New York, New York

[siousxiesue]

I am staying in NY for a long weekend in the summer. Anyone have any hotel recommendations for me, preferably near Times Square? Thanks

[Louisa]

The Hudson Hotel. Stayed there in 2005. Contemporary chic interior, amazing cocktail bar, right near Central Park and slap bang on Broadway. Time Square a subway stop or two away.

Louisa.

[siousxiesue]

Wow, I've looked at that one already! Thanks

[giggirl]

Hudson Hotel is very nice (have also stayed there), but it really isn't near Times Square. Unless there is a specific reason why you need to be near Times Square I'd avoid it like the plague - it's a dump. The Hudson is at Columbia Circus, Central Park. Very nice public areas but the rooms are tiny and the bathrooms aren't that private (worth considering if you're sharing a room).

There is always some trendy new hotel opening in NYC and Trip Advisor is always helpful

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotels-g60763-New_York_City_New_York-Hotels.html

Have stayed at many New York Hotels and I don't have a favourite. The Library Hotel always gets good reviews and I mean to try it some time but it hasn't happened yet.

I've stayed at the Andaz and it was nice.

Last trip I stayed at the Gansevoort. Very spacious rooms and nice staff. Kim Kardshian was living there at the time. The whole bloody pantomime every time she walked through the lobby was hilarious.

If you're on a tight budget then consider staying at the Chelsea Lodge. I've stayed here to keep the costs down when I've needed to be in the city for more than a week.

http://www.chelsealodge.com/Suites.html

I stayed in a garden suite which was lovely.

Hope this helps. Do go and see Sleep No More, which is fabulous:

http://www.sleepnomore.com/

[steveo]

The Chelsea was good thirty years ago

[Jah Lush]

Not to be mixed up with the cockroach infested Chelsea Hotel, Steveo.

[*Bob*]

Would have stayed at The Sanctuary but decided to give Theatre a swerve in the end last time:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g60763-d93525-Reviews-Sanctuary_Hotel_New_York-New_York_City_New_York.html

Stayed at Maritime in Chelsea - great. Ask for a high floor, a view and a 'window plug' for the giant porthole windows.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g60763-d273530-Reviews-The_Maritime_Hotel-New_York_City_New_York.html

[steveo]

That's the one I meant Jah.

And some of those cockroaches weren't hallucinations

[edcam]

Re the Chelsea Hotel - up until it closed a couple of years ago it was the best value hotel in NY and the rooms were enormous compared to most. No cockroaches on our visits there (although cockroaches are par for the course in NY.)

The Hudson is overpriced and the rooms are tiny. The Sanctuary is good.

[*Bob*]

Looks like The Hudson is one to avoid.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g60763-d223023-Reviews-Hudson_New_York_Hotel-New_York_City_New_York.html

[Jeremy]

I guess if you need to be near Times Square then fair enough, but there's little there of interest really except for broadway shows. Chelsea/Soho/Greenwich are nicer areas. East Village and Williamsburg better for eating and drinking.

[*Bob*]

Williamsburg? Jeremy you bloody hipster

[Jeremy]

Now that's something I don't often get accused of..

[giggirl]

*Bob* Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Looks like The Hudson is one to avoid.

>

> http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g60763-d

> 223023-Reviews-Hudson_New_York_Hotel-New_York_City

> _New_York.html

Public areas are fabulous but the rooms are so small they're beyond a joke. There is a glass partition between the minute bathroom and the bedroom. WTF! When I am in the bathroom I want to be surrounded by solid walls. Privacy!

You can go get take-away and bring it back and eat it in say, the outside courtyard area, which is really lovely. The bars can get busy in the evenings, which is annoying if you're just trying to get a drink at your hotel.

I had an OK stay at the Hudson but I wouldn't rush back. Like Jeremy has said - it's more interesting to be downtown in Chelsea/Meatpacking/East Village etc.

[LouiseC]

I stayed at the Nomad hotel last time, around midtown so really easy to get around.

[*Bob*]

giggirl Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

There is a glass

> partition between the minute bathroom and the

> bedroom. WTF! When I am in the bathroom I want

> to be surrounded by solid walls. Privacy!

So it's good for couples who like to watch their partners as they wipe their ass? I mean, arse?

Mental note made - for next time.

[steveo]

I just leave the door open

[SheldorAFK]

http://www.distrikthotel.com/

Really recommend this place - stayed there for 4 nights last summer. Really good/clean rooms, great location for Time sq too, only about a 5 min walk away.

[MrBen]

Trip advisor basically.....but consider where you want to base yourself. In NY location is key. Unless you enjoy the Metro or lots of $25 cab fares, its not much fun up by the park if you'll be spending most of your time in the East Village or Lower East Side.

Last trip I stayed at The Standard Hotel: http://standardhotels.com/high-line which is full on Hipster w@nk. I felt pretty out of place there. My NY pals told me after that its a favourite of exhibitionists as each room has floor to glass windows overlooking the cityscape. Which explained why at 11pm that evening, I looked out my corner room and saw a bloke standing across on the 11th floor starkers with his todger out and wife behind him in full on lingerie. They saw me and waved! It was trying so hard to be trendy that even the bellboys had plaid shirts and beards. I genuinely hated it.

For a good all round general location I would go mid town or Chelsea. I'd happily pick something simple at 3 or 4 stars with a decent review and spend what you save on shopping. You wont spend much time in your room anyway if you're doing it properly. And you can still hit the nicer hotel bars for a drink.

[*Bob*]

Ha Ha! The Standard.

Definitely worth a look - a great place to go twatspotting for an hour or so just for a laugh.

But by god you wouldn't want to stay there.

[speedbird]

Have a look at The Refinery on West 38th. Good central location, great rooftop bar, spacious rooms(very loft like). Was an old warehouse I think that has been converted really well. Brilliant if staying during the warmer months, air con good and rooftop bar in the evenings.

[Horsebox]

Echo sentiments about location and avoiding Times Square... We stayed at The Sohotel in Little Italy/Chinatown back in 2010.

It's a decent 'budget boutique', good location in the LES, close to metro stations, lots of bars and restaurants on your doorstep and a nice stroll across to Brooklyn . It has a good mix of rooms, though some can be a small, but as MrBen says, you won't (shouldn't) be spending much time in your room.

Try to take a room at the back of the building if you enjoy relative peace - because the building is low-rise it took me a night or 2 to get to used to the seemingly endless NYC street/city/traffic noise, but once I'd adjusted it wasn't a problem.

http://www.thesohotel.com/rooms.html

[steveo]

What about the YMCA?

You can get yourself clean,

and

You can have a good meal

[tommy_guy]

I tried the Marriott Fairview on 33rd last week. It is a year old and breakfast is included. Very clean and has a terrace on the roof with great views (They have a bar on the roof as well) and great location to get around as it's right by Penn station, less than 10 minute walk to Time Square or $7 cab ride.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/nycps-fairfield-inn-and-suites-new-york-midtown-manhattan-penn-station/

Else... (and in agreement with Horsebox) I really like SoHotel. As mentioned it's a great location and so many restaurants and bars around there. That part of town is more like the real New York IMO and i find it safe and easy to get around. I could recommend so many places around there.

http://www.thesohotel.com/

Have also stayed at the Hotel Jolie in Williamsburg, it's ok, worth going there for the area but harder to get around for Manhattan.

[redfan]

Hotels are very personal things. One man's meat... etc but the Nymar on W32nd is pretty good and superbly situated (between 5th Avenue and Broadway, 3 minutes walk from Times Sq)