<p>While my son does his auditions in New York, the rest of the family plans to be tourists for our first-ever trip to New York City. We'd like to be staying within walking distance of the audition locations, namely, Pearl Studios and the nearby one that some other schools are using.</p>
<p>Can any of you give some hotel suggestions? The previous threads on this subject are very outdated. Obviously we can look on the online maps, but a suggestion made from personal knowledge is much more valuable.</p>
<p>In a perfect world, we'd be able to get two rooms with a connecting door.</p>
<p>What’s your budget? Tell me more about what your family enjoys. Are you shoppers? Gamers? Love the sights? </p>
<p>I can give you a list. I’ll also give you a list of places to eat and fun stuff to see! ONE thing for sure take a walk on the Highline! [The</a> High Line](<a href=“http://www.thehighline.org/]The”>http://www.thehighline.org/)</p>
<p>The High Line sounds wonderful!</p>
<p>I’d say the top hotel priority is to be walking distance of 500 8th Avenue. Oh, and a lack of bedbugs. Budget isn’t an issue except that my husband is cheap.</p>
<p>My 12-year-old daughter wants to see the major tourist attractions such as the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Rockefeller Center. Beyond that, a friend advised us to take the Circle Line boat tour. </p>
<p>I haven’t been to NYC since I was four years old (1964 World’s Fair) and I’m scared stiff!</p>
<p>I wrote a very long message and sent you the info to your cc inbox. I was so excited with a find that I had to get the info to you fast so did not write clear sentences or spelled words correctly. Oh well. </p>
<p>I found a hotel that I’ve stayed in. So I know it is good. It is located in an appealing part of town unlike the area around Pearl that I think is in walking distance to Pearl.</p>
<p>If this rate I am looking at right now is true…. This is an amazing deal and there is free cancellation. Its’ just 574.60 for four nights Jan 31 to feb 4th two double beds.<br>
Four Points by Sheraton 160 west 25th street Chelsea. Map it and see if you guys would walk it in the winter. I just saw this price on Booking.com</p>
<p>The sad part of the NY Unifieds is that it is in February, a very cold month in NY. Check out HOPSTOP.com NY and download the app on your Smartphone for walking and subway directions. The subway is a wonderful easy and safe way to get around the city. </p>
<p>I’d want to stay as close to Pearl as I could also. Just know that right around Pearl is not a very pretty or charming part of the city. And at first glance does not even look safe, but it is fine.</p>
<p>So with that said, the Ramada New Yorker Hotel at 481 8th Ave at 34th is just one block with tax and additional guest fees it is over $1,100 for the 4 nights. That was for a Metro Room, 2 Double beds and found on expeida.com. </p>
<p>Check out reviews and guest photos on Trip advisor to get a better idea if you would feel okay staying there.</p>
<p>I personally have passed it many times and from the outside I have never been tempted to stay there. I know other CC members have so they can tell you if they would again. </p>
<p>Wingate by Wyndham at 235 West 35th street is 2 blocks away
[Wingate</a> by Wyndham Manhattan Midtown (New York City, NY) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor](<a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60763-d620040-Reviews-Wingate_by_Wyndham_Manhattan_Midtown-New_York_City_New_York.html]Wingate”>http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60763-d620040-Reviews-Wingate_by_Wyndham_Manhattan_Midtown-New_York_City_New_York.html)</p>
<p>Orbitz lists the Wyndham’s 4 night stay on Jan 31 to Feb 2 2 double beds at $234 a night for a total with taxes and fees of $936.96. </p>
<p>I have more info to gather!</p>
<p>Check out The Hilton Garden Inn NY Chelsea 121 West 28th street off of 7th ave. It is in a more appealing part of town, yet still doable for walking to Pearl.</p>
<p>Hilton’s own website has it priced at $243 a night including tax. </p>
<p>If your willing to splurge you might consider the Eventi Hotel 851 6th aver (Ave of the Americas) at 30th. It’s 5 stars all the way just a few more blocks away. </p>
<p>[Eventi</a> Hotel, a Kimpton Hotel (New York, United States of America) | Expedia](<a href=“http://www.expedia.com/New-York-Hotels-Eventi-Hotel.h3275965.Hotel-Information?chkin=01/31/2013&icmdtl=43121125G_mCJEFNBuBHvSAdXb6HTQAD8.3275965.HDSHReb.C.QCI.1456560.fi.1395.60763.en_US..&icmcid=TRIPA.Expedia_US-H_B10.10568.C&chkout=02/04/2013&eapid=21187-1&rm1=a4&]Eventi”>http://www.expedia.com/New-York-Hotels-Eventi-Hotel.h3275965.Hotel-Information?chkin=01/31/2013&icmdtl=43121125G_mCJEFNBuBHvSAdXb6HTQAD8.3275965.HDSHReb.C.QCI.1456560.fi.1395.60763.en_US..&icmcid=TRIPA.Expedia_US-H_B10.10568.C&chkout=02/04/2013&eapid=21187-1&rm1=a4&)</p>
<p>I will gather more hotels going uptown from Pearl as the ones I listed are walking downtown or eastbound. Walking more uptown would put you closer to Times Square and the more Tourist area.</p>
