Speaking of New York

[Moderator1]

Anyone ever stayed at The Barclay at 48th and Lexington?
It looks really nice and it is usually way more expensive than our usual haunt - but it is running some kind of special and is pretty cheap for when The Queen and I want to go.
We hate breaking up routines.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

I've stayed across the street.

The rest of the place isn't as gorgeous as the lobby, but it'll do.

And some kickass restaurants in the immediate vicinity.

 

[lono]

Don't know about the hotel, but the 'hood is stellar.

 

[Moderator1]

I've stayed across the street.

The rest of the place isn't as gorgeous as the lobby, but it'll do.

And some kickass restaurants in the immediate vicinity.

Names, please.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

I've stayed across the street.

The rest of the place isn't as gorgeous as the lobby, but it'll do.

And some kickass restaurants in the immediate vicinity.

Names, please.

It's not my usual neighborhood, but Ribot (48th and 3rd) is a delight . . .
good service without being kissass, reasonable wines, not too crowded, and
terrific outdoor seating for when the weather warms.

And Smith and Wollensky's a block north of there.

 

[YankeeFan]

Used to stay there all the time. At a previous job, we had negotiated a great rate.

It’s part of the InterContinental chain.

It’s a nice place: great location, beautiful lobby – always a huge floral arrangement – and the rooms are nice.

It’s not the kind of place I would spend big bucks at too stay there rather than a garden variety Hilton, Sheraton, etc., but if you’re getting a good rate, you’ll have no complaints about staying there.

My only other word of advice is to not drink at the bar or order room service. The convenience is not worth the price and you’ll blow any savings you achieved on the price of the room.

 

[lono]

Murphy's at 50th and Second is an excellent Irish pub. I recommend the blue cheese burgers.

 

[Webster]

Haven't lived around there in a decade, but Manchester Pub on 48th and 2nd was a great little space. Divine Bar on 51st between 2nd and 3rd was a cool place.

 

[slappy4428]

Anyone ever stayed at The Barclay at 48th and Lexington?
It looks really nice and it is usually way more expensive than our usual haunt - but it is running some kind of special and is pretty cheap for when The Queen and I want to go.
We hate breaking up routines.

Is that the hotel of choice for teams in the NIT Final Four?

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

Haven't lived around there in a decade, but Manchester Pub on 48th and 2nd was a great little space. Divine Bar on 51st between 2nd and 3rd was a cool place.

A crane fell a bunch of stories today at 51st and Second, killing four. It destroyed some restaurant.

 

[Moderator1]

If it destroys Tony's, The Queen won't want to go back.

We usually kill points and stay at a Crowne Plaza but no point stays are available when we want to go and the regular rates are ginormous. I smell a convention. So I figured we'd try something new. The Barclay is normally 15,000 points a night more than the CP but the rates for the time period are very good for NY - about 150 a night cheaper than the CP.

Little longer walk to the theaters but what the hell? I just don't want to stay in some dump. The Queen doesn't do well in dumps, even though she married one.

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

Destroyed Fubar:

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/crane-collapse-kills-4-in-new-york-city/20080315162309990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

 

[Moderator1]

So, without being a wiseass, Fubar is Fubar?

I hate cracking jokes when lives are lost. Seriously. But that one is way too obvious and easy.

 

[YankeeFan]

The Crowne Plaza’s location is great if you want to stay in Times Square/near the theatres, but the Barclay is a much nicer hotel. Actually, I don’t think much at all of the CP.

The one downside to staying at the Barclay is that if you’re a Priority Club member and used to getting upgraded at the CP, you can forget about it at the Barclay.

Unless it’s changed, they want you to be a member of the separate Six Continents Club – which a quick look at their site tells me has been renamed the InterContinental Ambassador Club.

Despite being platinum in the Priority Club, I don’t think they once upgraded me to a suite at the Barclay in all my stays there.

 

[Moderator1]

Well, the CP is OK if you do get upgraded. But my friend in the front office says the new GM there is very anti-points and anti-upgrades. Our last upgrade wasn't much of one and there's no more lounge with the nice, free breakfast. Plus, way more blackout dates.
So fug that. We can get a nicer than standard room at a good rate at the Barclay so I think we'll try that.

 

[YankeeFan]

Are you staying at the Barclay? How is it?

 

[Moderator1]

No - found a MUCH cheaper alternative on the other side of Times Square. A Courtyard by Marriott that is very nice and about 1200 cheaper.

 

[Bubbler]

I stayed at the Warwick once. Mrs. Bubbler got a big ass suite though travel connections she had at the time. Nice.

 

[JR]

Try Hotwire sometime if you don't mind waiting till the last minute.

HC & I got a room at the Intercontinental in Boston back at the end of March (hi, FB!) for $129 a night. They usually run around $350-$375 a night.