Questions for you New Yorkers

[The Gentleman Sawyer]

My wife and I would like to take our youngest daughter to New York City for a couple of days in August for a Broadway show or two. My questions are, how do I find a decent (affordable) hotel and what is the real deal on finding discount show tickets. They want to see Les Mis and I want to see Spamalot. Sincere thanks for all help.

Ken

[Donn]

The 'real deal' on discount show tickets is TKTS. 50% off on same day seats.

Some of the better hotel bargains are with the national chains like Quality Inn and such. Use the web to find the best deals.

[Dave Lesser]

Do NOT miss Spamalot.

[KNOCKABOUT]

The 'real deal' on discount show tickets is TKTS. 50% off on same day seats.

Some of the better hotel bargains are with the national chains like Quality Inn and such. Use the web to find the best deals.

Or theres always the Pennsylvania...

[Honda_Shadow]

Don't you leave New York without seeing Phantom of the Opera. (If it's playing there... It used to be in Toronto, but they closed it.)

[Stari27]

Personally, I find the Circle Line boat tour around Manhattan facinating and would suggest to you.
PetrB

[Michael s/v Sannyasin]

you might have to define what "decent" and "affordable" means. In August, the rates at places like Quality Inn will probably be about 125 a night. Rooms are very small, basically room for a double-bed and a couple of suit cases. I think that there is one on 70th or 71st Street about a half block from Central Park West which is in a good location.

My preference would be for something on the Upper West Side, but there are also places in Midtown, which will be closer to Times Square, but, if you do, go with a bigger chain and look for photos, because some midtown neighborhoods are not as nice as others.

TKTS has a booth in Times Square, and half-priced tickets go on sale at noon, however, you'd have to get there quite a bit earlier to get on line. The line can wrap around the block, and the availability of tickets for a particular show cannot be guaranteed, so, you have to go with the spirit of, well, let's see what we can get.

Your other option is to find out when the box office opens for the theatre where your show is going to play, go early and stand on line and maybe you can get tickets for a show that night at face value.

If you absolutely want to get tickets for a particular show, and not pay scalper prices, all you can do is buy tickets in advance and basically pay face value.

I paid huge bucks to see SpamAlot on a particular day that a friend passed through town. Great show, great seats, but you pay for trying to make last minute plans like that.

[JimConlin]

But don't miss Spamalot.
Clop-Clop

[Hollingsworth]

You don't say what "affordable" is...

If you want a very nice hotel experience, I find that the Morgans Group are great choices. They are a local hotel group. Both the Royalton and Morgans are great midtown hotels. High level of service. a little on the hip side morganshotelgroup.com

The Time Hotel on 49th & Broadway is right where the theater action is... and also a nice hotel. thetimeny.com

If you're really looking to save money, next door to the Time Hotel on 49th is the Mayfair Hotel. It's older, with tiny rooms. But very clean and comfy, cozy even. Nice people. But s-m-a-l-l rooms. mayfairnewyork.com

[The Gentleman Sawyer]

I never thought I'd say $250 a night would be affordable, but I'm looking at that neighborhood, or less. I'm mainly looking for clean and safe. Also near public transit.

Ken

[Roger Cumming]

The upper west side (where I reside) is a nicer neighborhood than midtown. The Milburn hotel ( a few doors away) on W 76th Street is an ok place where friends have stayed and found it comfortable. The Belleclaire (W 77th St) was a flophouse many years ago but was fixed up and now attracts a respectable-looking younger crowd. A place called "On the Ave" which is on a side street (77th/Bway) and the Beacon (Bway/75th St) are popular and convenient to the subway and within walking distance of Lincoln Center, restaurants, parking garages.

In midtown in August you will be treated as a tourist and besieged by peddlers, beggars and the most novel hard luck stories you could ever imagine. Finding a hotel outside of midtown such as the upper west side or Chelsea would be more pleasant and possibly a little cheaper.

[Dave Lesser]

We were in NYC last month. Found some reasonable hotel deals at Travelzoo.com. There were no discount tickets for Spamalot, Wicked, or Jersey Boys at TKTS - we got our Spamalot tickets in advance online through the website.

[Bruce Hooke]

The upper west side (where I reside) is a nicer neighborhood than midtown. The Milburn hotel ( a few doors away) on W 76th Street is an ok place where friends have stayed and found it comfortable.

My cousin and his wife and young daughter have stayed at the Milburn and seemed to think it a comfortable place.

I'm single and a cheapskate on matters like this so when I go to New York I stay at the youth hostels, which are very cheap, but youth hostels, shall we say, are a rather different experience from staying in a regular hotel! I did have fun listening to my Australian roommates for the night ranting about the up-tight pommys...

[brad9798]

Just come to the FOX THEATER in St. Louis in June for a rerun of THE LION KING ... WONDERFUL show ...