New York City

[JustinHammond]

Looking for hotel and food recs for New York. The main reason for the trip is the Christmas Tree/ Ice Rink and food. I would prefer to stay around Times Square or The Village and keep my food choices with walking distance. I have been to NYC before and ate nothing but pizza for the week.

[John Greenup]

There's a Hilton Garden Inn on 8th Ave (not far from Times Square)...comfortable, relatively spacious rooms at a "reasonable" price (i.e., under $300/night)...as far as restaurants, it's NYC, so where do you begin....but one of my personal favorites is Smith & Wollensky's, on 3rd Ave....traditional steakhouse, but other options, as well...check out their website.

[Leah A]

The Maze at the London Hotel is close to Times square. Less expensive and more casual than the London restaurant (but still not cheap). Service was excellent and the food is very good. We were wanting to go to the Aspen Social Club which is also near Times square. We had heard good things about it but we never made it there.

The Enoteca at Del Posto is also less expensive and more casual than the main restaurant. We had heard it is almost as good as Babbo without the hassle of having to bend over backwards for reservations. Definitely good but we've never been to Babbo to compare.

Momofuku Ko was the highlight of our visit. Very pricey and reservations are tough but it lived up to the hype. Not sure about its relation to Grenwich Village but we walked from a subway. It was a long walk back after eating for 2-3 hours! I believe the other Momofuku restaurants are walk in only and much cheaper.

[annemarie m]

the marriot marquis.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/n ... TNR=VANITY

[Brad Keeton]

I really really strongly recommend the Michelangelo Hotel very close to Times Square. It can be a little pricey, but it's a very European style boutique hotel with great amenities and service. It's part of the Star Hotels group, and is (I think) their only US property, the majority being in Italy, thus the adherence to European style.

http://www.michelangelohotel.com/

For a comprehensive review:

http://www.oyster.com/new-york-city/hot ... elo-hotel/

Also, their restaurant is widely respected as one of the best hotel restaurants in the city, and one of Midtown's gems.

[JustinHammond]

I really really strongly recommend the Michelangelo Hotel very close to Times Square. It can be a little pricey, but it's a very European style boutique hotel with great amenities and service. It's part of the Star Hotels group, and is (I think) their only US property, the majority being in Italy, thus the adherence to European style.

http://www.michelangelohotel.com/

For a comprehensive review:

http://www.oyster.com/new-york-city/hot ... elo-hotel/

Also, their restaurant is widely respected as one of the best hotel restaurants in the city, and one of Midtown's gems.

Looks awesome, but $500 a night is not in the budget.

[Brad Keeton]

I really really strongly recommend the Michelangelo Hotel very close to Times Square. It can be a little pricey, but it's a very European style boutique hotel with great amenities and service. It's part of the Star Hotels group, and is (I think) their only US property, the majority being in Italy, thus the adherence to European style.

http://www.michelangelohotel.com/

For a comprehensive review:

http://www.oyster.com/new-york-city/hot ... elo-hotel/

Also, their restaurant is widely respected as one of the best hotel restaurants in the city, and one of Midtown's gems.

Looks awesome, but $500 a night is not in the budget.

Did you check around on that? I know that's the price listed in the Oyster review, but when I stayed there last spring it was considerably less - somewhere between $200 and $300 I think, a price on par with most of the other mid-town/Times Square places. The conference I was attending was at the nearby Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers, and the price I got at the Michelangelo was less than the discounted conference rate at the Sheraton, and the reviews were much higher for the Michelangelo.

I'd check around on the price. . .

[JustinHammond]

I really really strongly recommend the Michelangelo Hotel very close to Times Square. It can be a little pricey, but it's a very European style boutique hotel with great amenities and service. It's part of the Star Hotels group, and is (I think) their only US property, the majority being in Italy, thus the adherence to European style.

http://www.michelangelohotel.com/

For a comprehensive review:

http://www.oyster.com/new-york-city/hot ... elo-hotel/

Also, their restaurant is widely respected as one of the best hotel restaurants in the city, and one of Midtown's gems.

Looks awesome, but $500 a night is not in the budget.

Did you check around on that? I know that's the price listed in the Oyster review, but when I stayed there last spring it was considerably less - somewhere between $200 and $300 I think, a price on par with most of the other mid-town/Times Square places. The conference I was attending was at the nearby Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers, and the price I got at the Michelangelo was less than the discounted conference rate at the Sheraton, and the reviews were much higher for the Michelangelo.

I'd check around on the price. . .

Yeah, I tried booking on their site and after taxes it was $1,500 for three nights. I finally decided on The Hudson. It is known for its bars and I tend to enjoy drinking establishments.

[Brad Keeton]

Yeah, I tried booking on their site and after taxes it was $1,500 for three nights. I finally decided on The Hudson. It is known for its bars and I tend to enjoy drinking establishments.

Yeah, that's a lot and at least $200 more than my nightly rate. I would guess that prices in NYC go up this time of year, especially in areas where tourists are more likely to stay, like around Times Square. My friends that live there bitch constantly about the "holiday tourists."

[JustinHammond]

My friends that live there bitch constantly about the "holiday tourists."

Tell them to get ready to bitch about four more from KY.

[Brad Keeton]

My friends that live there bitch constantly about the "holiday tourists."

Tell them to get ready to bitch about four more from KY.

Haha. By the way, last time I was in New York my buddy took me to the Library Bar at The Hudson. It's pretty neat.