Priceline Hotel: NYC advice please MTW/Chelsea 4/29-5/1

[LynLyn]

Hi,

I am looking for some advice on a long weekend trip to NYC. I have a cancellable back-up hotel position at the Chelsea Sheraton Four Points at $209. I was originally interested in MTW area and have been bidding on a 4* in MTW over the last few weeks. I have bid up to $185 with no takers. I have a feeling that it will take $200+ to get a room in MTW. So I am thinking I will stay with the Chelsea back-up - at least I know what I am getting.

I sense that these are two totally different parts of the city, From what I can tell, Chelsea is a bit more hip and less touristy, while MTW area is more the ultimate tourist area. Both look interesting to me. It will be my first time to NYC so it will all be new and different.

Questions:

1) Will I have trouble getting to Chelsea from JKF? and once in Chelsea is the subway fairly convenient to get to other spots in the city? or is that area rather out of the way?

2) Is Chelsea included in one of the priceline NYC zones? I have tried Hotwire, but they do not show any availability for the Chelsea district.

I have used priceline and your site for many trips and it has always been very helpful! I appreciate all the work that goes into it.

Lynn

[jluff]

**I think your dates are wrong. you may want to change them**

If you are going to NY for the first time, any of these areas are great. I usually try to stay in Midtown central/Timesquare area, midtown west, Midtown East, Midtown south. They are all safe areas, so I wouldn't worry about that. I have gotten two of my hotels though hotwire and one through priceline in the last 2 years. There is a great deal that usually pops up on priceline around $100 - $130 is the Hilton in Midtown central (I got it for $101 in October, 04) about 4 blocks from Timesquare , 1 block from St. Pats cathedral, 1 block from Rockafella center, and a few blocks from Central park. 1335 avenue of the americas is the exact address.

I think Chealsea is actually a new district for HOTWIRE, but I would assume it should be part of Midtown south on Priceline.

You just want to be a short walk from the N line (subway) and you will be able to get all over the city to all the major sites. The heart of NYC however is Timesquare or Midtown central. That is where all the action is at night, so it might be nice to stay there. Timesquare at night is hopping and the lights are amazing!!

Also, to tour the city get a good pocket map(w/subway map) and use the subways for cheap $$.. $8 for an all day "fun pass" at the Information center in Timesquare. They don't advertise this... it is kind of a little hidden gem of the city considering you will pay 50-70 a head for the tour busses..and the subways are safe too.

Good luck

[thereuare]

Please clarify your dates and we'll look at your options.

[LynLyn]

Oops - looking at my email, my dates don't make much sense! I am looking for April 29 - May 1. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks!

[thereuare]

The subway system in NYC can take you from anywhere to just about anywhere... as long as you're near a subway station (plenty all over midtown) you can get to whereever you need to go.

Why don't you tell us a little bit more about what you're looking for in your stay and we'll try to advise of your best options. Unless you have a specific reason to be in this area, i would select as many areas and possible and go for the best value you can find... given the great mass transit system available, location is less important than in other cities.

Let us know yoru thoughts and we'll advise accordingly.