Set my expectations accordingly NYC@Xmas

[BarkingGhostar]

I'm flirting with the idea of spending 3-4 days in lower Manhattan during week before Christmas. It would be a dining/shopping/WTC kind of get out of Atlanta kind of trip. There would be me, plus one or two others. No devil's threesome planned. Figured we'd fly into the city on the cheap, find a 4-star hotel below 42nd street, etc. I've been to NYC several times in the first half of my life, but that was like 30 years ago and those were single-day trips. I've never stayed in a hotel or overnight. We'd be using taxi cabs and or Uber to get around. Seeking personal recommendations on hotels, restaurants, etc. I know of one pizza joint I need to go to that Strictly Dumppling visits a year or two ago that made the best square-shaped servings of pepperoni pizza. <drooling>

 

[sdifox]

I stayed at radio city apartments in 2017. It's an appartment so you got a kitchennette, fridge, dinner table and cutlery. We had takeout some nights. It's on 49th so just north of Time Square.
It's a place to crash, as long as it is clean and safe that is all you need. Public transit in NYC is very convenient, we mostly walked. Of course so are the taxis, I don't Uber. Noth south block are generally 20 blocks to a mile. The sheer lumen signs at Time Square put out at night is something to behold.

You'll be walking most of the time, especially during Christmas.

 

[Tweak155]

I've stayed in Times Square a few times... always ended up at Edison Hotel:

Times Square Hotels | Hotel Edison

Enjoy an authentic New York experience at our historic, art deco hotel in the Theatre District, steps from Times Square, with three restaurants and event venues.

www.edisonhotelnyc.com

They always had the best rates and it was a decent enough place to stay at. One trip they even gave us vouchers for pizza each day of our stay, and they were massive pizzas from this little joint just down the street when you walk out the front door.

The location was excellent and the rates were really good at the time (want to say it was under $150/night). One trip we did stay over Thanksgiving but not Christmas... if it was anything like Thanksgiving it will be good fun.

EDIT:

Looks like Christmas rates are a lot higher than other days around that time, but to be expected. I last went there like 5+yrs ago so there's that lol...

 

[brianmanahan]

i liked staying near grand central at 42nd + park ave, when i wanted to go everywhere in the city

no idea what that place would be like around christmas though

 

[sdifox]

i liked staying near grand central at 42nd + park ave, when i wanted to go everywhere in the city

no idea what that place would be like around christmas though

I stayed in Hotel Pennsylvania once... what a dump.

 

[brianmanahan]

I stayed in Hotel Pennsylvania once... what a dump.

grand hyatt was pretty nice. hamptons/hyatts are usually my first choice

 

[Red Squirrel]

I hear NYC is nice around Christmas time. Check out Duncan's Toy Chest, and if you can manage to get a room at world renowned Plaza Hotel it will be a good time. Lot of famous people such as Hoover (the president, not the vacuum guy) stayed in there. If you take a limo they even offer free complimentary pizza.

 

[brianmanahan]

I year NYC is nice around Christmas time. Check out Duncan's Toy Chest, and if you can manage to get a room at world renowned Plaza Hotel it will be a good time. Lot of famous people such as Hoover (the president, not the vacuum guy) stayed in there. If you take a limo they even offer free complimentary pizza.

 

[MrSquished]

I'm flirting with the idea of spending 3-4 days in lower Manhattan during week before Christmas. It would be a dining/shopping/WTC kind of get out of Atlanta kind of trip. There would be me, plus one or two others. No devil's threesome planned. Figured we'd fly into the city on the cheap, find a 4-star hotel below 42nd street, etc. I've been to NYC several times in the first half of my life, but that was like 30 years ago and those were single-day trips. I've never stayed in a hotel or overnight. We'd be using taxi cabs and or Uber to get around. Seeking personal recommendations on hotels, restaurants, etc. I know of one pizza joint I need to go to that Strictly Dumppling visits a year or two ago that made the best square-shaped servings of pepperoni pizza.

Strictly Dumpling makes good videos. He definitely over hypes some stuff though, like Jollibee. It was ok, and he was raving about it. I do remember on one of his hot pot episodes he was critical of a couple places, so he can lay down the criticism sometimes too. Entertaining guy, and he can put down food too.

Definitely use the subway too. Uber has gotten super pricey since Covid. The cabs have an app now too as well FYI. Not sure how it is now but people were saying cabs were usually cheaper than Uber the other month on the AskNYC sub reddit, which, btw, is a good place to ask about hotels. I use the subway, bikes and my feet, so can't say myself.

 

[Geekbabe]

I'm flirting with the idea of spending 3-4 days in lower Manhattan during week before Christmas. It would be a dining/shopping/WTC kind of get out of Atlanta kind of trip. There would be me, plus one or two others. No devil's threesome planned. Figured we'd fly into the city on the cheap, find a 4-star hotel below 42nd street, etc. I've been to NYC several times in the first half of my life, but that was like 30 years ago and those were single-day trips. I've never stayed in a hotel or overnight. We'd be using taxi cabs and or Uber to get around. Seeking personal recommendations on hotels, restaurants, etc. I know of one pizza joint I need to go to that Strictly Dumppling visits a year or two ago that made the best square-shaped servings of pepperoni pizza. <drooling>

I adore Strictly Dumplings ♥️ Do you also watch his second channel Mikey Chen ?

