Looking to holiday in NY, which rental?

Come for a relaxed chat about anything at all and meet your fellow rental owners.
Isy
Posts: 433
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:48 pm
Location: France

Looking to holiday in NY, which rental?

Post by Isy »

Hi,

Just trying to find some rental in NY and decided to try my luck here.

We, 1 couple and 8 years old daughter are planning to fly over before the end of the year.
Any good address (want to avoid staying in crowded&hectic Times Square and would love being able to come "home" from the bustle without much hassle) and tips to do all the touristy things like Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, the Metropolitan Museum of Art... things you would recommend to do...
I know that wherever we re gonna stay we ll have to take the subway because everything is so spread out but since I ve never been on the other side of the pond and don't know where to start, a bit of help would be very much appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Isy
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger !
MiniMum
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Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2011 2:35 pm
Location: Costa Blanca

Post by MiniMum »

One real must to do is to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. The pathway is on its own level and if you walk from Brooklyn to Manhattan, the view of the skyline is wonderful! Take the subway to Brooklyn - the bridge is just by the station. Have a great holiday!!
Isy
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Location: France

Post by Isy »

Thanks MiniMum for the info.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger !
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

Instead of the subway, you can buy 2 day tourist bus passes (hop on and off). That way you get to see the area and hear commentary as well as get about. I will warn you, though, on our first day the traffic was so slow we got off and walked!

So - take comfortable shoes as you will walk for miles.
If you want to see a play on Broadway,and chose your show rather than take just any left over tickets, go on the USA ticket master site. You will only pay about $6 booking fee per ticket, but if you buy from the Broadway website you will pay around $30 booking fee per ticket.

It is worthwhile checking out now what plays are on Broadway as those with big names in get sold out months in advance.

You will have a great time, there is so much to see and do.
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Bassman
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Post by Bassman »

Hi Isy we are also going to New york for 3/4 night around October then traveling down to Orlando either by amtrac or car for a week or so. Its the first time for us so im also interested in LMHer suggestions
Isy
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Location: France

Post by Isy »

Hi Bassman, glad you're going too. We re planning to fly end of sept or beginning oct with most likely aerlingus from Bx.
Hopefully somebody from the forum will share with us a good address for a rental.

@ Thanks Zebedee for your input.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger !
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Bassman
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Post by Bassman »

Isy wrote: Hopefully somebody from the forum will share with us a good address for a rental.
That would be nice :)
Have you tried Air France for your flights they are quite competitive at the moment around 520€ A/R.
.
Isy
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Location: France

Post by Isy »

I ll pm you Bassman :D
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger !
SandyBeaches
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Location: Norfolk Coast

Post by SandyBeaches »

Hi Isy - many moons ago I lived in New York for a couple of years and have been back many times. If you did say near Times Square you'd be central and could walk to many places. Manhattan isn't that big - 1 mile wide and 13 miles long I think? Things I'd recommend:

* Circle line - a boat trip with commentary around the island. You get to see things from a different angle and more interesting stuff
* Ellis Island - the immigration museum is really well done and I think you can get a ticket to Liberty Island at the same time?
* World Trade Center memorial
* Central Park - book lunch at The Boathouse. Great location.
* Empire State Building - unmissable
* South Street Seaport - bit touristy but OK, plus you're near Wall Street and can do the world trade thing at the same time
* Go inside Grand Central Station - amazing architecture
* There's also plenty of good museums - museum of modern art etc.

Sorry I can't help with a rental recommendation though. Very jealous - enjoy!
SusanMay
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Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:23 pm
Location: Dorset

Post by SusanMay »

Hello,

I went with my husband and daughter for a short break in New York last Autumn. I can't recommend an apartment I'm afraid as we stayed in a hotel but we really liked it and do recommend staying there if you would consider a hotel. It's called Hotel 414 (http://www.414hotel.com). It is near Times Square but not on a busy street and if you ask to stay in the second town house behind the one on the road it is nice and quiet. The people who run the hotel are lovely and early evening there is complementary wine, beer, cheese in the reception area which was fun to drop in on before heading out again to eat in the evening. If you look on Tripadvisor you'll fine lots of positive reviews too.
teba18
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Post by teba18 »

I'm afraid I'd have to disagree with SandyBeaches and say that we found the Empire State Building entirely missable! It was really dirty and we queued for hours in order to get to the top where a good view was difficult through wire mesh screens (which I do understand!) all the way around. And of course because you're in it, you can't see the ESB itself! As an alternative - or possibly as well as the ESB - I'd recommend the Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller Centre. Less time to queue and fantastic views through toughened glass panels. We went twice - once during the day and again at night.
Tried to pre-book Ellis Island but we were told not to bother and just to get to the departure point (I think Battery Park) by around 8.30am which we did. The queue was horrendous already and a guy came down the line to say it would probably take at least 2 hours from where we were to get on the boat.(this was an October half term) As we were leaving that day, we didn't really have time so we decided to take the free Staten Island ferry instead. Doesn't get you onto Ellis island but we had a fabulous view of the Statue of Liberty - and NY itself - and thought it was a great alternative, given our time constraint, and it cost us nothing. I'm sure you must be able to buy tickets in advance somewhere for Ellis Island that allow you skip the line and strongly recommend that.
Other highlights - ice skating at the Rockefeller Center, HOHO bus tours and eating in Ellen's Stardust Diner where waiters - many of them Broadway hopefuls - suddenly stop serving to jump on tables and sing. Our kids thought it was brilliant!
windrush
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Location: North Cotswolds

Post by windrush »

I've been to New York twice in the last couple of years, the first time we stayed in this apartment:

https://www.vrbo.com/158702#

It wasn't luxurious but was absolutely fine, clean and comfortable and really well located 1 block from Central Park and steps away from shops and supermarkets. You don't need to be in Times Square, you just need to be close to a subway station which this place is. It was also quiet!

However, since then I've learned that such rentals are illegal in NYC and the city authorities are actively shutting them down, whether you want to risk it or not is up to you but when we went back the second time we stayed in the Hotel Beacon, also on the Upper West Side.
Musetta
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Post by Musetta »

I'm partial to the Columbus Circle neighborhood (I used to live there. I previously lived on the Upprr WestSide in the 80s.) It is a major subway stop, close to Central Park, Lincoln Center & walking distance to Times Square and the theaters....but...like I said, I'm partial ;-)
Isy
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Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:48 pm
Location: France

Post by Isy »

Thanks everybody for your inputs.
We have not decided where to book yet but will be keeping you updated.
Thanks again
Isy
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger !
Pamski
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Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 1:06 pm
Location: Les Gets

Post by Pamski »

Isy - it is worth walking along the High Line:

The High Line is an elevated railway transformed into a public park on Manhattan's West Side. The park features lush horticulture, artworks, seasonal food vendors, community programming, and unique views of the Hudson River and New York City skyline. The High Line runs between Gansevoort Street to West 34th Street, between 10th and 12th Avenues. (taken from a description on TA).
We have been on two occasions, the second time it had been extended and its a lovely way to walk and see, and you can hop down at different places to restaurants etc.

We were in NY just over a year ago before Christmas and stayed at the Fitzpatrick Hotel, near Grand Central, http://www.fitzpatrickhotels.com/fitzpa ... tral.shtml which worked very well for us.
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