New York - is Chinatown ok to stay in?

[SmellyPirateHooker]

I am going for a long girlie weekend in New York in November. In the process of trying to sort out accommodation, Chinatown seems much cheaper than other areas of the City. Has anyone else stayed in this area?

If so, what are your thoughts? We're two young (ish) females so I want to be somewhere that feels safe and wondering if it's so cheap because it's a bit rough.

I wasn;t keen on much of NY's chinatown. Parts seemed very run down. I don't knowhow safe the area is, just my feelings.

I probably wouldn't stay in china town.

Thanks ladies, I didn't have a good feeling about it.

Looking at some direct apartment lettings now which seem much cheaper and nicer!

Be careful on direct letting apartments as there are many scams. Trip Advisor has good advice on where to stay and also the apartment scams. There is a New York forum on Trip Advisor which is very useful and full of tips. I think it is illegal in many cases to let apartments in buildings in New York.

Don't try to book anything through craigs list, it as choc full of scammers (they nearly got me).

Try here

We've seen a couple on the holiday-lettings website which I have used for quite a few holidays before with success, it's usually people in Britain letting out holiday apartments/villas.

Will def check TripAdvisor though, thanks.

Try the hilton (millenium) near ground zero - its lovely, and there are usually some great offers

Both of the Hilton suggestions are $3000 for the 6 nights - ouch!

That situations sounds exactly like something I would do Sue maybe for the best that I can't afford it!

Jeez - we got a suite there last October for less than £500 for 4 nights!!

You are not there over thanks giving or anything are you??

Nothing wrong with Chinatown. It's not as nice as other areas, but it's v.close to SoHo etc.
Where in Chinatown exactly were you thinking?

Nope, dates are 10th - 16th Nov. There don't seem to be any deals at all, it's ridiculous!

I wouldn't stay anywhere near Chinatown. Union Square is a nice area and well connected in terms of subway lines. Murray Hill is another good area and quite neighbourhoody.

Sorry, but why, Mollie?

I think you have to know the area pretty well to know where to go after dark that is okay. Fine during the day but less fine at night ime. Same with Soho although to a lesser degree.

Mollie- are you kidding???? SoHo????

Yes, even SoHo! Different if you live there or know the area well but I'm thinking from a tourist wandering around prospective.

OP- Chinatown is not any more dangerous than other areas of Downtown, fgs. Lots of cool reastaurants, shops etc.

Right next to Little Italy, SoHo and East Village.

Downtown Manhattan is like a bloody Hollywood now, seriously.

But yes, it has a different vibe to , say, Upper East Side.

This hotel is in a nice area.

I have lived there for years and I really have no idea what are you talking about

Where in SoHo do you consider it to be dangerous?

If I may disagree with Mollie- booooring.

Downtown is where you want to be .

I haven't been there for 6 years so my knowledge may be out of date. I used to live in NY although not in SoHo. I'm not saying it is dangerous but it is (or if that is changed) was an area parts of which were different at night.

It depends what you want. If you want to be where the nightlife is then I agree downtown is best. If you want to be near the park, shops and museums then midtown is best. Where do you live in NY (roughly!). I used to live on 57th/6th.

Oh, no, there's lots of shops downtown! And you can go uptown to go to Bloomingdales or Bergdorf's or whatever.

I live in Paris now. In NY I lived in SoHo, Little Italy, East Village and even on Broadway/ Wall St.- I definitely wouldn't recommend that! Becomes a ghost town after 7 pm.

We (me and DH) stayed at the Holiday Inn SoHo on Layfayette (cheapest decent hotel we could find in area where we wanted to stay which was Downtown)Just off Canal Street, basically on edge of China town. This was about 4 years ago. Had a fabulous time, wandered around the area in evenings and late at night, no problem whatsoever. Brilliant location for nightlife, walkable distance to restaurants and bars and brilliant live venue Bowery Ballrooms.
I would so love to go back and would definitely stay in the same area again.