Where would you stay in New York? Near Grand Central Station (Hyatt) or near Times Square (Hilton?)

[holidayadviceplease123]

Just that really

Planning to take the dc there for xmas and can't decide between the two

tia

We stayed here: https://www.sonesta.com/sonesta-hotels-resorts/ny/new-york/fifty-sonesta-hotel-new-york , it was a few blocks up from Grand Central and about 15 minutes walk to Times Square, the rooms were big and there was a little kitchenette with a proper fridge, hob and microwave. Location worked v well for us. Subway on the corner too.

I've stayed at the the Hyatt at Grand Central and the Hilton Midtown (both times at Christmas) and I would recommend the Hyatt - lots of options in the station for breakfast too and Pershing Square is just across the road, which is definitely worth a visit.

Grand Central - much nicer; TS is busy and awful. The NYPL and Bryant Park are nice to visit and that bit of midtown feels safer than TS imo. I’ve stayed in the Library Hotel very near there and would really recommend it - small rooms but cosy and a boutique feel, service is great. All their hotels normally get good reviews.

omg thank you!

The Hilton midtown seems far out to me, very businesslike?

Were you able to have food in your room at the Hyatt? I'd need to be able to get dd a McDonalds to eat in the room when she's hungry

and, sorry, was it easy to get food on xmas day?

I imagine that grand central at Christmas was beautiful

My first trip to NYC we stayed at the Hyatt Grand Central. Central location mid town location , go for breakfast at Pershing Square. Times Square isn’t a great place tbh.

I agree that there are nicer places to stay than mid town but it’s also fine for a first trip as it’s easy to get around. It will be busy though. Ask for a room high up.

I would assume that ‘no in room dining’ means no room service. It’s America- there’s no way they will stop people taking food to their rooms.

There are nicer bits of Manhattan to stay in, but I understand on a first trip wanting to be central.

dd is 6 - I don't mind the hustle and bustle of Times Square tbh but would want to be safe - would restaurants in Bryant park be open on xmas day?

I wonder whether staying near grand central station would be more christmassy

I wouldn’t want to be 6 and walking around TS. It’s not hustle and bustle it can be rammed. Wall to wall people, and not safe feeling. Honestly you’ll see it and want to leave pretty quickly.

You can google which restaurants are open on Christmas Day in NYC. There are hotels with kitchen areas too. Hotel Beacon in the upper west, just a stroll from Central Park for example.

For Christmas vibes, you want to be around the Rockefeller centre area, the shops and department stores on 5th. TS not so much

I didn't think of rockerfeller centre!

We'd be near Saks!

I stayed at the Hilton in Times Square. The hotel is fine but the minute you leave it you walk into the madness of Times Square which is very full on. I wouldn’t choose to stay there again.

One thing to bear in mind is that NYC is typically significantly colder than the U.K. at that time of year. Temps like -11 or -15 don’t sound like much, but actually they’re cold enough that it’s not great to spend a lot of time outside. Take properly insulated long puffer coats and proper winter gloves/hats, rather than the typical coat and thin gloves that suffices in the U.K. - esp for a 6 y o!

hadn't thought of that

we don't have much luggage space so would stick her in a big puffy coat for the flight, and pack lots of joggers and layers and one fancy outfit 😍

I'm so excited just at the thought of going omg

We went as a couple for a week at the end of November a few years ago and stayed in an apartment in Alphabet City. Loved the more 'local' vibe we got around there.

We wandered around Grand Central and Times Square at various points and the area around Grand Central was miles nicer and calmer - would stay there ahead of Times Square every time. Times Square is a spectacle to look at, but I wasn't in any rush to spend much time there!

I prefer the grand central area. We stayed at a residence inn East 48th St I think. It was surprisingly calm for NY, a free breakfast included for all and a relatively spacious studio suite for NYC with mini kitchen which was quite handy if coming back after a day out and for a family of 4. I did not like Times Square - it’s okay to see, but personally we need calm at the end of the day.

Ps the grand central Oyster bar restaurant is lovely! Not just oysters either ;)

Former New Yorker here, frankly they are both sort of the same area. I personally would never stay near Times Square. So if choosing between the two, Grand Central. I tend to prefer areas that are less touristy, so I would stay on the Upper West or Upper East Side, near to a subway station. So much nicer, safer, more authentic, still easy access to public transport and all major attractions.

If you specifically want Christmas Day food options, go to Chinatown, ideally for dim sum. Chinese food is very traditional for us Jews on Christmas day, so you will find lots of festive options. I’d recommend booking a table if you can as it will be busy.

More will be open on Christmas Day in NYC than in London. There will be a MacDonalds somewhere that will be open, you probably won't have to travel far. If she needs Macdonalds specifically, you'll find it, but if she just wants a burger and fries there will be even more options. Jewish people traditionally go to the movies and out for Chinese food on Christmas Day, Chinatown will be very busy. You could even try the Macdonalds there.

Also it'll only be Christmas Day that will be quiet(er). There's no Boxing Day here so everything will be back to normal on the 26th.

As a local I can't think of anything worse than staying near either Grand Central or Times Square, but for a tourist I would suggest Times Square: 42nd St is a wind tunnel and it's miserable in the winter, there's not much hustle and bustle there that isn't the station or office workers. Times Square is better located and more interesting for tourists.

Times Square is a No and tbh I don’t even think it’s worth seeing, just lights and random crooks. Unless you’re going to Broadway skip Times Sq.

The midtown Hilton is fine, but really busy and feels dark. We just preferred the Hyatt as it felt a lot more open and has an amazing tree. I think they mean no room service rather than you can’t eat in your room. As others have said, it can be very cold and very wet/snowy in December there, so dress appropriately. I also agree on Times Square - there really isn’t a lot there of interest except for shows and it smells quite strongly of weed. If you want to go ice skating at the Rockefeller Center, make sure to book in advance as it’s very popular.

Disagree. It is absolutely worth seeing, for a lot of people Times Square is New York. It was the first thing DD wanted to do. We did not feel it was sketchy, was not aware of crooks, just loads of people dressed as cartoon characters trying to get paid for photos, and people with those tuktuk type things playing loud music. Visible police presence.

I wasn’t a fan of Times Square, it was too hectic for me. We stayed on the upper west side very close to Central Park and the natural history museum and it was perfect (obv v easy to get to anywhere you want on the subway)

@SnoozingFoxTS is not New York! It’s the tacky touristy bit but there is so much more to Manhattan than a bunch of lights

Yes I know... but it is a massive draw for tourists which a lot of people want to see.

Times Square stinks of cannabis and I felt unsafe there during a recent visit. Went several years ago and loved it. Staying there put me off New York 😥

Just to add visiting Times Square during the day might be ok but getting back to your hotel late evening / night it’s not a good vibe.