Hotels for an older couple

[Pammylicious]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 12:52pm

I am inquiring for a group a people who are taking a transatlantic cruise that ends in NYC and then are taking another one 3 days later on the same ship. Thus they need a place to stay in between.

They are all folks between 50-70, looking for 2-3 nights at a moderate hotel near the pier/theater district or in between.   Any suggestions might help.  TIA

[sabrelady]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 1:06pm

What kind of experience do they want? Hi end/ Low?  Saving $ or what? Also what time of yr makes a diff for availability.

 

I routinely stay at Radio City Apts. NOT as cheap as it once was but the location on 49th street is great. I save money by eating in a lot, as a converted apt bldg., they have kitchenettes . ( also Hale & Hearty soups across the street) As an older bldg- no central air they put in individual units and I'm told they can be noisy.  Also the heating is of the older variety-  radiators which cycle on and off and ting a bit. If u are back during the day in hotel in the winter, it can get a tich chilly till the heat cycles back on.

They could rent the 2 or 3 bed rooms together they are still cheaper than individual rooms @ a reg hotel.

They CAN sell out so when u book and how far in advance is a factor.

 addenduma single night in sept for a 2bed apt  ( 1 double 2 twin & sofa bed) goes for about  470 plus tax.

1 bed w 2 queen beds about 350 ( how close R these couples?)

 

 

 

Updated On: 6/13/15 at 01:06 PM

[Will3700]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 1:20pm

I'm in that age group and I love to stay at Hotel Edison. it is reasonably priced and in the middle of the Theatre District. it's a lovely old art deco building.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 1:57pm

Every time I pass the Edison I instantly crave its late, lamented cafe's matzoh ball and cabbage soups.  Sigh.  So very missed. 

[Pammylicious]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 2:03pm

"Every time I pass the Edison I instantly crave its late, lamented cafe's matzoh ball and cabbage soups.  Sigh.  So very missed. "

 This is why I would never recommend Hotel Edison.

November 2 2016 first night. I would say moderately priced. They want to see the sights and go to a show. The pier is on 12th avenue and 56th street. 

 

 

[wonkit]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 2:38pm

How do they define "moderately priced?" In Manhattan, nothing is truly moderate. But I believe there are some fairly nice BnBs in Hell's Kitchen. And since they are booking so far in advance, they might be able to get a deal.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 2:51pm

as much as everyone wants to be of assistance, they can't help as much as a 2 minute visit to any booking site. Room rates vary dramatically from week to week because they are demand based and a big event in the city will cause them to spiral out of anyone's definition of moderate. And those sites will have much better data on quality than a few anecdotes. 

It sounds like you know the basic location you are looking for. But unless they are planning to walk to the ship, a taxi will be the same from anywhere in midtown west. Personally, I would not stay anywhere near Times Square, because I am convinced it is the Antichrist, so I would look west of 8th and/or north or south of 42-49.

[Hank]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 6:37pm

For many years, the Edison was my home away from home, the rooms are tiny, but charming and we enjoyed the (now closed) Edison Café and the piano bar, but their prices kept going up and it's just not as much fun as it used to be.

Nowadays we just go on trivago.com and search for the best deal.  The hotels along 8th Ave tend to be cheaper than those closer to Broadway, and my advice, avoid anything under $200 a night.

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 9:10pm

I think everyone here has zeroed in on the first question - where? Yes, if their primary interest is Broadway, Times Square is most convenient. 
  Many hotels, many booking engines.

I'd also suggest that if they are, indeed, spending the time in-between crossings, they're most likely to be interested in being served in restaurants vs eating-in ...not to mention the shopping and schlepping. (Again, many hotels, many booking engines.) Most 4-5 star hotels would probably be sufficient and only a very few, like the W, would likely be daunting - and easily identifiable by their marketing/website.

Other considerations are around what the OP refers to as "the pier." There are actually three different pier locations used for passenger ships in NY.

 - The original West Side piers in Manhattan are only used by NCL these days. This is the only location where it might be practical to be near the pier for a NY visit - although not recommended because the West Side Highway isn't really something you want to spend time near. (Perhaps also used by smaller ships on smaller luxury lines)

- It's most likely that they will be doing crossings on the QM2. Cunard and other lines owned by Carnival (Princess, HAL) tend to use the pier in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Although Brooklyn is increasingly, irritatingly hip, Red Hook is not. A hotel near this pier is unlikely and not recommended.

