21st birthday trip to NY

[Lindy0070]

I’m debating on taking my son to New York for a 21st birthday trip during October half term. I’ve been before, but have always promised to take him. I’m thinking of a short four day trip to see the main sights. Can anyone recommend a good mid price, centrally located hotel for the two of us. Husband doesn’t want to go, so just the two of us 🇺🇸🗽

What kind of budget are you thinking for the hotel @Lindy0070?

what is mid priced? NYC is very very expensive.
I like the Park Terrace Hotel, Bryant park - c$500 per night. It's 'cheap' for what it is. Superb location as walkable to Madison Square Gardens, the Met, Moma, and a good spot for different subways

I’m trying to see if it’s more economical booking flights and hotel separately but it doesn’t seem to be. I’ve only started looking in depth from today as I’m off with a snow day ☃️. I don’t want to spend more than £3,000 ideally for flight and hotel for four nights. Less preferably!!

BA holidays package usually cheaper than booking separately - I did this for my DC 21st a few years ago.

Kixby. Stayed there quite a few times, as it's new name and previous name of hotel metro. Via BA.

After having a good look yesterday and today I think I’m going with booking flights through BA (£2.5K for 5 of us for April) and the hotel through booking.com. Some of the ones mentioned here are about £2.5K for 4 nights for 2 rooms. The ones I like the look of so far are The Edison, Crowne Plaza midtown and the Hilton ones.
It works out the same price whether I do this or book a package through BA - but with booking.com you don’t have to pay upfront for many of the hotels and can cancel or change right up until the day before which I prefer as you can often find much better prices nearer to the time.

Ps. If the poster who is from NY is still on here - which other areas do you recommend if not midtown? We’ll be with 2 teens and a 21yo so a more trendy area might be good but we’d still want quick access to all the touristy stuff like Central Park/Empire State building.

Also open to any recommends for things to do that don’t cost the earth.

We stayed here as a family of four https://www.hotelsone.com/new-york-hotels-us/san-carlos-hotel. And highly recommend although it was 10 years ago

Do you recommend? Good deal via BA. Just been looking at it.

Sorry this didn’t come through - it’s the San Carlos Hotel in midtown.

Hi I took my daughter a couple of years ago for her 16th birthday. We went in Oct and were there on Halloween, it was fab. We stayed right by the world trade centre (Washington Hotel, fab hotel with a huge room compared to a lot of Manhattan and amazing views). It was cheaper than many other Manhattan hotels and a lot better). It was fine for getting around as you just jump on the subway. I personally wouldn't stay in times square, as a PP said it's like Piccadilly Circus or Leicester Square. Not the greatest area (a bit rough), plus extremely touristy, full of chain restaurants, and absolutely bloody manic and noisy at all hours of day and night. I've been 3 times, and have always avoided TS. Enjoy, you'll love it

Do apply for an esta first. I know a young person who has just been turned down

I think that's me. Take this for what it's worth because it's not a tourist perspective, but I hate Times Square/midtown. It's definitely convenient, but is just so crowded and touristy and kinda gross. So there's a trade off of convenience vs surroundings, but I always think part of the fun of NYC is getting around - the subway is fast and easy (if also kinda gross), but walking as much as possible is the best way to see things. If I was going to stay in midtown, I'd do something like @curious79 suggests and stay over near Bryant Park. In terms of neighbourhoods, I love Tribeca, the upper west side and Brooklyn Heights.

This thread (which I was on under a different name) has some good ideas

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5432686-excellent-non-touristy-things-to-do-in-nyc-next-month?reply=149639691

Whatever you do, please do not waste your money at Carmines, though. It's wretched!

We went in March 2025 and stayed at the Millenium Broadway Times Square. Hotel was a little dated but it was an excellent location and we requested a room on a high floor and the views were amazing.

I’m not the native poster but I do live here. Midtown is ideal for a first visit, if wanting to do Times Square, Central Park, Empire State, MoMA etc. In terms of where in Midtown, I recommend staying in the 50s, perhaps around Columbus Circle, to be close to Central Park (Times Sq is in the 40s, and I wouldn’t want to stay right near there). It’s a very walkable city, the subway is easy to navigate and Ubers are plentiful, so you’ll have no problem getting around.

The Riu is great for first-timers. There are two and both in great midtown locations. When friends come over who aren’t staying with us, we always recommend they stay there and so far everyone has been delighted. The rooms are actually quite big for that part of town.

Please don’t stay in Brooklyn (or even downtown) for your first visit, you will spend half your time travelling into Midtown where the main attractions are. I also live in New York so understand why locals wouldn’t want to spend a lot of time there but for tourists, it cannot be beaten. A midtown base also means you can easily go back to the hotel to rest which you will need!

I’ve booked it Lindy0070 -

The hotel I’ve chosen is M Social Times Square - it’s got really good reviews on booking.com (8.6 out of 10) I know it’s in TS but I can’t see any reviews mentioning it’s noisy and I got a fantastic discount and room upgrades bc of my genius rating. It looks quite trendy and I think the kids will like it.

I’ve just looked on the hotels actual website and it’s almost double the price on there so I think I’ve got a very good deal.

Happy to hear opinions if anyone has stayed here or knows it as it can be changed!

@Dollyfloss That’s brilliant 🙌🏻🙌🏻. I have another snow day today so hopefully I will have booked today too. So exciting 🇺🇸🗽🎂

We did a lot of research before booking this one - I’ve been to NYC 4 times before but was looking for what works well with the kids, subway and getting about. It’s a great location and the entire row is full of restaurants!

please also budget meals it’s expensive in NYC.

finally I’ve stayed at the Edison and I would not again.

to give you a ballpark, we were just over £3000 for flights 5 nights in the hotel at the beginning of September.

I’d also say your plan for 4 nights is perfect, we did 5 and would have been happy to go home after 4