Originally Posted by bobbybrown

The day before NYE was festive all around (I mean outside) and very crowded. On the NYE however, the outside was like a war zone. Most shops/restaurants were closed. Police lines everywhere. All hotel guests got a wristband that was needed to not only come inside the hotel but just to walk around outside. To get to Walgreens, we had to show the band several times to the police. So no, it wasn't easy to walk around the hotel but it wasn't impossible. Police don't let us walk into other area - for instance, they let us walk to Walgreens and back, but we cannot just wonder around aimlessly.

Hotel does provide a reserved section that has the ball drop view but only for those who pay $1k per person and the section opens at 11pm. We decided not to pay $1k nor wait outside due to the rainy weather, but I saw some hotel guests walk outside several hours before the midnight and join `the crowd'. Drinks were sufficient - as they were available until 11pm or later at the pick-up-and-go shop. Bathrooms were nice and clean for those inside the hotel. After 11:30pm or probably much before than 11 (I don't know when that happened), those police lines got smeared - anyone began to stand next to/behind the crowd and any place where ball is visible got filled up quickly (especially 49th-Broadway St intersection & sidewalk of Broadway between 49th and 50th). Looking back, I could have walked to 51st or higher through 8th ave but I couldn't watch the ball at the midnight because I went out too late. Still, it was a fun night.

Inside hotel was party all evening. Hotel provided a few different packages (listed on the hotel website) and I think most of them were eventually sold out. Some parties were held at the bar and the restaurant which had the Times Square view.

FYI, 12/30 night became very cheap at the last minute around the Times Square ($150 at HI/HIX, $220 at this Crowne Plaza) while 12/29 and 12/31 rate didn't go down.