NYC over Christmas

[NYCyayornay]

Anyone been with teenagers over Christmas week? Is it too cold for making the most out of sightseeing?

Have visions of a wonderful Christmassy holiday, tree @ Rockerfeller, ice skating etc. Worried the reality may be grumpy teenagers complaining about the cold.

IME it is a ‘dry’ cold in NYC in December.

Make sure they have proper warm clothing including boots (waterproof).

Plenty of indoor stuff to see, walk along interesting routes with good lights and shops, plenty of stop offs in diners for donuts / pancakes.

We went with 2 teens for Christmas 2019. We all loved it. We did Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Rockefeller Tree, Rockettes Show at Radio City, Basketball at Madison Square Gardens, Staten Island Ferry, Brooklyn Bridge, 911 Memorial Museum and ice skating in Central Park.

We assumed it would be really cold and layered up. We were actually too hot a lot of the time and ended up stripping off to just our coats.

I would really recommend going. Don’t be put off because it might be cold.

I liver here - it's chilly but not bitter. Really fine for sightseeing, especially if you plan your days carefully so you're visiting attractions that are grouped together.

Be warned though that Christmas is the most expensive time to visit - even crap hotels cost an absolute fortune.

Christmas in NYC is absolutely incredible. I honestly think everyone should do it at some point in their life if they possibly can. Rockettes are a must, for skating do Central Park not Rockefeller, make sure you book all your meals, especially breakfast Christmas morning (we assumed our hotel would have space for us but they didn't) Lotte Palace hotel was wonderful though

I was taken there aged 11/12 over Xmas. Loved it. Don't remember the cold, just the sights. Strangely my sister aged 8 was most interested in seeing a black Father Christmas. We'd never seen one before. Parents hadn't thought too much about jet lag, we fell asleep during Cats on Broadway. An expensive sleep.

We did NYC in mid December and didn’t find it particularly Christmassy, it was all “happy holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas”.

Thanks all.

@SuperCamp I don’t mind a ‘dry cold’ or even snow. Don’t fancy torrential rain.
@HappyBook all rounds fab!
@allfurcoatnoknickers Yes they are extortionate. Would prefer midtown but the hotels downtown are a much higher standard for the same price.
@Skala123 thanks for the tip. Kind of assumed hotel would have space for breakfast for all guests - maybe not!
@pleasehelpwi3 now you mention it I’ve only ever seen a white Father Christmas, never given it a thought! Also never considered jetlag.
@Coffeepot72 Happy Holidays is better than Xmas with the extended family 😂

We went 20th-24th december and it was about 6 degrees at its lowest. However my cousin went a week later and it was minus 10 lol. Absolutely amazing at Christmas so much to see and do and the atmosphere is incredible.

@NYCyayornay Downtown hotels def give you a lot more bang for your buck. I always recommend the Club Quarters down in FiDi or the Battery Park City Conrad. It's also much calmer down there - I had to go to midtown yesterday to pick up some Christmas presents I'd ordered and it was so rammed I needed a lie down when I got home.

@allfurcoatnoknickers it’s the Conrad we are looking at. Rooms are so spacious. Only concern was the ten min walk from Oculus. However I think we can mostly walk through the shopping mall, is that correct? I know it will be colder by the river but it was more safety concerns when returning to hotel of an evening. How quiet is it around there around 9-10pm ish Christmas week?

Thanks so much!

@NYCyayornay I actually spent 2 weeks living in The Conrad a few years ago when my apartment renovation went awry. It's a 10 minute amble from the Occulus, much faster at normal walking pace and I think you can get in through Brookfield Place. There are LOADS of subway stations down there, so very easy to get where you need to go.

The Conrad is right near a lot of apartment buildings, so it's never dead down there since it's a place people actually live IYSWIM. It's quiet in a lovely way. Absolutely no safety concerns - it's far, far safer than Times Square and surrounding areas. Lots of the buildings around there have doormen or concierges, so there's always someone keeping an eye out, plus the huge police presence around WTC and the memorials. It's an area popular with families because it's so safe.

Lovely restaurants too - there's a St Ambroeus, a PJ Clarke's and El Vez around there, so you don't have to venture far for a decent dinner if you're tired.

Phew, that turned into an essay - I'm a bit evangelical about persuading people to stay outside of Midtown 😂

@allfurcoatnoknickers thats hugely helpful thank you. I did visit the WTC memorial years ago but can’t remember the area at all. Stayed in Chelsea then so wanted somewhere different this time. Larger room with teenagers sounds better than being squashed up in midtown. Went in summer last time.

I don’t remember Resort Fees and they seem to be for different things at different hotels which is strange. Hopefully I can use them towards breakfast or drinks.

@NYCyayornay I seem to recall the resort fee at the Conrad could be redeemed for a delicious breakfast buffet. Absolutely not the kind of thing DH and I would have shelled out for otherwise, but it felt very luxurious to sit down to smoked salmon and omelets every morning before schlepping off to the office.

Even your crappiest Hilton Garden Inn has Resort fees in NY these days, it's such a ripoff.

@allfurcoatnoknickers I saw there’s a movement to get them banned.

Must have been lovely having a fancy breakfast before work 😊

Literally got back on Monday. Did stay in Midtown and it was ideal but downtown be good.
Please book the Edge it was amazing - in Hudson Yards. They have a lovely expensive shopping mall but beautifully decorated.
It was coldish when we left Sunday eve, but few layers, scarf and gloves will be fine.

Ellen’s Stardust Diner is worth a trip, we went there first morning as time difference meant we were up super early (it opens at 7am, we got there 7:10, by 8 it was queues down the street)

Also 5th Ave shops didn’t open til 11am! This surprised me.
Have an amazing time!!

Teenagers would enjoy all the above!

Agreed the edge is cool for teens. If you want to do a tall building I think one world trade is the best of the three. Little Spain in Hudson yards is a nice place to browse and eat/drink. Ellen's is ok. Food is absolutely awful but if you have teens into the shows then probably worth a visit. Pick your time carefully though. At Patrick's cathedral is beautiful at Christmas and very near to Lotte palace hotel which has the best Christmas tree! Knocks spots of f the Rockefeller tree imo. Also near Saks on 5th which has a very lovely light show (but will be RAMMED)

What are resort fees? We are going to NYC on the 7th December for 4 nights and are staying in millennium one Holton UN plaza (midtown east)

Most US hotels add on a resort/amenity/facility fee when you arrive. It's usually per night. Just email the hotel and check so you don't have a nasty surprise when you get there

Thank you for this, I just called the hotel and they have confirmed there is no resort fee. Phew! Thanks for the heads up and making me check! X

We are staying at Club Quarters in February. Hope it’s good!

We stayed at The Conrad when we went, and it's a lovely hotel. Their breakfasts were divine, and it was really quiet around there. Best hotel bed I've ever slept in. Easy walking everywhere.

We went at the end of November and didn't mind the cold in the day but it was the evenings when we struggled - the wind actually took your breath away and it was horrible even trying to get to a restaurant let alone sightsee!

@Badger1970 midtown or downtown? Was there a resort fee? I can’t see one online nor an email, just a toll free number to call from within the US.

We stayed in the downtown one - we booked direct through BA and got amazing rates, I don't remember a resort fee but this may have been included in the booking. The lobby is amazing and there's lots of bars/restaurants/food outlets around without having to walk far and a cinema that you can access through the hotel itself if I recall. Blue Smoke was amazing, and there's a Shake Shack there too - we were very happy to find that after a long day travelling.

[email protected] came up on their website?