Dublin_rfk

Not so much for the lounge but I have always enjoyed the atmosphere and character of the Algonquin.

flyingeph12

Certainly, being close to a subway stop might be very important in the winter. But that leaves many options. NYC is definitely not the worst city to visit in the winter, although there are many other destinations if you don’t like the cold.

lsquare

For sure and I know how cold NYC is in winter. I have to be there so I can’t go elsewhere.

Kacee

+ 1
And I just like some locations a whole lot more than others. Times Square vs. SoHo? There's a huge difference there. Plus it's really not that easy to get around Manhattan (unless you're just talking a few blocks) . . . the subway is terrible (just ask any New Yorker) and traffic - especially crosstown - is often atrocious.

Taking Duke787's queue, here's my list of properties I've stayed in the last two years:

Essex House (my overall Marriott favorite, but often costs more than its worth)
Springhill Suites 5th Ave (nice value, would stay again)
RI Downtown/WTC (nice value, would stay again)
CY Midtown East (nice value, would stay again)
RI Central Park (room very small, noise from hallway)
Edition (fantastic location, no benefits, not worth the high price)
RC NYC (poor elite treatment/bad experience)
St. Regis (two bad experiences)

TravelinSperry

A bit off topic, but surely the subway is preferable to city traffic!

back on topic... thanks for the suggestion on the Springhill suites @5th... wondering how it was. I may give a go - although I've moved most NYC stays to Hilton. I find Hiltons rates to be much more reasonable than Marriott in the big apple.

lsquare

Can you elaborate more on your Hilton experiences? How much were you paying?

flyingeph12

Have you lived in New York? I have. Yes, New Yorkers complain about the subway, but having lived elsewhere in the US as well (and visited many more places), the subway is not that bad and in my opinion makes location less relevant than in other cities one might visit. Really, New Yorkers are spoiled with the subway.

Of course I would stay in Union Square or Soho over Times Square, all else equal. And yes, getting cross town is not easy, relatively speaking. But when I’m spending my own money, I care about the value I’m getting, and that’s why I’m willing to stay in places like FiDi on weekends or LIC or even Hoboken/Jersey City. Maybe it’s also a function of knowing (parts of) the city from a local’s perspective.

I would recommend OP come up with a list of hotels that are within OP’s budget, and we can comment if we have thoughts. Generally, I’d say Platinum status might get you an upgrade when occupancy is low, but I wouldn’t pick a place based on having a lounge or breakfast benefit in a place like NYC.

TravelinSperry

Between $180 -$210 p/night weekend/weekday at Hilton Garden Inn's (which is at least $50 p/night less than Marriott generally charges). See here for rates: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilt...p-rate-20.html

If you care about value, check out the MVP rates via FT link above.

And I agree with you 100% about subway (and I also lived there). Further, I was born/raised there and have seen great improvement since those long ago decades. You couldn't imagine what it was like back in the 80s

andrewstahl

Most of my travel to New York is for business. My office is midtown so I try to stay within walking distance. I try to avoid Times Square but end up staying there because of cheaper corporate rates.

For personal travel, I either stay up by Central Park ( Essex House or St Regis) or done in TriBeCa-Union Square. Most hotels in these areas are near subway stops.

You should chose where you stay in the city by what you want to explore and experience. Are you spending the bulk of your time visiting museums, or shopping or going to the Theater? You can optimize your stay on any of these criteria.

My last personal stay in New York was last year at Thanksgiving so we stayed at the Essex House. Watching the Thanksgiving Parade was a big part of our coming to New York.

jetplane86

Any recommendations for a midtier downtown hotel?

Courtyard Downtown Manhattan
AC Hotel New York Downtown
Moxy NYC Downtown

Looking for a comfortably sized room and good elite recognition (ie. upgrades, etc).

Mr. BoH

i can’t speak to the first two, but the Moxy rooms are tiny and almost no elite recognition.

Keyser

i've stayed at the courtyard & moxy downtown properties....the moxy has tiny rooms & next to nothing elite recognition....the courtyard was better in terms of both....both properties were fine & i would go back to them if i needed to be in the area but they are nothing to write home about....

lsquare

Given what you just said, why should anyone pick the Moxy if the price is the same?

Keyser

the moxy had a more fun vibe to it & i liked the food better....

also, on a personal note, the last time i stayed at the moxy, it was in feb this year, during freezing temperature & my client's office was about a minute walk away so i picked this property over other marriott options....would much rather stay in a smaller room & freeze my butt off for a minute as compared to staying in a larger room & risk getting frostbite walking 5-7 minutes....

flyingeph12

I’ve stayed at the AC Downtown. The rooms are spacious enough for me, but they’re not large. I like the shower, and there is a desk large enough to work from. Elite recognition is not great, but I got a late checkout and a room on a high floor. The biggest drawback, in my opinion, is that the AC is a little out of the way. It’s east of Water Street, so it’s a bit of a walk to the subway, etc. All that said, I like the AC and would recommend it.

My top recommendation for a mid tier property downtown would probably be the Residence Inn on Broadway and Maiden Lane.