Hotwire Hotel: Family of 3, NYC first week of September

[nankar]

Hi all,

New to the site, hope I'm doing it all right. We are a family of 3 (2 adults, one small child) who would like to spend 4 or 5 nights in NYC. Our little one is 6 years old so we are thinking staying around times square so that everything is easy access is needed. If you think we worry too much and we should go further for a better price, that's fine (i.e. if you believe getting from central area to a hotel further away in manhattan is easy and safe with a 6 years old, I think I can convince my wife :) ). Can you help us find a hotel via hotwire as the cheapest I can find for 4 days in standard sites is ~350USD$/night (all in)?

 

Dates: 4 days, flexible but between Aug 29th and Sept 5th

Travelers: 2 adults, 1 child (6)

Budget: Looking for 200USD all in

 

Bonus: We will have our car (driving down from Montreal) but don't need it. So if we can find a cheap parking nearby (I know, it's NYC...);

 

Thanks!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Times Square is certainly centrally located, but 'everything' is not located right there, and you will most likely be riding the subways frequently to get to where you need to go (i would even say there isn't much directly in Times Square, but it's more so an easy launching point to get to wherever you want to go). So while you have the right idea by wanting to be centrally located, it's not necessary to stay directly in Times Square in order to do so... pretty much anything with good subway access is usually the desired goal.

With the above noted, the earlier nites of your date range seem to be the more affordable.

If you can stretch your budget a bit, for 8/29-9/2 i'm seeing what looks like the Omni Berkshire for $192/nite (before taxes/fees) which is well located, yet not directly in Times Square.

If you want to come in well under budget, for 8/30-9/3 i'm seeing what looks to be the Salisbury Hotel. This property is only 3* rated by HOTWIRE, but it's a great location just two blocks from Central Park, 5-10 minute walk to Times Square, and 2 different subway stations within a 2 block walk... for $121/nite.

If a King Bed would work for the 3 of you (can't be assured that there will be a pullout sofabed and/or space for a rollaway) PRICELINE EXPRESS has a 4* hotel in Times Square with a King bed for $186/nite.

Let's start with your thoughts on the above and we will take it from there.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

[nankar]

Thank you for the quick answer thereuare.

I might have miss explained myself about Times Square! I did not mean directly on Times Square! The Omni is definitely ok where it is! My target was to be within a 20 mins walk of Times Square. 

 

I looked at the Omni and it definitely looks like a great hotel. I tried your dates on various website and I could not find a 192$/night, even before tax. Is it maybe that you are taking a room for 2 instead of 3? I would definitely be OK taking a room with a king bed but the website shows "max 2 occupants" so I'm not sure if Id be in trouble renting a room with max 2 and arriving as a party of 3!

 

Then I got to your second proposition..The Salisbury. 121$/night?!!! I have hard time understanding how I could get it so cheap? I understand it's on HOTWIRE but still, is there something I should know about the hotel?

 

Basically, we are not difficult people, my wife is not a princess and does not care if the hotel is not a luxury one! As long as it's not dirty/ghetto/unsafe and has enough place for us to sleep 3 (a king bed is ok, even a queen + a couch would be fine), we are fine!

 

So unless you see a reason for us not to go for something like Salisbury, I have hard time justifying paying 80$ more a night for the Omni!

 

Thanks! :)

[thereuare]

Unfortunately what looked to be The Salisbury is no longer offered for 8/29-9/3... but i am seeing the Holiday Inn Midtown 57th St for $148/nite. This property is not as well/centrally located, but it does have a pool if that interests your 6 year old (although i usually comment that you shouldn't be looking for a pool in a NYC hotel as there is enough to do in the city and you should be partaking of things you can't necessarily do back home)

I am seeing the 3* Comfort Inn Times Square South Area (in the MSG zone despite having Times Square in it's name) for $142/nite which includes breakfast, gets decent reviews, and is well located. As well, the Radisson Marinique (3.5* in the ESB zone) for $152/nite.

