Talk to me about New York. H has mentioned going in January so I'm looking at a few deals but have NO idea where we should be staying; Midtown? Financial District? Times Square?

Hotels to book / hotels to avoid?

How expensive is it to eat out?

What should we do whilst there?

I've always wanted to go but am wondering whether it needs more planning and we should go later next year.

Omg NYC is FAB!!!!!!

We stayed on Times Square just near planet Hollywood, I think though there are reasons to stay in any of the districts iyswim, so maybe someone who has been to a few different hotels could tell you more.

We were knackered when we got back as we did loads whilst there but didnt manage to even touch the surface and still didnt see loads.

There's foods for all budgets, we are hoping to go back if I can bribe someone for child care but we went around September and it was really sunny so I want to go nov/dec to experience the Christmassy feel and the winter feel.

Drinks are VERY expensive, iirc you give a dollar tip each drink and every third round they give you a free drink (this was 8 years ago so could have changed) but a cocktail was around £11  at the time, we didnt find good expensive though

I love NYC. It was made for me....I just took a wrong turn somewhere along the way!

I stayed in Hotel Thirty Thirty which was opposite the Empire State Building, so pretty central for sight swing and shopping.

We did ground zero, the plaza, sex and the city tour, Rockefeller centre, had a meal in the revolving restaurant, boat ride around the island, loads of boozing. We went at Xmas, so flights etc were mega pricey but it was the best experience ever! It's gonna be bloody cold in January!!

We seen rent on broadway which was great as we were in 2nd row, we did ground zero, statton island and Coney Island, Empire State at night, meal in revolving restaurant, meal in planet Hollywood with Justin timberlake (well he was in same room surrounded by screens, therefore he are with us ), and we did the open bus tours so I could get all my photos

Next time we'd go nov/dec get a horse drawn carriage round Central Park, go ice skating and Madison square garden for an event

no idea about what to go/stay but my brother went a couple of years ago and had brilliant time. It was FREEZING though.

I could talk about New York all day!

We stayed at Yotel, which is at 42nd and 10th - 2 blocks from Times Square so really close to the action, handy for the subway, but far enough to be away from the crowds. We loved the hotel, it was comfortable and provided complimentary muffins for breakfast which I believe is quite rare for NYC hotels.

While we were there we squeezed loads in - Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Central Park, Intrepid museum, Bronx Zoo, Coney Island, Roosevelt Island cable car, Times Square, basketball at Madison Square Garden, ice hockey in Newark NJ, Staten Island ferry, natural history museum, a long walk through the Village to Lower Manhattan to go past the Friends apartment and Ghostbusters firehouse, High Line Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Battery Park & Wall Street, Yankee Stadium, shopping, saw Spiderman on Broadway, and we had a trip to Woodbury Common shopping outlet.

I went many years ago now and had a fab time but cannot recommend the place I stayed in as it was a complete dive - but then I was a student and didn't care

You can spend as little or as much as you want on food and drink out there, so depends on whether you are aiming for cheap and cheerful or something a bit more stylish. (As a student I was definitely on the cheap and cheerful side). I stayed in midtown, there's loads to see and do within easy walking distance: Empire State Building, Macy's, other stores for shopping. Buses were easy and cheap way of getting around although a lot is walkable from midtown. 

Also went to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island which was really good. Also lots of museums. And central park.

New York can be cold but on the plus side there will be fewer queues for things. When I went to the Statue of Liberty there were signs saying '2 hours waiting from here' but as it was winter there weren't any queues.

Omg ST you did loads!! That sounds amazing. We could also talk about NYC all the time, I get all giddy and excited lol. My h says its all u could want, food on every corner ,

Omg and how bloody cheap were the clothes! We had to buy an extra large case when we were there to bring all our stuff home.

Carolina Herrera perfume for more or less pennies! Love it!

In fact, I think there might be a reservation system for the Statue of Liberty these days. I went before September 11th so there wasn't the security worries that they have these days. I'd love to go back to New York.

We went for a few days at the end of our honeymoon last year and stayed at a Hilton 2 streets back from the Empire State Building and had an amazing view of it from our window! It was also across the street from Macy's, so plenty of shopping to be done nearby and it was good for subway links. We did NYC in a crazy rush so did the basics and a bit of a speed, but I would reccommend just having a walk around and follow your feet amd see where you end up...it really helped us take it all in

and *at a bit of a speed

Loved NY. Did a week there in April. We wanted to go all over so where we stayed didn't matter too much, we were somewhere super-cheap (Marrakech on Broadway, about halfway up the length of Central Park), and did loads. Amazing time. Got massively fat. So jealous of anyone off there soon!

Omg I loved loved loved New York!! We stayed at Hilton garden inn times square, think it was pricey but it was lovely, room was big, concierge guy was brilliant, when we arrived he helped us take our bags to our room and sat down abd wrote out directions to all the places we wanted to see, told us where to get subway etc, and recommended a few restaurants,  H paid for the room (OH as he was at the time) so I wasn't caring. We went in December and it was freezing but beautiful with all the Christmas lights etc. We went to Woodbury common which was worth a visit, empire state, Staten island, wandered round financial district, times square, went ice skating in central park, went tp central park zoo, then got engaged in central park too and dragged H to Tiffany to look at engagement rings we alsosaw Rent on Broadway, I'd def do a show. Also went to basketball at Madison square garden (the Knicks are crap haha) and went to Macy's. Oh and we went to Chinatown too.

I wouldn't stay in financial district it's too far from main stuff, midtown would be best.

I'm so jealous, I'd love to go back!!

Wow NYC is the place to go then?!

According to work I should stay Downtown (Greenwich?) and travel in to see the sights as it's much nicer.

I've stayed at Yotel too. Walking distance to Times Square but quieter than actually being on Times Square (I've also stayed in the Novotel and Marriott Marquis on Times Square). Rooms are very small at the Yotel but super modern and very clean.

Absolutely most importantly...take your passport along to Macy's for a 10% off everything international visitor pass.

Greenwich Village is nice and a good place to stay as well. Personally I woudn't waste time going specially to Times Square as its just a big road junction. Bit like Piccadilly Circus in that you get there and think 'is this it?'

I also went to the old fashioned boat place by the docks, can't remember the name of it now.

Greenwich is a lovely area, it depends how central you want to be though I'd say. Although everywhere in Manhattan is easily and quickly reachable by subway. I agree with Weekender that midtown is probably best for convenience,

Figaro I did not know this!!!!!!!!!

Weekender when did you go? We seen rent (think nick lachey??? Was the lead)

We went to china town too, I said to h in a shop 'where's all the designer handbags' and this man popped his head out of a row of clothes and said 'you want Gucci?' And took us in this back room and got some bin bags out, we sh1t ourselves and thought he was going to ask us to choose our own death weapon

O and a police man aimed a gun at me and h we were walking to Central Park, hungover, walked through a cordon and a policeman shouted stop, we didnt think he was shouting at us so kept walking and one aimed at us, we still kept walking as it didnt register then h was like 'I'm British' and another police man said 'they're tourists man!'

We were a bit like

Take as few clothes as possible. Take the bare minimum, and save the case space. Even if you don't intend to shop (we had no plans to shop!) it's inevitable and you will find so many bargains :)

You lot are listing stuff after stuff and I'm thinking meh! What is there at Staten Island? and Central Park is just a big park, no?