Hi folks. My lady and I are coming to “the city so nice they named it twice” (my first time) next month, and I am looking for recommendations on accommodations. There seem to be dozens of hotels, and I’m baffled by all the choices. I’m not THAT concerned about price, I’m more concerned about location. I’d also like something with a little “je ne sais quoi”. We’re going to see the L.K. on Broadway, and want to check out the Rockefeller center and the shops in Manhattan. Might check out the MOMA or Nat History museum, too. I’m also hoping to tour the Central Park, perhaps w/ a nighttime carriage ride (do they do that stuff? Really, do they?). Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated. I’m most concerned w/ hotels, but would welcome suggestions for fun and diversions, too. BTW, we’re in our mid-40’s, but still predictably adventurous. 
Well, if you take a room in one of the hotels on Central Park South, you’ll be right across the street from the horsies, and in walking distance of most of the other stuff you listed. I honeymooned in the Essex House, as long as price is no object for you, and can recommend it.
I recommend the Algonquin. Not only for its historical and cultural eclat, but it is reasonably priced, has a nice bar right on the premises, and is located in Midtown, within walking distance of a lot of great places and near the Times Square subways.
I recommend the Residence Inn on 24th and 6th. Great location, and very reasonable. It’s in Chelsea, so it’s much “hipper” than staying near Times Square or Central Park.
There are over 200 hotels in Manhattan, and more than half of them are in Midtown. I think that’s the best area for visitors because a) that’s got the biggest concentration of destinations and b) it offers relatively quick access to the rest of the island by train or taxi.
The two biggest hotels in NY are the Marriott Marquis and the Hilton New York. The Marquis is right on Times Square, and a block from where the Lion King is playing. The Hilton is about eight blocks north.
Treat yourself to a suite at The Regency or The Pierre.
Location is important; both put you in walking distance to so much, and the views from either are nice.
The Pierre is a bit gaudy, really; The Regency is more conservative, but the staff at both are excellent.
Have fun, and if we find you’re suitably adventurous, we may tell you the really naughty places to go! :eek:
MOved form General Questions to IMHO.
samclem, Moderator
“Dozens” of hotels?
Yes people take carriage rides through the park. But just walk through it. And yes they do the rowing on Central Park Lake.
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.
Why, madam, your taste is as always impeccable. Close to Bryant Park and the Library, and the shopping streets, too.
Depending of course on specific dates – Mahattan hotel prices spike during the first half of December. (I had to make arrangements for a business meeting this coming 3rd-6th. :eek::mad: was my most frequent reaction to the price quotes). As of the time I type this the Algonquin’ s lowball rate per night for the week of the 12th-17th ranges from $409 to $592 , but it dips to $204-$274 for the week before Xmas (good deal).
I don’t know if I’d go with a megaproperty like the Marquis on a first trip (I liked it the times I’ve been there but that has been on business and it’s kind of, well, businesslike) but all the properties mentioned so far are fine places.
The (Fairmont) Plaza would have been the traditional old-school choice right in front of Central Park, but I have not been there since well before their reboot so I can’t tell about its current incarnation.
TripAdvisor shows me that between Midtown plus the “Upper Sides” both E and W, there’s 145 hotels with 31 at 4-star or above class so there’s plenty of choices.
If price isn’t too big an issue, the Night Hotel is pretty neat. We stayed there a couple of years ago, and it was different (in a cool way) and geographically really convenient.
I stayed at the Casablanca Hotel and loved it. Every morning is a coffee/tea/pastry fruit spread, snacks throughout the day, and complementary wine/cheese at night.
The staff were friendly and helpful without the over-the-top service industry phoniness.
It’s just off Times Square, which will put you near L.K. and a block from the subway to go everywhere else.
The rooms are pretty petite, but nicely appointed. My next trip, I plan on staying there again.
ETA: I always take Tripadvisor with a grain of salt, but they’re number 1 for a reason. Everything was just a little extra special, though not necessarily “fancy.”
Over the past year or so we’ve stayed in a plethora of NYC hotels (we moved about an hour out of the city a while ago, but frequently return). I agree with the notion that Midtown is a great place to stay, but given the city’s ease of transportation and its inerrant inability to have a boring neighborhood, wherever you end up will be fantastic (assuming the hotel is good enough).
As for particular hotels, I took a look at where we’ve stayed. We’ve had excellent stays and service in each. My only particular recommendation echos Eve’s suggestion: the Algonquin. Granting that other hotels were fairly luxurious with generally exquisite appointments, the Algonquin exudes classic New York and envelops you in a sense of location; it is New York (that it’s two blocks from St. Andrews is a nice touch, but that’s only if you find yourself drawn to Scotch). Again, this doesn’t detract from other hotels; there is a bit of New York in all of them from artwork to atmosphere, but the Algonquin is in its own sphere. Oh, and it has a hotel cat. That alone is reason enough to stay there.
For the New York feel, I can’t help but give a secondary nod to the Benjamin. It too has a graceful history and will willingly share it during your stay.
If neither of these are quite right, here’s where we’ve stayed recently. I can’t think of one we wouldn’t return to (and have to several), and would recommend them all:
Algonquin
Andaz Wall Street
Barclay Intercontinental
Benjamin New York
Crowne Plaza Times Sq
Doubletree Metropolitan
Embassy Suites 102 N End
Empire Hotel
Grand Hyatt Midtown East
Hilton 1335 Ave Am
Hilton Millennium
Hilton Times Square
Marriott downtown
Marriott Marquis Times Square
Sheraton Midtown
W on Lex
W Times Square
Oh, about that cat:
ETA: It just occurred that you (the general you, no offense intended) may not be familiar with the Algonquin and its place in history. Take a glance through its Wikipage, follow the link to the Round Table, and fall in love with Dorthy Parker.
Well, so much for the Algonquin: they have banished the cat (!) and are closing from Jan. through at least April:
Damn. I will have to find somewhere else to meet friends for after-work cocktails. “21” is too expensive, and Joe’s Pub too far downtown . . .
(sigh) I’ve stayed in half a dozen New York hotel rooms, and every one of them had broken glass on the pictures and bedbugs behind the alarm clock’s face. But then, a cheap asshole was making my reservations for me. I hope you can do better.
Do not, under any circumstances, stay at the Hotel Pennsylvania opposite Madison Square Garden. That one also had blood on the curtains, a solid coat of mildew in the shower, and no hot water.
You will be glad to hear it is slated for demolition–though I am sad to see another historic old building gone (and what will become of the famous phone number?).
:eek:
We stopped in there last Saturday especially to see the kitty, and were told that she was shut up in the office. I got the impression it was because it was the weekend.
I heard another guest ask for her later, and the waiter said something about having to remove her from the Christmas trees.
Hotel Carter, reasonable rates and the middle of Times Square. You probably cannot beat it for price and location.
Okay, that was mean:
They should totally use “The most disgusting hotel in New York!” as part of their promotional campaign.
New York? It’s the most disgusting hotel in the COUNTRY. I have a former coworker who brings his prostitutes there when he doesn’t feel like taking the train back up to Westchester.
Also, if you care about this stuff, this hotel stands on the site of the old Metropole Hotel, the celebrated assassination site of some old-time hoodlums, as remembered by the fictional Meyer Wolfsheim in the novel THE GREAT GATSBY. I’m going to be leading an international group of Fitzgerald scholars to this (and other) literary landmark next August.