- Royal Caribbean lines (includes Celebrity and Azamara) tend to use the "Cape Liberty" facility near Hoboken NJ. There are some hotels and rail connections theoretically nearby, but really not convenient.

One further suggestion. If they're debarking in Red Hook (Cunard QM2) - taxi service is notoriously inadequate and the taxi line can take well over an hour. They REALLY should pre-book a car/limo in advance through Dial-7 or the like. ...However, the Cunard transfer offered with the booking is REALLY not recommended. It will be a slow shuttle bus at twice the price (per pax, so really x4) of an independently arranged car. Note - be sure the car has adequate space for luggage. 2 crossings on the QM2 equal 10 formal nights - so it's likely that they won't be lightly packed. 

(Note, I'm half of a senior couple who will be arrving on the QM2 next spring - to be followed by 5 days in NY for shows. This will be the third time I've debarked the ship at this port over the past 5 years - so feel free to PM me if there are more questions)

Updated On: 6/13/15 at 09:10 PM

[canmark]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 9:54pm

I’ve stayed at the Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Times Square (6th Avenue at 39^th Street) and would recommend it for an older couple. It’s near Times Square, but away from the hubub – it’s close to Bryant Park, which is nice. Easily accessible by taxi and subway, and walking distance to most of Midtown. Not cheap, but the rooms have kitchenettes and they provide a free buffet breakfast.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 10:14pm

I'm your typical 4* gal at 2* prices.

First: Go to Kayak.com, do a search of your travel dates:

New York City
4* Only
1 mile from city center 
Then at the top click Sort by: Price Low to High

This will give you the lay of the land for prices at good hotels in the area.

Now take the best deal for the hotel you like best, and then compare to HOTWIRE.

Go to Hotwire.com: 
Search your dates in the following zones.
Stick with 4* only.

Times Square (Near Theater District)
Midtown Central (Near Rockefeller Plaza/Theater District)
Midtown East (Near Grand Central Terminal)

How do the prices compare to the best deal you found on Kayak?

To help you figure out what the Hotwire hotels are there is a website called BetterBidding.com where travelers post the hotels they get on Hotwire and Priceline. You can ask a question on the New York City board. They also keep pinned lists of the hotels, so you can figure out the hotel on your own. But feel free to ask for help. 

Link to the pinned Hotwire NYC hotel list:

http://www.betterbidding.com/index.php?app=hotel_lists&tid=88

Updated On: 6/13/15 at 10:14 PM

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 10:20pm

"I'm your typical 4* gal at 2* prices.
First..."

My kinda' gal!  These are basically my steps as well. Great strategies, all.

[amaklo]

Posted: 6/14/15 at 9:07am

I've used Priceline and Hotwire as well, but not for NYC for 2 people.  You're likely to end up in a closet with a double bed.  If that's not a problem, go for it. 

Believe it or not, the Marriott Marquis is one of the nicest places I've stayed in NYC.  I had a huge corner room on a high floor away from Times Square and I heard nothing at all.  Also, the staff is used to dealing with tourists who aren't familiar with the city.  I also liked the Michelangelo and The Pearl, both in the west 50's.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 6/14/15 at 10:36am

Amaklo, I am a former NYC destination expert for TripAdvisor and use Hotwire and Priceline a lot for NYC hotels. I stick with 4* and NEVER have gotten a "closet" room. But that said, NYC hotel rooms are smaller on average than many other cities. 

These are the 4* hotels I've stayed at via Hotwire or Priceline in Midtown Central, Times Square and Midtown East:

Sofitel
Hilton New York
Le Perker Meridien
The Sheraton Times Square
Omni Berkshire
Intercontinental The Barclay
The Grand Hyatt
Westin at Times Square

Of them, the only one I thought was simply ordinary was The Sheraton (I got it on Priceline, so I use Hotwire now for midtown NYC because I prefer other hotels). My favorite hotel is The Grand Hyatt. I love the decor. The staff gives room upgrades at check-in for free if you ask and they have availability. The proximity to Grand Central is great. You don't need to leave the terminal to check-in, it's just down the hallway. Very convenient to public transportation.

