Archive for the 'New York' Category
New York City in winter: Hotel bargains, post-holiday ice rink and freebies
November 6, 2009 5:58am
Cold it may be come December and January, but in New York City this winter, you might find comfort in the plentiful hotel deals on offer. And as always, attractions in the Big Apple can be found for cheap, or free, for the resourceful traveler.
Hotels
At the Pod Hotel, on East 51st Street at 3rd Avenue, the cheapest accommodation is a single pod room. You may have to share a bathroom with strangers, but you get stylish digs with a twin bed, workspace, WiFi, iPod docking station and LCD TV. I found one of these in January for just $79 per night (pre-tax). If your party consists of more than you, a bunk-bed pod room (pictured above) can be had for $89 — also a shared-bath situation. Double and queen rooms, with private bath, are $119 and $139, respectively.
The W New York, in Midtown, is having a sale, though you have to book this one by Nov. 10: Read the rest of this entry »
For a sane holiday, consider Hotels.com’s Thanksgiving sale
October 31, 2009 6:51pm
If bunking up with Cousin Lenny sounds like the worst way to spend your Thanksgiving holiday away, why not treat yourself to your own peaceful quarters this year? Booking a room close to (but not with) the family doesn’t have to break the bank, thanks in part to promotions like Hotels.com’s Thanksgiving sale. Through it, you can find a range of properties for up to 30% off in 100 cities.
One of those is Denver, where 30%-off rooms at the Burnsley All-Suite Hotel are attainable. In Orlando, Fla. — where, it must be said, accommodations bargains are never rare — you can get a room for $41 per night, pretax, at the Seralago Hotel, a few miles from Disney World. Up in New York, stay for 20% off at the Time Hotel, close to Broadway shows; rates here around Thanksgiving start at $183 per night (the usual average is $229).
But there are lots of options closer to home too, for instance:
Palm Springs
I stopped into Riviera Resort & Spa’s reservation system for a stay Wednesday through Friday of that week, and got a total of about $600, after taxes and fees, for the two nights. The total price I found via Hotels.com was $478. Read the rest of this entry »
GEM Hotel offers Manhattan rooms from $139 during the holidays
October 26, 2009 5:58am
If you’re heading to New York City for business, pleasure or some shopping during the holiday season, you might not be holding your breath for bargain-basement deals at the city’s hotels.
Or maybe you’re already wise to the fact that the hard economic times have bitten into even Big Apple tourism, leading to some head-turning deals. For instance, the budget GEM Hotel brand, generally rated positively among travelers for good value, is offering the following rates at its centrally located properties.
Deal: The “Cool Yule” special offers rooms starting at $139 per night, pretax, at the three GEM Hotel locations in Manhattan during these dates: Nov. 20-29 and Dec. 13-29. This represents a savings of about $80 per night, since regular rates during these dates hover around $219. Read the rest of this entry »
From haunted houses to ‘Hell on Earth’: Where to get scared in the U.S. this Halloween
October 10, 2009 11:19am
For you lovers of gory lore, creeps and costumes, and the ghostly paranormal, this is your season. In this day and age, it takes a lot to tingle the spines and curdle the blood of the public, but these Halloween attractions in the U.S. seem set to spook, and entertain, even those with the thickest of skin.
Haunted houses
At the top of the “America’s best haunted houses 2009″ list released by trade publication HauntWorld Magazine is 13th Gate in Baton Rouge, La. The 40,000-square-foot attraction may have you “crawling thought a Crematory oven and an old hearse” or “standing on a rickety bridge overlooking hundreds of live snakes,” according to the attraction’s website, and they even advise that those with preexisting heart conditions, women who are pregnant or anyone with a weak bladder should not visit.
Other haunted houses ranked highly by HauntWorld include Netherworld Haunted House in Atlanta, the Beast in Kansas City, Mo., and House of Torment in Austin, Texas. Read the rest of this entry »
Halloween events at U.S. theme parks
October 1, 2009 12:16pm
If the calendar on the wall says October, then it must be time for Halloween mazes, monsters and mayhem to take over theme parks across the U.S.
Here’s a rundown of the haunted attractions:
Air France auctioning off seats on its first A380 flights
October 1, 2009 10:52am
If you’re determined to be the first to fly on Air France’s cool new Airbus A380, the world’s biggest passenger plane, here’s your big chance: You can bid for a seat.