Just looked at 8/29-9/2 and am seeing what looks like The Salisbury for this set of dates for $128/nite when searching for 2adults/1child. Search using this HOTWIRE link (or the search box on the top left of the page, including 2adults/1child) and then fitler to show 3* hotels and the Midtown Central zone... there should be a $128/nite hotel (your price may differ by a few dollars either way) with:

Smoke Free

Business

Hi-Speed Internet

Kitchenette

Deaf Accessible

Travel Accessible

Room Accessible

Bathroom Accessible

Roll-in Shower

... this matches previous reports for the Salisbury and would be my best guess for this one. (and should it be something different, this one also shows a 4.0/5.0 TA rating so regardless, it should provide a good experience for a 3 star hotel). I've never stayed at The Salisbury, but like many older NYC hotels it can probably use a bit of a make-over/refresh... but at the price would provide a good value (especially for triple occupancy)

Are you able to see this one thru HOTWIRE? (or an interest in any of the others mentioned? which btw, i'm no longer seeing the Omni option, which was thru PRICELINE EXPRESS)

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

If you go for the Salisbury let us know how it goes OR let us know if you want to pursue something else.

Good luck!

[AaronJB]

I haven't stayed at the Salisbury for years and years, but it's been a well-known and well-liked bargain (as NYC goes) property for decades. I stayed there as a kid and later on, parents have stayed there, family have stayed there, family friends have stayed there, etc. It's older and it's dated, but it continues to get pretty solid reviews. The potential Holiday Inn may be more family-friendly.

Definitely let us know if we can be of further assistance.

 

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

[nankar]

Thank you both.

From the 4 hotels you listed (Salisbury, Holiday Inn, Comfort Inn and Radisson Marinique), it seems the TA reviews are more favorable with the Salisbury. Would you agree? The prices you listed below (from 128$ to 152$) are all within our budget so any one you believe is the best for all small family, please let us know. Remember that we will have our car so a nearby parking (we do not need in and out) is a huge +.

 

I want to be sure I am doing it correctly. Let's say I am aiming for the Salisbury.

1) I go to Hotwire (using your link of course! :) ) and search for NYC on dates Aug 29th to Sept 2nd for 2 adults and 1 child

2) I pick Midtown Central zone on the map and only keep 3 stars hotels

 

When I do this, I see 3 options:

1) 135$ (down from 222$)

2) 195$

3) 199$

 

The 135$ says Amenities: Business Central, Internet Access, Kitchenette, Smoke Free rooms, Accessible for hearing impaired, in room accessibility, roll in shower (what is this?), accessible path of travel, accessible bathroom

 

I presume this is the Salisbury? At the top, hotwire says "the last person got the The Shoreham Hotel"

 

Thanks! :)

 

P.S: Say I want to adventure and see more hotels without having to bug you on each one, how would I know what the Hotwire proposal is (or narrow it down)? Where would I go on betterbidding to link what I see on hotwire with some sort of list here? Or are you guys THE list? :D

[AaronJB]

The reviews for the Salisbury are more favorable. It is not modern and doesn't have tons of amenities, but it is popular because it is consistent and - as NYC goes - more reasonable. Unfortunately, I'm not seeing it when searching for these dates. Are you still seeing the listing with the above amenities when searching?

 

The "Last Person Got..." is not necessarily the underlying hotel, it's the last hotel someone won at that star rating in that zone.

 

You can find the Hotwire Hotel List For New York here. The lists for each particular state are linked at the bottom left corner of every discussion thread, plus you can find them by clicking the "Need Help?" button in the upper corner.

 

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

[thereuare]

The 135$ says Amenities: Business Central, Internet Access, Kitchenette, Smoke Free rooms, Accessible for hearing impaired, in room accessibility, roll in shower (what is this?), accessible path of travel, accessible bathroom

Yes, you have it correct as these amenities match those i listed in my post above where i guessed The Salisbury (as well as previous reports for this hotel as it appears in the Hotwire Hotel List).

 

While the Holiday Inn has the pool for your kid, i'm not such a fan of the location.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board.

Let us know what you decide and how it goes.