New York Virgin - HELP!

[modern-retro 10]

Can anyone recommend the best areas to stay that are centrally located/easy to get to the main sights?

 

Any hotel recommendations or other 'not to be missed' suggestions would be great!

 

Thanks.

[Ginner 10]

We stayed in Hotel Pennsylvania a couple of years ago.

 

Read the info here:

http://www.hotelpenn.com/

 

We found it conveniently located in Mid Manhattan.

 

A couple of NY info sites:

http://www.ny.com

http://www.nyctourist.com/

 

If you want to catch a Broadway show, use the TKTS booth in Times Square (only sell tickets for that night's shows, but they are v. cheap :approx £30 - you have to queue, and get there early, but better than spending £80).

 

Unless you want to walk up it, don't take the boat/tour to Statue of Liberty. Take the free Staten Island ferry. Gives you great view of Statue (as well as Lower Manhattan).

 

Make sure you go up Empire State in both daylight and nighttime. 2 very different, spectacular sights.

 

Take some very, very, very comfy shoes!!

[D2J 10]

I stayed at the 30-30 hotel in Midtown Manhatten.. Within walking distance to Times Sq, just round the corner from the subway station..

 

Places to Visit

 

- Hooters

- Empire State

- Times Sq Brewary

- Bloomingdales

- Madison Sq Garden

- Statten Island ferry to view the Statue of Liberty

 

Don't forget.. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge.. It's a Phenom feeling (or maybe thats just me )

 

You'll never run out of things to do..

[spook 10]

we stayed at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Tower and it was fantastic, situated in Midtown just below Central Park.

 

Go here to read what we got upto.

[TWA756 10]

Would also recommend Pennsylvania Hotel - we stayed there in August this year. Very convenient - opposite Madison Square Garden, very close to Macy's for shopping, short walk to Times Square. Hotel is being refurbished so the higher up you are, the greater the chance of old fashioned furnishings but it's clean, comfortable, good value.

The open top bus tours are also good value if you want to see a lot in a short time and the free trip on the Staten Island ferry is a 'must'. The Path Train is a good way to get around - station very near Pennsylvania Hotel and you can go down to the World Trade Centre station and then walk round through the gardens to get to the ferry.

[clairee 10]

so many things to do one of mine would be to try and get a FREE Big Apple Greeter to give you a tour for a bit when you first get there. They are real New Yorkers who give up time to show people the city. They can show and tell you things you certainly wouldn't find in a guide book. Well worth it and the only thing it may cost you is that of a drink to keep their throat wet while they tell you all the top tips!

 

Apart from that must sees are

- Rockafellar Centre and Ice Rink if Winter

- Guggenheim Museum

- Free Ferry round statton island to see statue of liberty

- get subway over to brooklyn the views of New York financial district are fantastic, best time is dusk then walk back over bridge as lights are coming on

- Empire State Building

- Time Square

 

the list goes on, key is comfy shoes you won't stop walking as you will want to see it all!!

[Squashie28 10]

Me and my Boyfriend went to New York last year and stayed in a hostel called Wanderers Inn, it was really good value if I remember rightly it only cost us about £100 each for one week but the flight was the most expensive.

 

Once we arrived at the hostel they helped us find our way around all the tourist hot spots and they also provided free breakfasts, they gave us free maps and vouchers for discounts in certain resturants and discounts on transport.

 

We got this accomodation via http://www.hostelworld.com this is a really good website and they can also arrange excursions etc, they cater for hostels all over the world and I would be more than happy to use them again.

 

Me and my boyfriend are planning to go to Australia in August and will definetly use them again.

[Modesty 10]

Unlike London, Soho is one of the more safe and pleasent areas to stay.

With easy access to all the area's mentioned in this thread.

 

It's not one of the cheapest options though!

[karandak 10]

We went in September, and stayed in the Howard Johnson Plaza on 51st and 8th! Was pleasant enough, and did the required of giving us somewhere to sleep once we'd walked our legs off!! Was in a great location, a few blocks down from central park, and a few away from Times Square(one of my fav places!!) and then obv 5th avenue!!

 

Absolutely loved New York, and im definitely wanting to go back at some point, did all the usual touristy stuff! Went for 5 days, which wasnt enough in my opinion, just managed to cram the most important things in like Empire State(amazing views), shopping(who cant pass up a trip down 5th Ave and Macys etc, and a stop in Tiffanys hehe), Grand Central, Statue Of Liberty etc! Never got chance to see a Broadway show, we were always too tired once it got to the evening, and had never made ourselves get tickets, so it got sidelined! Wanted to explore more of Central Park too, but never had time, barely even touched on it when you look at its size! Walked all the way from where we were staying down to Financial District and back one day, was a nice scenic route through Soho, Greenwich Village, then back up through Chinatown etc, so many different cultures its amazing!

 

Only other thing id recommend is to make sure you eat in a proper New York deli, never had a Bagel or sandwich thats tasted as good!!

[nuf_said 10]

Stayed at the Metro Hotel West 34th St. An art deco hotel with complementary breakfast - bagels, jam, cheese, orange juice, coffee and tea etc. Small rooms - but they all are in NY I hear. Macy's at one of the street and Empire State Building at the other. I would stay in this hotel again if I had the chance!

Take comfy walking shoes.

Buy tickets for the Empire State Building at the bus station and other places - avoid queues at the building and go early in the morning.