Starting today, the French airline began auctioning off seats on the jet’s two inaugural flights from Paris to New York on Nov. 20 and from New York to Paris on Nov. 21. The auction, on eBay, goes through Oct. 21. Air France said the opening bid “in most cases” will be $380 for Voyageur (economy) class and $1,380 in Affaires (business) class, but that it may change during the auction. (The auction includes a return ticket on a regular Air France flight.) Proceeds go to charities in France, India and South Africa.
Is this trip worth it? It’s up to you how much you want to pay, but I can say that riding this super-wide-bodied jet is an amazing experience. On a short demonstration flight out of LAX two years ago, I was impressed by how quiet it is, despite its size and power.
‘Gossip Girl’ tour takes on Manhattan
September 23, 2009 11:45am
“Gossip Girl” fans can live a day in the life of Serena, Blair, Chuck, Vanessa and the rest of the crew on the hit CW-TV series during a new guided bus tour that takes in more than 40 New York City locations used in filming the show.
The On Location trip, organized by the same folks who originated the” Sex and the City Hotspots” tour, visits sites made famous by the privileged New York teens who populate “Gossip Girl.” Among them are the hotel that is home to the Bass and Van der Woodsen families; the Fifth Avenue building that Blair Waldorf calls home; and sites such as Henri Bendel, where Blair and Serena shop.
Theme park news: Legoland water park, Real Madrid theme park, Wizarding World DVD extras, Neverland negotiations
September 12, 2009 5:58am
A roundup of my theme park Twitter updates for the last week:
* Legoland California to open a separate-admission, 5.5-acre water park by summer 2010. (L.A. Times)
* Built in 1927 and rebuilt in 1948 and 1994, Comet coaster at Great Escape in New York gets American Coaster Enthusiasts landmark designation. (Screamscape)
* DVD extras on “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” movie to include short feature on Wizarding World themed land at Universal Studios Orlando. (Orlando Sentinel)
* Report: Michael Jackson’s family negotiating to open Neverland as a Graceland-like amusement park by Christmas. (New York Post)
* Disney: No plans to use Marvel characters in Orlando parks, no concerns about brand confusion with Universal Studios. (Orlando Sentinel)
New York — a first! Tour the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island at night
September 9, 2009 6:37pm
Quick — call your friends. These tickets will sell out quickly. For the first time, park officials say, the public will be able to tour the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island at night. These special events are in honor of National Public Lands Day on Sept. 26 and will include dinner and a preview of Ken Burns’ new documentary “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” set to premiere Sept. 27 on PBS.
As you might recall, the Statue of Liberty’s Crown reopened on July 4 this year. It had been closed since Sept. 11, 2001, because of security issues due to the attacks. There are also etours available online and you can follow Lady Liberty on Twitter (@StatueLibrtyNPS).
When: Unfortunately you can’t view both sites on the same night. The Night Visit to Ellis Island will be on Sept. 24 and the Night Visit to Liberty Island will be Sept. 25. Boarding for both tours will begin at 6 p.m. with departure at 6:45 p.m. The tours will take place between 7 and 9 p.m.
Where: Departures will be from two locations: Liberty State Park and Battery Park.
Cost: $29
Caveat: The Great Hall on Ellis Island will be open for visitors who would like to explore the exhibits. On Liberty Island the Pedestal, Museum and Statue will not be open, but rangers will be stationed around the island providing interpretation and answering questions.
National Public Lands Day: It’s worth noting that National Public Lands Day also marks a massive volunteer effort to improve America’s public parks and spaces. To find an event near you, check out the National Public Lands website.
Deal Tip: Note that on Sept. 26, admission to all 391 national parks will be free for National Public Lands Day.
Contact: Statue Cruises, (877) 523-9849
— Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal blogger
[Photo: Julie Jacobson / Associated Press]
Air France to auction off seats on its first A380 flights between Paris and New York
September 8, 2009 1:41pm
Air France plans to auction 380 seats on two inaugural flights of the Airbus A380 from Paris to New York on Nov. 20 and from New York to Paris on Nov. 21.
The auction will take place on the airline’s website in October, on a date yet to be announced. Winners will travel outbound on an A380 and return on another commercial flight. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to three Air France Foundation charities working on children’s issues in France, South Africa and India.
Air France A380s begin regular commercial operation on the Paris-New York route on Nov. 23. Routes to open later include Paris-Dubai and Paris-Tokyo.
