 477-0066
fax: (631) 477-2317
www.thegreenporter.com
info@thegreenporter.com
The hotel has an excellent staff and you can't beat the location.
Great value for your money.
On Times Square
This Harlem hostel is a great place to stay. The subway is close by and must see Central Park only a few minutes walk away. The dining area which connects to the back yard is the best feature; the deck and gardens are lovely. Also a plus is the kitchen and accessing the internet was free and easy. It was also nice to know there was not any curfew. The staff were really helpful and made my stay extra special.
257 West 113th Street,
New York, Morningside Heights,
10026, USA
I booked an apartment through New York Habitat in New York for a week and I recommend their site. It is user-friendly and the booking process was straight forward. Their agent gave me all the info I needed and the apartment was exactly as shown on their website, clean and comfortable, ideally located. Still, the best of all was the owner of the apartment who was really nice and helpful. I really enjoyed my stay there and it was much better than staying at a hotel, and cheaper, too
Why not try hotels down near Battery Park or in the Financial District and commute by subway/taxi to Midtown? Typically hotels can be half the price outside Times Square and environs, and often 'try harder' to impress guests. Also, the Hyatt just across the Hudson is another great option - right next to the PATH train and also has a water-taxi service to Manhattan close by. Again, it is often less than half the price of equivalent city hotels, and has a stunning view of the city as your night-time panorama!
The Carlton on Madison is a great hotel in brilliant location in Manhattan. The standard classic rooms are incredibly comfortable with plenty of space. An added bonus is the Penhaligons toiletries in your room. Getting around is easy - the subway is one block away and buses uptown go from across the road. The hotel is also in easy walking distance of the midtown shops on 5th Avenue.
88 Madison AvenueNew York NY 10016 Phone: 1-212-532-4100
Staying in the Financial District is definitely much cheaper than staying in the midtown area. Especially over the weekend as prices drop significantly! It's a quiet tube ride away and nowhere near as busy. In addition the staff are much nicer and go out of their way to help you.
Financial District, Battery Park
Want to save money on your next hotel stay? All you have to do is ask. Whilst hotels often publish the 'best deal' on their websites, hidden promotional codes and special offers may not automatically show. Contact your desired hotel directly and they will more often than not offer you the real best rate. Even if they don't have a special rate or negotiated rate for your company, I have contacted chains before such as the Westin, and they have offered me a 10% discount for working for a 'recognised corporate'. If you don't ask you don't get!
Hotel websites
When coming from London to NYC it'd be rude not to stay in The London, just to be able to confuse people back home. Lovely new hotel on W54th and 7th, perfectly located for an early morning jog round Central Park before meetings in the day, and real handy for 5th Avenue shopping and Broadway shows. Friendly staff and probably the best concierge in town. They also have Gordon Ramsey's restaurant there, and he does room service... so stick it on expenses and have a real treat.
West 54th St New York
www.thelondonnyc.com
New York City is THE city, it's got its reputation and it's always the one place I'm excited about visiting. Every visit is different and the city is constantly changing, there is so much to do and see!
It's one of those cities that on your first visit can be pretty daunting, so I thought I'd pop together a couple of tips that can help you on your first visit.
Leaving or Departing the City
JFK is normally my airport of choice but there's really not much in it. The easiest way into the city is to jump in a yellow cab, it costs a $45 flat rate, plus tips and tolls. Upon making your way to the taxi line you'll be offered all sorts of bus and limo services, ignore them, it's only the cabs that are properly licenced for this. You can of course also book your own car, I do this for the return back to the airport using Dial 7 who charge a decent rate and use fairly new sedans.
Accommodation
New York has so many hotels, so find one that's close to where you're going to be based. I normally use The London, which is well located on West 54th street, not far from the park and Times Square. It's a lovely new hotel with one of the best concierges in town. It's also home to Gordon Ramsey's restaurant, which is perfect for that dinner on expenses... But if you're paying yourself, go at lunch time, same food, half the price. Yum yum.
Foodies
You could write a book on the places to eat in New York… in fact, hundreds of books are already out there, but for my money the top places for a business lunch or dinner are: Gordon Ramsey at The London, The River Café in Brooklyn, Prune for Brunch in The East Village and The Spotted Pig in the West Village. The Spotted Pig is probably the best Gastro Pub in New York, and a perfect places for fans of meat! The River Café has a simple but beautiful menu and offers incredible views over the river to downtown NYC… ask for a window table. Gordon Ramsey I've mentioned above and Prune is a delightful little local place that does THE best brunch in the city in my view... Complete with a huge menu of Bloody Marys. Get there early though or be prepared to wait an hour or so. Just down the road from Prune is Katz Deli which is always rammed and a classic NY food experience - give it a go.
Off Time
If you're not too busy then why not pick up a jogging map from your hotel concierge and take a run round the park to stay in shape. I also love going to the Top Of The Rock at the Rockefeller Building, giving you stunning views of the city and especially usefully in getting to know it in your head if you’re a first time visitor. You can see where everything is and get a rough idea of distances. 5th Avenue is probably your best place for shopping with plenty of places to visit, including the maddening Abercrombie and Fitch which will give you a headache. But you can get your stuff much cheaper from there than in the UK. Department store-wise I find Bloomingdales always serves me best. Don't forget to go shopping in the village as well, Spring Street has some classic locations where you can find the most random of things. If you get a chance to see a Broadway show, rock up to the TKTS half price booth in Times Square and get into a show on the cheap. Spring Awakening seems to be one of the best shows on at the moment. And if you're there on a Friday you can pop into many of the big museums for free, MoMA being a great one to kill a few hours in.
The best thing about New York is that there is always something new, and it's the one place I've never got bored in despite many trips. So make the most of it.
This is a Hilton-family hotel about four blocks north of Grand Central station in Manhattan, a fantastic location for almost anything - shopping, sightseeing, whatever. If you're going to New York, and you're not sure which hotel to select based on convenience/proximity to a subway station, the Doubletree Metropolitan is a great option. It's about 1 block from the E train at 5lst (or possibly 53rd), check it, and that's the train that's the fastest ride to and from the Air Train and JFK terminals. It's one of the best places to stay if you're looking for easy airport access (and beat the extortionate cab rates to and from there).
Like all NY hotels now, it's a bit expensive at between $300-500/night, but their website sometimes has discounts and good packages, and in many cases you can get breakfast with the room, not a standard feature here in the States. And you can leave luggage there on checkout day for a small fee, so that you can see a few more things before heading out.
500 block of Lexington Avenue, E Train 51st or 53rd street, check the stops/your subway map
www.metropolitanhotelnyc.com
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