It depends what you intend doing when you are there. Will you be eating in restaurants or fast food places, will you be shopping,taking tours, going to shows? If you can tell us a bit more of what you plan doing it may enable us to give you an idea of what you might need.

Hi
Am doing NY at the end of April for 5 nights. How should I take my money? I have a thousand dollars in cash, was thinking of getting the rest in travellers cheques but do you still need your passport as i.d. to use these in most places? Also, does anyone know where I purchase a phonecard from, do I get it in NY or does anyone sell them here? I've been before but it was 10 years ago so the memory is a little 'foggy' to say the least :0)

I took cash with me on my recent visit, kept most of it in the hotel's deposit boxes and just took out a certain sum each day as I didn't want to carry a large amount around with me. I had my credit card in case I saw something I wanted and didn't have enough cash with me. I also took my Debit Card which can be used in most ATM's. I don't know if you need to show your passport when using travellers cheques but again I didn't want to carry it around so I made a copy of the picture page, which I used in Macy's and Bloomingdales when I asked for a discount card.
You can buy Phone Cards in Duane Reade shops, there are loads of them in Manhattan..

Hi Judith

Thanks for you info and advice, very much appreciated, you're a star.

Deb

well we are there for a week, will be eating out every night would like to go to a few jazz clubs.

here's a list of most of the stuff we want to do

rockefella centre
empire state building
soprano's tour
coney island fair ground
st pats cathedral
NY aquarium
central park zoo
hard rock cafe
grand central terminal
statue of liberty
blue note jazz club
lenox lounge jazz club
go to a cinema
picnic in central park

we not that big on the shopping side of stuff but we will do a little bit, can anyone recommend any other jazz clubs that they have maybe been to? also i want to find the biggest steak i can i'm talking big like 40oz big if they even do them. we are aiming to take $2000 for the week and thats having breakfast every morning, a light lunch (a picnic or 2 in central park) and eating out every night.

i cannot wait now it not long i've got a few surprises lined up for my girlfriend too champagne on the plane and a limo transfer with champagne form the hotel to the airport, cant wait to see the look on her face when she see's all the stuff that i've organised for us to do :D

I've just returned from NY and used American Airlines travelling from London Stansted to JFK.

I just wanted to warn people who are organising a trip that AA are no BA or Virgin. Everything is a little more scruffy and the service is quite poor. If you can stretch a little more go for it as you sure only get what you pay for. Don't risk the Stansted flights either, I've seen AA cancel the flight home 3 nights in a row with the offer of a transfer next day to Heathrow after a night in the flea pit Ramada. The Ramada, even though paid for by AA is a slum with food which would not be fit for a road side cafe.

The ferry from Battery park -> Liberty Island -> Ellis Island and back is a bargain at $12 and the Rockefella centre is better than the Empire State even though there's 20'ish less floors.

One thing I noticed is a feeling of being much safer in NY than in London. Its a great experience and I'm glad I went but I doubt I will go back for many years if at all.

Me and my friend are going to New York on 24th October til 28th October (first timers). We have booked our flights but not accommodation.

Can anyone advise me if I should wait til nearer the time to book a hotel or do it now. Our budget is £800 and we liked the look of Crowne Plaza, Times Square, Millenium Hilton or Radio City Apartments. Also can you recommend what sites to use please.

If you can recommend any alternative accommodation that would be appreciated. We want to be in the centre with shopping etc close by.

Hope you can help.

PS I have been reading all your reviews and was wondering if you could tell me what Top of the Rock is - where can I find it and how much does it cost.

Thanks

Diane

The Top of The Rock is at the top of the Rockefeller Center on I think 49th street between 5th and 6thavenue. It's well worth a visit I was there in spring last year and spent an hour or more up the top watching all the lights go on all over the city....magical. I think it now costs $20 per person, the price seems to go up every year, though you often find people outside the entrance giving out coupons that will get you a discount on the price.
I stayed at the Radio City Apartments and found them excellent, very central and handy for the subway ( and close to the Rockerfeller Center) and walking to Times Square, 5th Avenue and a bit further on Central Park. If you decide on a hotel I would book it within the next couple of months. I booked directly with the apartments http://www.Radiocityapartments.com you don't have to pay a deposit and you can cancel without charge right up to the day before travel (the same with most hotels) as you may find a bargain nearer the date.