<p>One block away from Pearl heading uptown is the Wyndham Garden Hotel Times Square South 342 W 36th between 8th and 9th.</p>
<p>Looks like this is right next door.</p>
<p>Doubletree By Hilton at 341 W 36th between 8th and 9th</p>
<p>We found the New Yorker very, very comfortable and convenient. It’s near Pearl and right across the street from (I cannot remember the famous name…) where so many of the non-unified schools (CMU, UNCSA etc) hold their auditions. With the wind howling down the street we were so glad to be so close. There’s a diner in the hotel so we could easily grab breakfast before heading out. A very forties feel to the place, but clean and well done all through.</p>
<p>The Doubletree is a place to get connecting rooms for a sort of reasonable price, too.</p>
<p>Gwen from the photos of the New Yorker it looks fine and the location cannot get any better for Unifieds. </p>
<p>I think I have not gotten over the fact that at some point it was owned by the Unification Church and it housed their members. </p>
<p>Someone on another thread posted about juice and smoothie bar locations near U Arts here are some not far from Pearl. Never been to any of them so have no idea if they are good. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.fuelgrill.com/index.html[/url]”>http://www.fuelgrill.com/index.html</a></p>
<p>[Health</a> King - New York Restaurant - MenuPages Vegetarian-Friendly, Smoothies/Juice Bar Restaurant Search](<a href=“http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/health-king/]Health”>Health King Menu - New York, NY Restaurant - Order Online)</p>
<p>Thank you all so much! I can’t book anything for a few more days until the audition dates are confirmed, but now I have a number of good options.</p>
<p>I highly recommend the grey line tour. It’s a grat way to get a view and description of the boroughs on NYC. I kept a small notebook and made notes about areas I wanted to come back to.</p>
<p>We had unseasonably warm, beautiful weather for at least one day during the extended weekend last year (I walked the High Line that day). We stayed at the Wellington, where we found a suite for well under $200 per night. It is a hike from Pearl and that other studio across the street (where DePaul conducted auditions), but it was quite close to the BU audition site, and a short walk from Fordham-Lincoln Center. It is a much more convenient, central neighborhood, but I can’t promise you that the same deal will be in effect. There was a bedroom with a double bed, and a living room with both a double bed and a convertible sofa. There was enough room for an extra cot, when my son’s friend spent the night (along with parents and second son). There is a subway station right downstairs.</p>
<p>My daughter and I stayed at the Hotel Pennsylvania- right across from Madison Square Garden and around the corner from Pearl/Ripley Studios. The room was gigantic but no frills. It did have a tv but it wasn’t anything special. The location, however, was fantastic! The cost was about $120 a night or so- I can’t completely remember- but it was really cheap for the size of the room- that had a bathroom/shower in the room and the location. We had 2 double beds. The good thing is- Unifieds is during a slow time of the year so the prices are a bit better. My daughter and I had a blast and we met a lot of really great families at the auditions. The weather was great and my daughter loved how great her hair looked- and stayed-lol!</p>
<p>My D and I stayed at The New Yorker. It is at 33 & 8th. It is one block from both Pearl Studios. It is clean, convenient and not that expensive (NY standards). However, it is very old. It is on the A C & E trains (Penn Station).</p>
<p>We couldn’t have been happier with the location. We could leave the hotel and be at Pearl in minutes - with a stop at the Starbucks on the corner included.</p>
<p>Glad I didn’t know about the Unification Church!! But it was a nice place to be!</p>
<p>Guys the New Yorker is apparently having a great cyber-monday sale today! (Saw on the MT forum)-- prodesse: you could book today, cancel the dates you don’t need after all auditions are scheduled.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone, I have booked an excellent rate at the New Yorker per your recommendations and alerts, and my 12-year-old daughter is already so excited! (17-year-old auditioner is not viewing this as a pleasure trip, but I hope he’ll get to see a few sights too.)</p>
<p>also check out the Afinia Manhattan, same street as the auditions across from Madison Sq Gardens. We will be staying there for 112 a night and its one of the more spacious hotels in the area. It is usually closer to or over 200 a night, so it may have been a cyberMonday special but some of the rooms are super large suites that might suit your family nicely for the vacation.</p>
<p>We got a similar rate last year during the unifieds at Affinia Manhattan (which is usually a lot more expensive.) It was a really pleasant boutique-style hotel. I checked their rates later when booking a stay in NY and they were much higher.</p>