New York

[Naranjito82]

I am going to New York for a week mid February with a mate . Does anyone have any tips for reasonably priced accommodation ? A twin room with breakfast £50 to £60 pp . Woul possibly consider AirBnb and or a youth hostel . Any tips would be greatly appreciated . Plus I submitted my ESTA application and paid for it . Do I get an email to print or how does it work documentation wise after paying for it? Hope anyone can help me . Thanks in advance . 

[Fairbairn]

14 hours ago, Naranjito82 said:

I am going to New York for a week mid February with a mate . Does anyone have any tips for reasonably priced accommodation ? A twin room with breakfast £50 to £60 pp . Woul possibly consider AirBnb and or a youth hostel . Any tips would be greatly appreciated . Plus I submitted my ESTA application and paid for it . Do I get an email to print or how does it work documentation wise after paying for it? Hope anyone can help me . Thanks in advance . 

In terms of the Esta it's all done electronically so you don't need to print anything out.  I would have thought you should get an email confirmation though.

I reckon you might be able to get The Redbury in Manhattan for about that price.  I stayed there a couple of years ago (when it was called The Martha Washington) and it's a cracking hotel.  Decent sized rooms, great location, nice bar and restaurant as well as having a few nice places round about it as well.  

[Ormond]

You're no' Muslim, are you? 

[Parklife]

22 hours ago, Fairbairn said:

In terms of the Esta it's all done electronically so you don't need to print anything out.  I would have thought you should get an email confirmation though.

I reckon you might be able to get The Redbury in Manhattan for about that price.  I stayed there a couple of years ago (when it was called The Martha Washington) and it's a cracking hotel.  Decent sized rooms, great location, nice bar and restaurant as well as having a few nice places round about it as well.  

Hope you don't mind me picking your brain but what the feck is the deal with New York?!? 

Every hotel i look at (that looks decent) for a trip in September/October is in excess of £250/night. Even the one you reference above is quoting $333/night for the trip i'm planning. 

Am i planning too far in advance? Do travel agents get better deals? I see 4/5 night breaks advertised for circa £750 p/p through agents but i'm at a loss to explain the huge price differences between these deals and pricing it myself. 

[slasher]

31 minutes ago, Parklife said:

Hope you don't mind me picking your brain but what the feck is the deal with New York?!? 

Every hotel i look at (that looks decent) for a trip in September/October is in excess of £250/night. Even the one you reference above is quoting $333/night for the trip i'm planning. 

Am i planning too far in advance? Do travel agents get better deals? I see 4/5 night breaks advertised for circa £750 p/p through agents but i'm at a loss to explain the huge price differences between these deals and pricing it myself. 

Hotels are very expensive in NYC and of course the £ isn't helping at the moment. The best deals we found were all as part of a package so agents must get some discount Parkie. Plus if you do book a package you have some protection in the event of flight changes etc

[Parklife]

5 minutes ago, slasher said:

Hotels are very expensive in NYC and of course the £ isn't helping at the moment. The best deals we found were all as part of a package so agents must get some discount Parkie. Plus if you do book a package you have some protection in the event of flight changes etc

Yeah, i was expecting expensive. I just never expected +£200/night for a 3 star hotel that's not been refurbished in 30 years.  

[slasher]

6 minutes ago, Parklife said:

Yeah, i was expecting expensive. I just never expected +£200/night for a 3 star hotel that's not been refurbished in 30 years.  

Yeah if you are booking independently make sure you do your homework....There are some real dives and yet they seem to be able to charge what they want because it's so popular ?

[Ormond]

3 hours ago, Parklife said:

Yeah, i was expecting expensive. I just never expected +£200/night for a 3 star hotel that's not been refurbished in 30 years.  

I just had three nights last week in Manhattan right in between Times Square and Central Park in a Hilton. $130 a night. That's just over a hundred pounds. 

Edit to add it's on Hotels.com and is the Hilton Garden Inn, Central Park. It is listed as a 3.5 star but I found it perfect. Ultra clean and modern. Very good location.

Edited January 31, 2017 by Ormond

[Parklife]

15 minutes ago, Ormond said:

I just had three nights last week in Manhattan right in between Times Square and Central Park in a Hilton. $130 a night. That's just over a hundred pounds. 

Edit to add it's on Hotels.com and is the Hilton Garden Inn, Central Park. It is listed as a 3.5 star but I found it perfect. Ultra clean and modern. Very good location.

Just checked - $316/night on the dates i was initially planning on going  

[Ormond]

10 minutes ago, Parklife said:

Just checked - $316/night on the dates i was initially planning on going  

Must go up massively during peak season. That's some jump! 