I would advise posting on the NYC Hotwire board on BetterBidding.com, presenting your travel dates and room requirements and asking for advice.

Also, feel free to private message and I will do a little research for you and see what's out there for your travel dates.

 

[LarryD2]

Posted: 6/14/15 at 10:46am

I am not sure what you consider moderate, but the last few times my brother and his wife (they are in their fifties) came to New York, they stayed at the Shoreham Hotel on West 55th. It's just up the block from City Center. They were able to get a very good rate (around $220/night) by paying in advance and have been very happy with the accommodations. As a New Yorker, I don't stay in hotels in the city, but I don't know that you'll find a good, clean hotel for less than $200-250 a night. If I'm wrong, let me know, but that's just my guess.

[amaklo]

Posted: 6/14/15 at 11:16am

Stage Door Sally, it's been a couple of years since I even considered using Priceline for NYC when not travelling alone, so maybe it's gotten better.  I was discouraged after reading the NYC board on biddingfortravel.com and the miserable experiences people posted about their 4* hotels in numerous city zones. It's true the problems were limited to one or two hotels in each zone, but they were the ones that seemed to come up often.  I stand corrected.

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 6/14/15 at 11:26am

I'd suggest checking out the Belvedere on 48th between 8th and 9th. It's not a chain hotel which to me is a plus. It's an older hotel but has been nicely renovated. The rooms are surprisingly large and comfortable for a New York hotel. The staff is excellent. And while not cheap (rack rates are around/above $300 a night) they often have promotions on their website. I stayed there last March for under $200 a night. Here's their website: http://www.belvederehotelnyc.com/

[Pammylicious]

Posted: 6/14/15 at 11:51am

Thank you all for your great advice.  Someone spoke about which port, I did mention it but will again.  Oh and it is the new Carnival Vista coming back to the states. CCL always docks at 56th and 12th Avenue.

For one thing, this isn't happening for 17 months and none of the booking agents allow you to put in a date so far in advance.  Also the first weekend in November is not high season in the city so I figured wait and see if there are  deals.

Has anyone found hotel deals on Groupon, LivingSocial or Amazon Local.  I have seen them and sometimes they seem to good to be true.

One couple wants to stay a week, but mentioned Air bnd and just asked about best location.

[Tom5]

Posted: 6/14/15 at 12:01pm

Haven't been there for a while, but for an older couple and moderately priced I would look at The New Yorker Hotel on 8th Avenue and 34th Street.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 6/14/15 at 8:09pm

You're not off base Amaklo. Years ago some hotels treated guests who booked through Priceline or Hotwire as third-class citizens.

I once helped a friend book a room for her, her husband and two kids at a 4* hotel in Boston on Hotwire, specifying a room with two beds. At check-in the hotel refused a double room and said they only had a room with one bed because they were fully booked, and the four of them could sleep in it with no problem. Ha!

My friend called me in tears from the front desk. I in turn called Hotwire, they called the front desk, and voila, by magic, a room with two beds suddenly opened up. All ended well. But I made major complaints about that hotel to Hotwire and on a number of travel sites. Others also complained about similar treatment at various hotels, and things started changing.

Third-party booking, once the exception to the rule, has now become widespread, and a lot of hotels depend on those reservations for income. The power of social media has been a huge boon for consumers. Bad reviews on TripAdvisor, Kayak, and such are bad for business. Many hotels now go out of their way to treat ALL their guests well.

Pammylicious, you have plenty of time. Since prices fluctuate and deals come and go, consider making fully cancelable (without penalty) reservations, then cancel if and when you find a better deal.

 

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 6/14/15 at 8:43pm

One couple wants to stay a week, but mentioned Air bnd and just asked about best location."

 

 

Air BNB is a risk, as short term rentals are illegal in NYC, and many folks have found themselves bedless when their Air BNB's fell through.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 6/14/15 at 11:06pm

Indeed. Airbnb is very risky.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/steep-penalties-coming-nyc-landlords-airbnb-article-1.2252541

[wonkit]

Posted: 6/14/15 at 11:10pm

I second the Belvedere. Great location and if you keep checking rates you might luck into an excellent room for around $225.