Hotwire Hotel: 4* NYC (Times Square-Theatre District) Crowne Plaza

[Pintor]

i am looking for a stay in manhattan on 12/23 - 12/25. i searched for 2 adults and this is what caught my interest and if someone can help me identify the hotel and have a better value:

1) 4* MCH at $129 night

Fitness Center

Restaurant(s)

Business Center

High-speed Internet Access

2)4* Empire state bldg area $125/night

Boutique Hotel

Complimentary Breakfast

Restaurant(s)

Business Center

High-speed Internet Access

there will be 4 of us 2 adults and 2 kids (11 and 6), would the hotel accommodate us in one room?

thanks for any help that you can give

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

If you only include 2 adults in your search then all that is guaranteed is double occupancy, which could be a room with any configuration which could accomodate double occupancy. After that it's up to the hotel, and they may be unable, or unwilling, to accomodate your request for a room with two beds (or there could be an additional charge involved)

NYC has such a very high percentage of rooms with only one bed, many of which can't accomodate a rollaway, that we usually don't recommend booking double occupnacy when you'll be more than that... our thoughts are different in a more family oriented place, such as Orlando, which is used to accomoding families, but in NYC it's usually not recommended.

Is the above a risk you're willing to accept? I assume prices go up when searching for 2adults/2children?

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[Pintor]

thanks for the advise. usually we can sleep in one queen size bed for just a night or two, so it is of no problem as my children are still small.

with regards to the hotels above, what hotels are these?

again, thanks for any information you can share

[thereuare]

The Midtown Central property matches multiple properties... the Flatotel, Sofitel, Helmsley Park Lane, Royalton, Warwick and Sheraton New York have all been reported at the 4* level in this zone with this amenity combination, so any of these would be my best guess.

The ESB property is a match for the Morgans so that would be my best guess for that one... although a distant second guess would be 70 Park Ave.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

Let us know what you decide and how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[Pintor]

if we want to stay near the rockefeller center, which area is more likely that we'll get something close to it?

is the complimentary breakfast a better value? with the same star rating and rate?

our main consideration would be something very close to the rockefeller center, though.

thanks for all the insights...

[thereuare]

The Midtown Central zone is closer to Rockefeller Center than the Empire State Buildilng zone.

Hard to say which is a better 'value' since the Midtown Center offering matches so many different properties, however, if the ESB property is indeed Morgans, that property is very highly rated and reviewed, and since that is the one that does include breakfast, i would guess that would likely be the better deal.

However, i will point out that this is a Boutique property (which often means small hotel and even smaller rooms) and mention again that you're booking for double occupancy when you'll be quad occupancy; while you may not have a problem squeezing 4 people into a room with only one queen bed, it's possible the hotel might have an issue. Quad occupancy in a standard room may violate NYC fire code (searching Expedia for quad occupancy this property's standard rooms shows "exceeeds maximum guests"). This is a small hotel (only 113 guest rooms) and a very small lobby, so it will not be as easy 'sneaking' the extra 2 kids in if this were a large, business style hotel with a big lobby... not to mention four people showing up for free breakfast. The hotel may ultimately not care, but you need to be aware that it could be an issue.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[Pintor]

while searching, i also saw a 3* in MCH with complimentary breakfast, business center and high speed internet available at $119. IS this the holiday inn express at 5th avenue? is this a better value than the 4* hotels mentioned above?

[AaronJB]

MCH = Midtown Central? If so, this would be a likely match for the HI Express.

If you are seeing the above 4* hotels when searching for 4 people (2/2), then the 4* ESB that is likely the Morgans is a particularly good deal. Again though, as mentioned above, if you are searching for only 2 people in the room, that may cause a problem at check-in.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links.

[Pintor]

made the booking through the HOTWIRE link here.

$159 for 2A/2C for Crowne Plaza times square manhattan for dec. 23 - 25

4* at Times square theater district. amenities:Restaurant, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Hope this was the hotel you wanted and that you're happy with the results.

If you need a reasonably priced dinner in the area John's Pizza (44th between 7th and 8th Ave) serves some very good pizza in an even nicer atmosphere (a converted church so nice, high, ceilings and open kitchen pizza stations in the dining room so you can watch them make pizza while you wait for your own)... stick with the pizza as that's what shines here (entrees are just average)

Thank you for sharing your results with the board and using our HOTWIRE link to begin your purchase.

Enjoy your stay.

[Pintor]

i was inclined to book for only 2 A and just sneak in my kids during our stay. as the prices between double and quad occupancy was significant. anyways, the crowne plaza is a good hotel and near the rockefeller center where we want to be.

thanks for all your advice and insights.