Have you ever looked into Airb&b? Hire an entire apartment out for half of that a night. There are some right classy ones too.

[daveb]

Check out Seafarers International House on Booking! http://www.booking.com/Share-zL5Hym

I stayed in this place a few times. Decent enough and good location  

 

[Parklife]

Anyone been to a Giants game at the MetLife stadium? 

Looking to go to the game vs Cowboys on December 10th but having a hell of a time trying to get tickets. 

[Ormond]

11 minutes ago, Parklife said:

Anyone been to a Giants game at the MetLife stadium? 

Looking to go to the game vs Cowboys on December 10th but having a hell of a time trying to get tickets. 

What methods have you been using to look for tickets? I'm just back from Cincinnati for Cubs baseball and I used Seatgeek as for some reason they were cheaper than all other options. 

[Parklife]

7 minutes ago, Ormond said:

What methods have you been using to look for tickets? I'm just back from Cincinnati for Cubs baseball and I used Seatgeek as for some reason they were cheaper than all other options. 

I've had a look on all those sites and can see them (starting from about $170/each!) but would rather get them through the NFL Ticket exchange so i don't end up ticketless. I'm never sure how reliable these resale sites are? 

[Ormond]

14 minutes ago, Parklife said:

I've had a look on all those sites and can see them (starting from about $170/each!) but would rather get them through the NFL Ticket exchange so i don't end up ticketless. I'm never sure how reliable these resale sites are? 

That's outrageous prices right there sure enough! This weekend was the first time I'd used Seatgeek and it was smooth as for me. I got a seat right beside home plate for $70. They just scanned the barcode on my phone to get in.

[daveb]

7 hours ago, Parklife said:

I've had a look on all those sites and can see them (starting from about $170/each!) but would rather get them through the NFL Ticket exchange so i don't end up ticketless. I'm never sure how reliable these resale sites are? 

I go to a fair few NFL games. Most teams don't put their tickets on general sale till about July.  Tickets on sale just now are likely season ticket holders trying their luck. Giants  vs cowboys is a big game so will sell out quick. Sign up here for updates

http://www.giants.com/tickets-and-stadium/individual-game-tickets.html

[Parklife]

16 minutes ago, daveb said:

I go to a fair few NFL games. Most teams don't put their tickets on general sale till about July.  Tickets on sale just now are likely season ticket holders trying their luck. Giants  vs cowboys is a big game so will sell out quick. Sign up here for updates

http://www.giants.com/tickets-and-stadium/individual-game-tickets.html

Thanks. I emailed the Giants earlier and they advised the above re July. Apparently they also have an "overseas allocation" and they'll email me an access code when they go on sale. 

[Scotunited]

On 24/04/2017 at 8:22 PM, Parklife said:

Thanks. I emailed the Giants earlier and they advised the above re July. Apparently they also have an "overseas allocation" and they'll email me an access code when they go on sale. 

Been to a couple of games and I risked it with the touts, selling tickets.  As soon as got of subway there were a few touts and I was able to get 2 decent tickets for around $70-$80 for a pair.  Hand the amount I wanted to pay visible and nothing more. Was a few touts hanging about so was able to walk away and try another if need be. 

Also used stub hub and waited till a few days before game as a few last minute sellers and decent seats available. 

 

[Parklife]

11 hours ago, Scotunited said:

Been to a couple of games and I risked it with the touts, selling tickets.  As soon as got of subway there were a few touts and I was able to get 2 decent tickets for around $70-$80 for a pair.  Hand the amount I wanted to pay visible and nothing more. Was a few touts hanging about so was able to walk away and try another if need be. 

Also used stub hub and waited till a few days before game as a few last minute sellers and decent seats available. 

 

Good to know that we might be able to get them close to the time if we fail in getting them in advance. 

Thanks  

[FarQuhar]

Parklife et al going to NY,

 

Make sure you get outside the stadium an hour or so before KO for 'tailgating'. I was living in New York for a while and a few Scottish lads and I went to a few NFL games - tailgating is a good laugh.

Sure you are somewhat familiar with the concept but basically, instead of seshing in boozers pre-game, they all set up camp in the car park, open the boot to their trucks and have BBQs with beers etc. First time we went, we just walked through the car park and were offered to join quite a few people - for the most part, folk are happy for you to join in if you have a carry out with you. 

Game day trains out to MetLife can be a basturt, as usual with most sports with stadiums a bit away from the city, so plan to have 2 hours between you and KO - it will enable you enough time to get there, have a few tins on the train and tailgate too.

If you need any tips about NY in general, feel free to PM. Spent nearly two years living there.