Top Of The Rock: http://www.topoftherocknyc.com

You can get little discount cards/flyers from hotel lobbies too - they give you $2 off the ticket price of $20 (on 20th December 08), mind you the map of the views from the top which you can buy at the ticket desk is $2 so it's a bit swings and roundabouts!! I would recommend buying the map though, it shows you what you're looking at once you get up to the observation deck :-)

I stayed for 3 nights at the Portland Square Hotel, which is a small cheapy-style hotel about 3-4 minutes walk from Times Square, and then 3 nights at the Waldorf=Astoria. I don't know if you've been to the States before (I see this is your 1st time to NYC), but hotel rooms are smaller than we might be used to from UK/European holidays. The P.Square twin room I stayed in was promptly christened "The Cave", and the Waldorf room - albeit enormous by comparison!! - still wasn't huge, considering the prestige of the hotel (so you might assume it would be big'n'roomy).

IIRC when booking our hotels, we reserved via the hotel websites directly and then you pay when you are checking out - I'm not sure if this is standard practice across all US hotels but it might help you make a decision when to book; in other words, don't hold off booking cos you think the exchange rate might improve, as you'll be paying at the rate on your date of check-out anyway not the date on which you make the booking/reservation :-)

HTH

Thinking of a long weekend in New York either 6th 7th 8th and 9th March or the following long weekend.

Never been before so not sure of what to book.

Would welcome help from the experts here. I would be travelling alone and preferably from Heathrow. I'm not sure on prices for flights and hotels but obviously would like as cheap as possible.

Thinking of surprising hubby with a trip to New york in December for his 50th birthday but I need some help!

1. Which airlines fly non stop to NY from Manchester.

2. Would going between Xmas and New Year (school hols) be good, bad indifferent?

3. Which is a good area to stay in fo first time visitors with a teenage daughter in tow?

4. Anything else I should be aware of?

Any advice gratefully received!

I have not long returned from a few days in New York.

Just a quick point - I did find it pretty expensive these days - even when taking into consideration the not so good exchange rate.

A main meal in a fairly decent eating house (not the regular chained places) averaged out around 19 dollars upwards. Beer would come in at around 6 to 7 dollars. New York metro card (pay as you go) good value at 2 dollars a trip (including connections).

Flat fare of 45 dollars by taxi cap from JFK to mid town Manhatten plus 5 dollar toll and the expected tip.

Wyh are we always so "obliged" to give tips in USA when we only do it here (and Europe) if the service is good. Q's always for main attractions.

has anyone ever stayed in the roosevelt hotel??

and if so, what was it like?

I'm off to New York in October with my friend. Can anyone recommend any good nighclubs or bars near Times Square area (i'm staying at Crowne Plaza and dont want to wander too far late at night).

Looking for somewhere with good atmosphere with good dance/pop music (preferably British music).

Any suggestions would be great.

Cheers

Diane

Hi - I booked mine for October as the prices was about the same - I have been 3 times in Oct previously and always paid more! Also. does anyone know of any decent apartments to stay in instead of hotels?
Thanks

I stayed in the Radio City Apartments last year, they are on W49th street, just a couple of minutes walk from Times Square. I would say they are a good 3* standard. There is a choice of studios or one or two bedrooms apartments. They were kept spotlessly clean and I would use them again if I wanted to stay in that area.
http://www.radiocityapartments.com

Judith

Thanks Judith - I will have a look now - I did the Radio City Tour last time and it was fab - it would be great to stay so close... I really appreciate your help. Charlie.

Hiya People,

I am off to New York next week & I was wondering what the % is that they expect off a tip for taxis, meals etc is it 10% I dont want to look tight ?!?!

At the moment I havent made my mind up on what i'm going to do for 6 days but I know they'll be plenty to do i'm planning on taking around £600 which is probably about $900 at a guess.

I think that should be enough but i'll have my credit card with me just in case I need more.

Any tips on good places to eat would be welcomed.

I'm staying at The Muse Kimpton Hotel at Times Square which sounds good on the reviews looking forward to it now apart from the mind numbing flights that is !

Thanks

Legs

Hi!

We are off for a week to New York on 22nd October. Flights booked but still looking for accommodation.

As my son is diabetic we have talked it over and come to the conclusion that apartments might be a better option for us rather than a hotel - for the cooking facilities etc.

I have emailed Radio City apartments for prices and availability but no reply as yet.

Has anyone else done this, and if so do you have any recommendations on how to source a reasonably priced apartment?