Best Hotel location - New York with 3 DC

[whatisfair]

We're going to Florida (beach not Disney) next Easter and our flights will be significantly cheaper if we stopover three nights in New York on the way.

Our DC are young (3,5,11) and will be jetlagged, plus it could be pretty cold. Still, it seems like too good an opportunity to pass up.

I don't know NYC at all, so would really appreciate some advice on the best place (area and/or hotel) to stay with younger kids. The hotel
itself needs to be easy to get back to for a nap in the afternoon, ideally within walking distance of at least one big (cold weather) 'attraction', with places to eat inhouse or very near, and have rooms/suites that will sleep 5. We're looking at moderate price hotels at the moment.

All advice very welcome!

When you add the price of a hotel for 3 nights plus meals for 5 to the airfare, is it still cheaper than flying direct ?

I'm a very big New York fan, but probably wouldn't stop off in those circumstances. Accommodation and food would easily be will be £1000, still being careful. And fantastic things to do, like Ellis Island, Empire State, high line, Cloisters, Broadway show, Central Park etc. are less good in your circumstances due to weather or children's age. Does it have to be 3 nights to get he cheaper flights?

The total airfare is 1000EUR cheaper if we do it this way. I'm guessing that this will pretty much cover our hotel but, no, not meals, tickets or random spends. Worth it though, I think.

seriouslyffs: Yes, it has to be three nights - because we would fly out the day before the school holidays start here (I live in another European country).
The cost doesn't bother me so much but I'm also a bit worried about the weather. I had initially ruled it out but the difference in flight costs is so huge that it seems crazy not to. My DH loves New York and older DC really, really wants to go. Would you really not do it knowing the difference in price? am torn all over again.

Hilton Garden Inn and Hotel Metro, both on West 35th are mid price in a fantastic area...

If you could look at it as a stop gap and a chance for the older DC to experience NY rather than save money, go for it! Accommodation would be €500, transfers in and out another $200...

We recently stayed at the hotel beacon which was lovely. It's on the uws so quite chilled out which DD needed after a day in New York.

"The total airfare is 1000EUR cheaper if we do it this way. I'm guessing that this will pretty much cover our hotel"

Actually it will probably not cover the cost of any midrange hotel for 3 nights for 5 of you. New York hotel rooms are expensive due to overall demand and Easter is one of their peak holiday seasons.

There's a reason why this stopover for 3 days is a lot cheaper; its also because its a lot more inconvenient as well. You will also lose a day flying down to FL from one of the New York airports.

I would look at suite based hotels; something along the lines of Doubletree, Sofitel or Marriott. Would suggest you stay both midtown and in Manhattan itself.

Jetlag is more of an issue when you fly eastwards from the US rather than the other way around. Those flights as well are more often than not overnight ones.

We stay near Central Park. But it's a lot more than $1000 for 3 nights. So yes do go for a detour, but not to save money.

We usually stay in a 1 bed suite. Kids both pile in the king size bed with us. But could sleep on sofa bed in living area ( but usually this is where dh or I work late into the night or drink wine/ watch a movie so it's easier we all share the bed.

We're going to Boston and New York over the Easter holiday despite the risky weather as that's the only feasible time for us this year and we have family to visit in Boston. In truth the weather is often fine in March, and even if there's a huge snowstorm the kids will think it's cool.

We're staying in Hotel Beacon in NY. Upper West Side, very near the Museum of Natural History/Rose Center for Earth and Space (good indoor attractions), quite reasonable prices for NY and very spacious rooms with kitchenettes. Bar but no restaurant in the hotel. Stock up on real NY bagels and cream cheese and you can have lovely breakfasts in your room. The hotel is a couple of blocks away from Zabars, a famous grocery/deli, so you can also buy in provisions for lunch/dinner if you want.

The Upper West Side is a lovely area and a great place to get a sense of living in the city. It is a bit of haul to get to some of the touristy places, but the subway is itself an experience, and there are also some pretty scenic bus routes from there that have the benefit of being far cheaper than the tour buses. Much less hustle and bustle than midtown, which makes it preferable IMO with small ones who might find the chaos overwhelming.

PS if you're going to spend 1000 either way, whether on pricier flights or a stopover, I would vote for the stopover especially if the DC are keen. Yes, you may spend more than the 1000, but if you look at the excess as a relatively inexpensive cost of a trip to NY it's not so painful. Brilliant city, full of energy -- the DC will be enthralled. Well worth going.

I was going to suggest something like a suite-based hotel too, like Best Western hospitality plus which is midtown / E49th st. Walking distance to Central Park, Met museum, Fifth Avenue... That one is $400 a night plus tax (incl breakfast) for up to six people... Manhattan is expensive.

Thanks everyone. You've mentioned a couple of the ones I've been looking at: the Beacon; Doubletrees (but that may not do 5); Best Western plus - Hospitality House. I'll look some more now.

Thanks also for the advice about journeys and so on. Actually, I think the journey is better for us this way. The flight to Florida is 3 hours midafternoon from JFK, and we're staying about a 45minute drive from the airport, so that will be quite easy.

I wouldn't do it

Manhattan to jfk can take 1.5 hours if busy You need to allow an hour for security
You'll be leaving Manhattan at 12 noon for a 3 pm flight and you'll get to your hotel in Florida at 7 pm with three tired children

The 11 year old will enjoy manhattan but the 3 and 5 year olds' enjoyment might be questionable to be honest

I guess I'd prefer to take the direct flight and be more relaxed at your end destination given your going to spend the 1000 either way

If your renting a car you can add another 45-60 minutes into the travel times to collect it

There's no direct flight: we have to change somewhere whatever we do. The second leg is Saturday afternoon - I think traffic should be OK.

The traffic is pretty heavy to and from JFK from Manhattan (having just done it) - it took us easily an hour and a half both ways.

We stayed in a double double in the Belvedere on W48th and I think they had some suites too. No idea of the costs for Easter, but you might be able to take a room like that and top and tail the two littlest ones?

I did this journey on a Saturday in the opposite direction at around 9.30pm. Drive time from JFK to our final stop took just over 90 minutes.
Never assume that the traffic will be ok even on a Saturday afternoon.

If the flight is mid afternoon from JFK you'll need to be there just before or around lunchtime. Security lines can be very long. I would use a taxi van to take you to JFK.

Yes, our hotel got us a gorgeous big taxi for the return journey - think it was $65. On the way to Manhattan we did the shared transport - definitely worth paying a bit more for a taxi for just you!

We did nyc for a week with 2 dc in February. Yes, it was chilly, but we were still able to do most of the touristy things. Not much scope for shopping with dcs in tow though . We used Hilton garden inn Chelsea /flowermarket which was reasonably priced, clean and welcoming. Well situated for 2 subway lines too. We got a weeks subway pass, which meant easy transport around manhattan. Dcs loved it.

We are going to nyc in a few weeks with our 19 month old but I'm not sure whether to give her cows milk or take sma formula with us. I don't want USA cows milk upsetting her tummy (she drinks cows milk here) is there any difference?

nyma hotel (part of the apple core group) has some rooms with kitchenettes and is midrange/cheap. It's very near Times Square and - sharp intake of breath - a very large branch of Toys R Us though. Another US city? Miami is close but very different to Orlando - has some museums, good shops, great restaurants...