[Parklife]

On 5/12/2017 at 4:12 PM, FarQuhar said:

Parklife et al going to NY,

 

Make sure you get outside the stadium an hour or so before KO for 'tailgating'. I was living in New York for a while and a few Scottish lads and I went to a few NFL games - tailgating is a good laugh.

Sure you are somewhat familiar with the concept but basically, instead of seshing in boozers pre-game, they all set up camp in the car park, open the boot to their trucks and have BBQs with beers etc. First time we went, we just walked through the car park and were offered to join quite a few people - for the most part, folk are happy for you to join in if you have a carry out with you. 

Game day trains out to MetLife can be a basturt, as usual with most sports with stadiums a bit away from the city, so plan to have 2 hours between you and KO - it will enable you enough time to get there, have a few tins on the train and tailgate too.

If you need any tips about NY in general, feel free to PM. Spent nearly two years living there.

Thanks a lot  

Plan on trying to get to the stadium reasonably early (although i'm led to understand that there's no pubs or that around the stadium?), so will ensure we have a carry out. 

Anyone who's been to NYC ever went to Sleep No More? Sounds brilliant and something totally different. $135 a head though... 

[FarQuhar]

Unfortunately there aren't at all. It's essentially a big stadium with not much around it apart from a training facility. Granted, the Americans sell alcohol in their stadiums, by memory the cheapest pint was Miller Lite at circa $9. Most pints in stadium retail $10-14.

Your best bet is to have a carry out, have some tins on the train out there and then join a tailgate party when you get to the 'parking lot'. Everyone is pretty welcoming. Just don't make Trump jokes - I learned the hard way ha ha.

Also mate, this goes for you and anyone else interested, if you want great views of NYC, head for Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller centre. Most people associate the Empire State with the best views when in fact, Top of the Rock is better. That being said, it costs roughly $30-40 to go up to the observatory tower.

Here's a trick: go to Rockefeller plaza and ask to be shown to the elevators to the Rainbow Room. It's a bar/restaurant about 3 floors down from the observatory and it costs nothing to go up to. Once you get up there, you can get a pint of beer for about $14. Not cheap, but you save yourself some cash with pretty much the same views. Even if you go up and get a Diet Coke at $5, you are still making quite a saving.

[slasher]

On 2017-5-15 at 10:18 AM, Parklife said:

Thanks a lot  

Plan on trying to get to the stadium reasonably early (although i'm led to understand that there's no pubs or that around the stadium?), so will ensure we have a carry out. 

Anyone who's been to NYC ever went to Sleep No More? Sounds brilliant and something totally different. $135 a head though... 

If you want something different but a bit cheaper than that have a look at 'The Ride' and the Harlem pub crawl. From memory they're both about $35-50 per person. I would recommend both. ?

[Parklife]

On 5/16/2017 at 10:22 AM, FarQuhar said:

Unfortunately there aren't at all. It's essentially a big stadium with not much around it apart from a training facility. Granted, the Americans sell alcohol in their stadiums, by memory the cheapest pint was Miller Lite at circa $9. Most pints in stadium retail $10-14.

Your best bet is to have a carry out, have some tins on the train out there and then join a tailgate party when you get to the 'parking lot'. Everyone is pretty welcoming. Just don't make Trump jokes - I learned the hard way ha ha.

Also mate, this goes for you and anyone else interested, if you want great views of NYC, head for Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller centre. Most people associate the Empire State with the best views when in fact, Top of the Rock is better. That being said, it costs roughly $30-40 to go up to the observatory tower.

Here's a trick: go to Rockefeller plaza and ask to be shown to the elevators to the Rainbow Room. It's a bar/restaurant about 3 floors down from the observatory and it costs nothing to go up to. Once you get up there, you can get a pint of beer for about $14. Not cheap, but you save yourself some cash with pretty much the same views. Even if you go up and get a Diet Coke at $5, you are still making quite a saving.

Thanks for all of that. 

People had said that to me about the Rockefeller rather than the Empire State, partly because you can actually see the latter from the former! 

May well do just that trick at night time. To save us having to pay to go up both day and night. I assume they aren't snooty about folk going for just a drink?

On 5/16/2017 at 11:39 AM, slasher said:

If you want something different but a bit cheaper than that have a look at 'The Ride' and the Harlem pub crawl. From memory they're both about $35-50 per person. I would recommend both. ?

Will look at both of those. Thanks. 

[Fairbairn]

26 minutes ago, Parklife said:

Thanks for all of that. 

People had said that to me about the Rockefeller rather than the Empire State, partly because you can actually see the latter from the former! 

May well do just that trick at night time. To save us having to pay to go up both day and night. I assume they aren't snooty about folk going for just a drink?

Will look at both of those. Thanks. 

Have you managed to get booked up yet?