New York - Midtown a good place to stay?

[Febs]

Hi guys,

Having never been to New York I figured I'd ask around, and where better than here?

My girlfriend and I are spending a week in NYC in Sept and we wanted to choose a decent, "central" location to stay in. We did a bit of research and came up with Midtown, which seems to be reasonably central to a lot of attractions. Obviously NYC is a huge city (and hence you can't be near everything), but is this a good location for someone wanting to experience the usual tourist NY in a week (Sun-Thurs)?

We've booked a room at the Dylan Hotel ($225USD/night through work...almost half the best rate I could find elsewhere so can't complain! Mid Sept seems to be the most expensive period)...has anyone had any experience with this place? Reviews I've read have praised it, but if anyone has any experiences (good or bad) please share.

Lastly - you hear stories about how unsafe NYC is...but really, is it just like any other major city? ie: Has its good areas, has its bad areas? Would you generally be pretty safe catching public transport at most times of the day and night?

Oh and while I'm at it - does anyone know of a large Budget or Hertz in NYC, apart from the one at JFK? We're renting a car (doing the looong drive from NY to LA, via Grand Canyon and Las Vegas), and would rather not pick it up from an airport if I can help it. The respective websites list all the NY offices, but don't list which ones would have a large range.

Thanks all. Much appreciated.

Cheers,
- Febs.

[simongr]

Well second time lucky posting this

Right - I looove Nwe York. Only been there three times now but to me it really feels like home. I normally stay around mid town - Kitano, the W and one near the UN. You are walking distance to Central Park, 5th Avenue for shopping (be careful at the top of 5th near the Park as you might get steered into Tiffany's my ms. febs ), Empire State and Grand Central.

I have always felt safe in NY - I havent had the need to ride the subway late at night - but I dont do that in Sydney or London either. Cabs are interesting and not too expensive (cab ride from Mid town to Staten Island Ferry/Wall Street was about US$12). I normally walk around by myself around 9-11PM.

I have trips 4 and 5 planned there this August and September and trip 7 next July (that one with mrssimongr and probably a little more touristy than the other business trips) and I had my first trip there in August last year - did I say I looove New York.

Definitely grab a Lonely Planet Guide (I use the "Best of XXXX" guides - neat and light for a short trip) - but its very easy to navigate in NY as long as you can count

Sorry I can't help re hire cars.

Have a great time

S

[drron]

Well you are talking of my second home.We are there at least twice a year spending between 2 and 6 weeks a year there.our son lives in Manhattan.For the tourist midtown is the place to stay.a lot of the touristy places are close.However it is easy to travel around and the bus and subway systems are easy to use-always get a Metrocard you can get a 7 day unlimited use card.Late at night we walk if close to where we are staying(up to a mile) or catch a cab.We often walk from Tudor city(overlooks the UN) to the hilton on 6th ave after midnight and have not felt unsafe.I feel more comfortable than i would in sydney or Brisbane walking around late at night.
I would suggest you chrck out trip advisor and the new york city forums where you can get lots of good advice.
New York City Forum - TripAdvisor
I would particularly reccomend a Big Apple Greeter-volunteers who will show you around a part of the city and give you a personal tour that you wont normally get as a tourist-it is a free service.
I shouldnt mention the shopping should I?However as you are driving across the states you will have plenty of opportunity to visit factory outlets which although they stock the previous seasons fashion it is what is just coming in to the stores in australia.Mrsdrron swears by them.
If you just put a dummy booking into the hertz site for the particular location you want to use you can see what is available there-usually most of their range.However New york is the most expensive place to hire a car and it may be worth getting amtrak to philly and hiring there.We now use Car Rental Worldwide - Free Upgrades & Bonuses - Best Rates - Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane - GlobalCARS as their rates include all insurance and you can choose either Hertz or alamo with them.We use hertz and despite paying through a third party still get the hertz No.1 club benefits such as not paying for mrsdrron to be a driver.At the moment they are having a sale on US rentals until May 31 but you do have to prepay.
Enjoy NYC.

[d15.in.oz]

a decent, "central" location to stay in.

Plenty of decent hotels, however none with decent prices. (Can you tell I am not a fan of New York… although most people I know are!) You have found a good price for an ensuite room.

We did a bit of research and came up with Midtown… but is this a good location for someone wanting to experience the usual tourist NY in a week …

Good location, and you can actually walk to many places from there… I suggest experiencing the sights, sounds & smells of New York at street level; use the subway if the walking novelty wears off. (Plus there are the hop on, hop off loop buses from Gray Line.)

you hear stories about how unsafe NYC… is it just like any other major city? ie: Has its good areas, has its bad areas?

Yes. Big city street smart rule 1: don’t look like a tourist, act like a local. (I have not personally encountered problems in New York, however I know people who have been mugged there, but then I know people who have been mugged in Sydney too. New York does attract more than its fair share of Yankee weirdos, but they add their own special colour to the city I guess.)

we're renting a car (doing the looong drive from NY to LA, via Grand Canyon and Las Vegas), and would rather not pick it up from an airport

My advice, be aware of the +++ you get with some US hire companies! Some will give all inclusive quotes (including insurance/taxes/charges) and some won’t. One way cross country will be expensive (unless you can do it quickly, as part of a return the car to base deal, but what you gain in lower price you lose in time to stop and see the sights), but there are many car hire firms located through out Manhattan. Although you may get a better deal from a car hire company outside of New York (that doesn’t charge New York prices)… Your hotel is extremely close to Grand Central, so considering a train journey part of the way, then picking up a car elsewhere, may help keep costs under control? (PLUS, I am not sure if you have ever driven on the right side of the road before; if not NYC wouldn’t be my choice of place to first time!)