 

[Captante]

NYC @ holiday time normally is one of the worst driving experiences you'll ever have but I'm not sure what to expect this year for obvious reasons.

I would also suggest that you plan on (potentially) using the subway in Manhattan at least some of the time unless you enjoy sitting in a vehicle in traffic.

Despite what you may have heard its completely safe 99.9% of the time. (long as you MYOB)

 

[sdifox]

NYC @ holiday time normally is one of the worst driving experiences you'll ever have but I'm not sure what to expect this year for obvious reasons.

What I would suggest is that you plan on potentially using the subway in Manhattan at least some of the time unless you enjoy sitting in a vehicle in traffic.

even subway gets crazy. I was down there for 4th of July fireworks (it was on Hudson River across from NJ I think) a few years ago. Decided to walk back to hotel (Hotel Pennsylvania), the roads near Hudson river were blocked off from car traffic and I didn't even try to get on the subway.

But then with COVID, lots of events are cancelled. Who knows if it will happen this year. NYC declared Covid crisis over

 

[Captante]

even subway gets crazy. I was down there for 4th of July fireworks (it was on Hudson River across from NJ) a few years ago. Decided to walk back to hotel (Hotel Pennsylvania), the roads near Hudson river were blocked off from car traffic and I didn't even try to get on the subway.

4th of July is an extreme example .... Christmas will be crowded but not like that!

Still I would only suggest using the subway if your going say from midtown to lower Manhattan which is a distance you won't want to walk.... short distances are best tackled on foot when its jam-packed I agree, just make sure you know where you're walking.

The only real concern taking the subway would be that its possible to get COMPLETELY lost on the NYC transit system if you don't pay full attention and have some geographic knowledge of NYC. (beyond Manhattan)

 

[MrSquished]

Xmas should be nice this year since last year everyone was bunkered in. Broadway, everything will be open.

Things are closing earlier than before Covid now in general, as in restaurants and bars.

One of the great American Chinese food joints on Mott st was 24/7 before Covid - they close at 9 now. I was there last week, guy said it just dies down early.

 

[K1052]

The only real concern taking the subway would be that its possible to get COMPLETELY lost on the NYC transit system if you don't pay full attention and have some geographic knowledge of NYC. (beyond Manhattan)

Google and Apple Maps give very precise transit instructions which helps since people who don't live there won't know what the terminal names on the lines are for what direction they want. Use it out of the country a bunch too.

 

[sdifox]

Google and Apple Maps give very precise transit instructions which helps since people who don't live there won't know what the terminal names on the lines are for what direction they want. Use it out of the country a bunch too.

The key is making sure which train you board.

 

[K1052]

The key is making sure which train you board.

NYC Subway is usually reasonably well signed for which direction is which. The train itself should also say on it...usually.

With Uber being quite pricy (when you can get one) now and cabs even harder to find It's hard to beat the time or value of the subway. Plus city street congestion is already back to pre-pandemic levels or worse.

 

[sdifox]

NYC Subway is usually reasonably well signed for which direction is which. The train itself should also say on it...usually.

With Uber being quite pricy (when you can get one) now and cabs even harder to find It's hard to beat the time or value of the subway. Plus city street congestion is already back to pre-pandemic levels or worse.

Yeah but people not from NYC might not know there are different trains running though the same tracks.

 

[K1052]

Yeah but people not from NYC might not know there are different trains running though the same tracks.

This is also typically indicated by signage on the platform. Once you do it a time or two it's really easy.

 

[sdifox]

This is also typically indicated by signage on the platform. Once you do it a time or two it's really easy.

Yeah, once you know xd

 

[MrSquished]

New Yorkers refer to the trains by letter or number, not by color. So do that. The A, C & E are all blue, but one runs express and the others stop at all stops. Also, while most trains that are of one color from midtown to the financial district all run the same route, they will eventually branch off somewhere. For example, at 50th street heading north the E splits east to go crosstown and into Queens while the A&C continue running North uptown on the west side. So you may be on the blue line, but that splits off eventually, so you better know the right letter/number train your need to be on.

 

[purbeast0]

I year NYC is nice around Christmas time. Check out Duncan's Toy Chest, and if you can manage to get a room at world renowned Plaza Hotel it will be a good time. Lot of famous people such as Hoover (the president, not the vacuum guy) stayed in there. If you take a limo they even offer free complimentary pizza.

You win the internet for the day.

Another president stayed there too though.

 

[brianmanahan]

You win the internet for the day.

Another president stayed there too though.

maybe he can cover the 967$ that OP's gonna spend on room service

 

[rh71]

NYC declared Covid crisis over

Wait, what? What happened to vax requirements to dine-in and all the masks required for kids in NYC schools?

 

[sdifox]

Wait, what? What happened to vax requirements to dine-in and all the masks required for kids in NYC schools?

I don't know the details. My friend in NYC mentioned it. Maybe he was talking about the state.