Have You Been To New York? I Need Personal Reccommendations.

[MrBounce]

Mrs Bounce and I are considering going to new York in a couple of years with a couple of friends and ideally want to know the best way of doing this. We are unsure of whether to book over the Internet - I am always a little sceptical of this as 1) I like to arrange things face to face and 2) I want there to be easily accessible comeback should something go wrong. Is it still worth booking through a Travel Agent? I can only assume that they'll be desperate to sell holidays given the market place and competition from the web.

We would probably be looking at 4 people, 3 rooms, room only plus flights and transfers for 5 to 7 nights. None of us are particularly interested in shows or nightclubs, so it'd be landmarks, food, bars, zoos, shopping etc for our pleasure. We'd quite like to stay near Central Park but that's not essential as the public transport is so good. We can budget about £1200 each PLUS spending money.

So what I ideally need to know is the following:

    How did you book it and what were your impressions of the service you had?
    Which airline did you fly with? How good were they?
    Did you book flights and hotel separately?
    Where did you visit, did you enjoy it and would you go back?
    What single thing would you recommend doing if you went again?
    What would you recommend NOT doing?

[Thom89]

Been quite a few times, the place is absolutely buzzing 24/7 you'll love it!

Booked online for later trips, absolutely no probs, stay with names you've heard of.

Any of the big Airlines, BA, Virgin, AA, etc, all are good, so go for best price. many do deals with hotels, again, stick with names you know.

Stayed here a few times, perfect location.  http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g60763-d611947-Reviews-New_York_Hilton_Midtown-New_York_City_New_York.html

I've done the touristy thing, and, and I suppose you'll need to to the usual sites, Empire state building, though Chrysler building is better! Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero etc, for this trip, I would locate myself around "Times Square" 5th Ave, 42nd Street, There's a Holiday Inn in this area, its location is ideal.
Don't eat in the Hotel! NY is way too good to eat in a Hotel! any time of day
Wouldn't bother with the Zoo, you can do that in England, and theirs simply more exploring to do

If you want a more culteral experience of NY, then you need to be at the SoHo end of town, not far from Ground Zero/Financial District.  Bars, Cafe's, Restaurants, Art galleries, Bleecker Street is the area to head for!

Bus tours are a great way to see the sites where you can drop off anywhere, and pick up another tour bus later, same as how it works in London. Do the night tour, which takes you over the Brooklyn Bridge, and you get a stunning view looking back to Manhattan
Don't hire a car, you'll never park it, or fill it up with fuel for that matter... no gas stations in NY.

Taxi Drivers will rip you off if they can! always be confident that you know where you're going, and make out like you live there!

NY is very very safe at night,

Don't do the Statue of Liberty via the Staten Island ferry like everyone says! the closest you'll get is a 1/4 of a mile away, pay up and do the proper tour!

"What single thing would you recommend doing if you went again?"

Explore, Explore, Explore.

Thom

[Sam]

Dress like a local



Act like a local



And make sure you get over your jet lag before heading out

[The Mighty Elvi]

So what I ideally need to know is the following:

How did you book it and what were your impressions of the service you had?

Stayed for a week (wedding). Booked direct with Hotel and Airline via website. Easy peasy. Pick your own seat on the plane.

which airline did you fly with? How good were they?

American Airlines both ways. Fantastic and good leg room in economy. Could even get up and change seats for better leg room in flight.

Did you book flights and hotel separately?

Yes. I had to book the hotel with their website as i had it for free , Crown Plaza at The United Nations  (Intercontinental Priority Club Member) And American Airlines Website

Where did you visit, did you enjoy it and would you go back?

Everywhere from Liberty Island to the Bronx Zoo and in between. Yes, and yes. All the Museums, stores, the UN, Hooters, Intrepid Aircraft Carrier and Concorde, SNL set...etc..all of it and walked most of Manhattan and saw lots of interesting stuff you'd miss on the Subway/Taxi



What single thing would you recommend doing if you went again?

Explore on Foot.Surprisingly NYC is very safe, even at night.

What would you recommend NOT doing?

Without doubt, Empire State Building. What an anticlimax. Spend ages queuing and when you get to the top its tiny, packed and all fenced in. Go to the top of the Rockefeller Building instead (Top of the Rock) Open, spacious, fewer tourists, just as high, over two floors and has shoulder height glass walls an an unspoiled view of central park.  You will, despite reading this go, but after you've been to TOTR, you'l agree 

[Len]

Planning well ahead then! 

I'll ask my Daughter and Son-in-law for you as they went last year and he has just been there on business.

[gazareth]

if you go to Jekyll and hydes the loo is hidden behind a book shelf I was desperate so didn't have time to figure out which shelf it was behind and had to ask ellis island is a very interesting place if you have an iq over 100 and are 25yrs or over.