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Next month my wife and I will be spending a week in Manhattan and are trying to decide on which part of the borough to stay in, based on some pretty specific criteria. Anyone with the patience to help will be much appreciated!
My Dad just got a temporary 6-month job in Manhattan and his company is providing a reduced rent apartment ($2000/month for a small 1 bedroom) on West End Ave and 64th in the Upper West Side. They want us to visit them but, apparently, the apartment will be too small and cramped for us to stay with them and I think we'd prefer a hotel anyway.
I have some limited previous experience in Manhattan - I stayed with someone in Sunnyside, Queens for a few weeks several years ago while helping them with a construction project, and I went into Manhattan a couple of times during those weeks. Although I didn't see a ton, I do remember that the Columbus Circle/Lincoln Center area was one of my least favorite sections of NYC, and would not want to stay at a hotel there.
At the same time, visiting my family is a core reason for making the trip so we'll probably need to stay somewhere in relative close proximity. As a sidebar, from what I've seen the areas of Manhattan I liked the most (and think my Wife would too) are the East Village, LES, West Village/Greenwich (still not sure I quite know the boundaries between), Chinatown, and even SOHO (if just for the streetscapes).
I recognize those areas are all way too far to be in close proximity to West End Ave and 64th, but what closer neighborhoods would you recommend that may have that similar lower Manhattan vibe?
Basically, our options are Hell's Kitchen, Midtown/Times Square, Midtown East, and maybe a few others?. I'm totally unfamiliar with Hell's Kitchen and Midtown East. Do they have more of the cool restaurants/bars, more independant unique flavor and character of some of the areas I mentioned above? Midtown, especially right near times square, feels way too touristy to me - but I know it's a huge district - are there pockets that may come close to fitting the bill? Are there other potential areas that could fit the bill that I'm not aware of?
So - now that I've thrown way too much information at you - any and all thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated. Also, I wouldn't expect this, but if anyone knows of a specific (relatively cheap) hotel in an area you think fits the bill, feel free to drop the name. Thanks!!
I have relatives who always stay at the Manhattan Hotel (formerly the Sheraton Manhattan Hotel) on 7th Avenue (corner of 51st Street not far from Time Square). I know that they like it as there is an indoor swimming pool that the wife can use for exercise even in the winter.
If you are staying for a week, I recommend an apartment rental from vrbo.com or airbnb. My parents have used vrbo twice for stays to visit us and found great places both times. I would recommend the exact apts, but they are out of your zone.
Although Hell's Kitchen doesn't have some of the stuff you would find in the downtown areas you listed, it does have fantastic restaurants and is pretty close to where your parents are staying. It would be my top choice.
There are also several hotels, inns, and B&B's in various price ranges in the Upper West Side just north of where your Dad will be, and Morningside Heights, which is the Columbia U neighborhood just north of that. This is roughly 59th St to 122nd st and West of Central Park and, near Columbia, west of Morningside Park. Theses areas are mainly residential, not tourist neighborhoods, but upscale ones that are well connected to the rest of the city via subway and bus, are safe to visit/live and have a vibrant restaurant/bar shopping scene that is mostly geared toward locals. Anyplace here would be a quick subway, bus, or taxi ride to where you're Dad is staying.
I've visited folks at the Belleclaire on Bdwy and 77th, the Excelsior at 81st and Columbus, the Lucerne at 79th and Amsterdam, and the Days Inn at 94th and Broadway. All were excellent and my friends were happy at all of them. The Days Inn is less upscale than the other three. Check online, there are many others. These are just the ones I've had some personal experience with.
There is a Holiday Inn right in chinatown, I'm assuming that can't be all too expensive. There's also a few private hotels off soho who's name escapes me right now. If I pass it today I'll let you know. All probably cheaper than the big hotel chains.
Thanks for the responses so far. It turns out we have to reduce our trip to 4 nights because of a work schedule thing, so I think we're going with a hotel instead of an apartment.
Right now we have it narrowed to Hotel Lucerne on 79th and Amsterdam and Skyline Hotel on 10th Ave and 49th Street. The advantages of Hotel Lucerne is that it seems like a better value for the money (really nice hotel for only $20 more than the Skyline, which doesnt seem nearly as nice), it's half a block from a subway station, and the Upper West Side seems more neighborhoody.
But my question is - would the Hell's Kitchen hotel be that much more interesting and vibrant? I know both are very urban, but just how much more bustling would the area around the Skyline Hotel be than the area around Hotel Lucerne? Does the UWS - and that section of it in particular - have a decent nightlife and restaurants? Also, one thing I loved about Manhattan last time was just how consistant the development was - it seemed like you could just keep walking and running into more activity without any dead zones. Is the UWS like this too, or is it more like node-based activity with clusters of stuff and a lot of quieter sections? In other words, if we walked all the from 79th down Amsterdam to Midtown, would we hit a lot of interesting, bustling blocks or would it be pretty mellow?
I guess we're leaning towards the UWS hotel because of the value and neighborhoody vibe, but we don't want to end up in a not-very-exciting section of the city - as opposed to Hell's Kitchen, which I imagine is one of the most exciting and interesting areas. Am I totally off-base here? Just how different are these neighborhoods?
Thanks again for the help - we're spending a lot of money on this trip so we want to make the right decision!
Is the UWS like this too, or is it more like node-based activity with clusters of stuff and a lot of quieter sections? In other words, if we walked all the from 79th down Amsterdam to Midtown, would we hit a lot of interesting, bustling blocks or would it be pretty mellow?
You'd find it interesting and bustly all the way.
The differences between the two neighborhoods aren't dramatic but the 10th Ave and 49th is restaurant and bar after restaurant and bar...more so even on Ninth Ave.
But with a subway card the neigborhoods are less than 10 minutes apart and there are certainly enough restaurants around 79th and Amsterdam to make repeat visits in an month totally unnecessary.
I tried to book the Lucerne for relatives after hearing it was a bargain and missed out because they were full with short notice...so you'd best book early.
(I just checked their rates...I must have been thinking about ANOTHER hotel on the UWS because the Lucerne is not cheap at all. Scratching head??? Hmmm?)
Disagree with the above a bit. I think the differences between the two neighborhoods are significant. The Lucerne location is basically pretty upscale, the Skyline location isn't -- though new buildings, stores, restuarants, are slowly changing the area. But its not the Upper West Side. Tenth Ave is sort of a no-man's-land. It's not dangerous, but there's basically no reason anyone would ever go there unless they had to. Sort of quiet and dull and still a lot of the lower income tenement buildings around. UWS has long been revitalized and I think it'd be more interesting for a short stay.
If you can get The Lucerne for only an additional $20/night, I would recommend that hotel. The neighborhood is more residential, but you're not even a block from transportation via subway at 79th street. You can be in a different neighborhood in minutes, so it's not as if you are committed to a long-term rental. There are plenty of cafes and shops in the neighborhood, and you would be very close to Central Park, the Planetarium, etc. The Skyline puts you closer to Restaurant Row, and the Theater District, which is a plus, but from 79th Street, it would take you about 10-15 minutes or so via cab, or 15-20 via subway. If you like architecture, the UWS has more older distinguished architecture, especially since the hotel you're considering is in the same neighborhood as some landmark buildings. 10th Avenue is not as distinguished from that perspective.
You probably won't spend too much time in the hotel at all, but I would think it would be easier to stay on the UWS if you plan to end your day at your parents' apartment, since you can go to SoHo and the LES easily during the day. If, however, you plan to go out at night to SoHo or the LES, I would look to stay in SoHo as it's not terribly inconvenient to get to the UWS. The LES is a bit more limited transportation-wise.
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