US road trips are the stuff of legends, and as all my favourite parts of the US lie beyond that small island called Manhattan, I am filled with envy... When you get out there and drive, you get to see just how wonderfully diverse Americans and their country are!

[Febs]

Thanks guys, appreciate it. Looks like we picked a good location.

Re: The car hire - unfortunately it will be a one-way hire (after arriving in LAX, we'll be keeping the car for a few weeks while we do LA/SD/SF/etc...), and I'll be 23 turning 24 during the hire, so there's that <25 fee as well. I have two different corporate discounts I can use with Hertz/Budget, and neither includes the young driver fee (and I think one also doesn't have a 1-way fee...but the websites always give me a different answer!)...so even though we may be paying a bit more up front, we should be ahead in the long run (NY <25 fees are up to $50USD per day!) We definitely want a full-size sedan (and definitely DON'T want an SUV like a Chrysler Pacifica...ugh).

Training/flying to a nearby state is a definite option (and something I've been considering), but I don't want to travel too far from NY, as I really do want to make it a cross-USA trip (ie: I don't want to start from Dallas or anything ).

I've done a fair bit of driving in the US (mostly in Kansas City, but also in LA) and feel very comfortable driving on the right. Becomes second nature after about an hour I find. Girlfriend not so much, but I'll drive in the major cities and she can help with the highway driving.

*Sigh* If only US car hire was as cheap as Australian car hire. I can get a Falcadore for ~$50/day, with all taxes, and a $500 excess (and I'm 23).

Cheers,
- Febs.

PS: This is what Budget gave me when I rented a full-size sedan in Kansas City a few weeks ago. Wasn't the quickest thing on 4 wheels, but with a 5.7L Hemi V8 it had plenty of torque for effortless highway overtaking.

[dragonman]

Been to NY many times and drove a few years ago from LA to NY and took six months to do it. So here is my advice.

To reduce the cost of the rental car - get an Entertainment book (or check that your RACV or NRMA is affiliated with AAA). Even though the offers are aimed at Australian rentals, in my experience US firms will recognise them and offer discounts. Be prepared to pay a hefty drop-off fee. I would recommend that you pick up your car from JFK after your hotel stay. That way you do not drive in Manhattan and you can get on the freeways and keep going. You can catch the subway to JFK.

I would also have some kind of GPS. I would buy it here, get the maps for the USA and take it with. The alternative is $10 US a day. This removes heaps of the pressure of navigating the freeways etc.

I have taken the subways and buses in Manhattan for years with no probs. Keep your wallet in your front pocket (they call the back pocket the sucker pocket) and generally on public transport avoid making lengthy eye contact with people you do not know. You can buy multi-trip tickets in the subways that work on buses as well.

As others have said just blend in. Street food (hot dogs etc) is cheap and good quality. They get more expensive the closer you get to a tourist attraction.

Good luck

[Maca44]

And for those with not too much driving in the USA one tip I was given many years ago with the Interstate "I" highways is the odd numbered highways go in a north/south direction and the even numbers in an east/west direction.

[Febs]

To reduce the cost of the rental car - get an Entertainment book (or check that your RACV or NRMA is affiliated with AAA). Even though the offers are aimed at Australian rentals, in my experience US firms will recognise them and offer discounts. Be prepared to pay a hefty drop-off fee. I would recommend that you pick up your car from JFK after your hotel stay. That way you do not drive in Manhattan and you can get on the freeways and keep going. You can catch the subway to JFK.

Thanks for the tip re: Entertainment Book. Have been getting them for the last 3 years, but never considered using it for o/s rentals.
Due to the increased cost of hiring from airports, I think we'll hire from a city branch. Seeing as we'll be keeping the car for ~24 days, the slight inconvenience on the first day should outweigh the extra (daily I think) tax to pickup the car from an airport.

I would also have some kind of GPS

Without a doubt. We're planning on buying one over there before we pickup the hire car. I figure they're getting cheaper all the time, so the price different between renting one for 24 days (over $150USD) and buying one shouldn't be too great. Then we can sell it at the end, or buy Aussie maps for it. Probably sell though - maps are $$$.

Cheers,
- Febs.

[QF009]

Enjoy NYC - one of my favourite cities.

Midtown is cool for a first time visit - but don't get stuck there doing touristy things since there are so many cool neighbourhoods to check out! I got over the crowds (90% of which are tourists) after the first 2 days. But I was staying at the W Times Square so no choice but to be slaughtered by the INSANE crowds to get anywhere. It is not as bad outside Times Sq.

Don't forget to check out NYC-style pizza. I can highly reccommend Lombardi's at Spring and Mott (in Little Italy) - ok that's not numbered like the rest but just head to Little Italy/SoHo and anyone would be able to tell you where Spring and Mott is.

I've never felt unsafe walking around NYC or even taking the subway at night, whether taking the subway back to Manhattan from Gettysburgh or walking out of a nightclub for some early morning breakfast at 3.30am.

[Robert Barlow]

Very interesting to read the comments of seasoned visitors to NYC. My wife and I will arrive there on 11th June for the first time. We are staying in the Skyline Hotel on 10th Avenue near W49th St. (Hell's Kitchen) for about $280 a night. We are doing a "global" tour of Manhattan and the rivers the following day so that we can refine what to see in a short visit. I've bought the Lonely Planet NYC and have found that the Metrocard seems to be a great way of getting around. My youngest daughter tells me that there is a great bar in the NY Marriott Marquis (48th floor) at Times Sq. 1535 Broadway. Can anyone advise me about dress codes in NY? After reading the comments in the previous posts I'm really looking forward to my first NYC experience.