Which hotel? Renaissance TS or Westin

Sorry if i%26#39;ve posted on the wrong site but I%26#39;ve only used this forum once before.

Been to NYC lots of times but only for the odd nite or two and accomodation was neither here nor there.

This time I want something with a decent view of the city as I am staying for a while.

I%26#39;ve narrowed my search down to Renaissance Times Sq or Westin. I%26#39;m happy to upgrade at the Westin for a better view, but am I right in saying that despite an upgrade at the Renaissance I will only ever get a view over TS which is not really what I%26#39;m after.

Has anyone stayed at these hotels and if so what do you think?

Any pointers would be gratefully rec%26#39;d. It is a special trip and a surpise for my partner so I really dont want to haggle with the reception staff for a room with a view.

Thanks

Jacqui

Which hotel? Renaissance TS or Westin

Both of these hotels are very nice. They%26#39;re both 4* and they%26#39;re both in the Times Square area, the Westin being a block west of Times Square and the Renaissance being on Broadway. To see the relative distance, map them both on

maps.google.com

The best views at the Westin will give you a view of the Hudson River and over to New Jersey. The Renaissance has views in all directions I think. Have you checked the ';travelers photos'; on the review page?

If you%26#39;re looking for other hotels with views and don%26#39;t have to stay right in Times Square, look at the London hotel. It%26#39;s a bit north of TS, all rooms are suites and some have views of Central Park which is divine.

There are also some smaller hotels in less commercial areas with nice views. The Affinia Dumont has some rooms with views of the Empire State building. This is a suite hotel (like the London but not as chic) and all the rooms have kitchens.

Which hotel? Renaissance TS or Westin

Hi

Thanks very much for the reply.

I loved the look of the Affinia Dumont but unfortunately the tour operator does not offer it and I get a huge discount with Virgin so have to stick with the hotels they supply.

I have had a look at the travellers photo%26#39;s, yes. This is when I became confused as they were nice for both hotels!

I%26#39;ve just looked online and Virgin offer the London hotel so I am going to look at that one now.

I will also look on the link you gave for distances.

Thank you again, you%26#39;ve been so helpful.

';the tour operator does not offer it and I get a huge discount with Virgin so have to stick with the hotels they supply.';

Make sure that you really do get such a big discount. When you book air/hotel together it%26#39;s not cancelable/changeable and your options are more limited. Unless you%26#39;ve already committed to this tour, I%26#39;d compare the price of air and Affinia Dumont and see how it compares. Unless you work for Virgin, there are lots of options out there.

Hi

I have travelled with Virgin for over 21 years and am eligible for all their discounts schemes, which can be significant (up to 25% off) compared to other carriers and tour operators.

I know the cancellation options are non existant. I have had to amend and cancel in the past and Virgin are not very amenable in this department!

I will take your advice and search Affinia Dumont and Flights and see how it compares.

Thanks

Just to say thank you so much for your advice, I%26#39;ve looked at moving away from Virgin and getting the flight a hotel seperately. This means I have saved over 拢300! Much appreciated, thank you.

;))

If you decide to go with the Affinia Dumont be sure to request a corner room on a high floor facing the Chrysler Building. That way you%26#39;ll also get a view of the East River. I believe that most of the rooms that face the Chrysler Building are Junior Suites. We had one of those on our first visit but since then have gotten a Studio Suite and the rooms have faced downtown which isn%26#39;t as spectacular.

Our spacious corner ';executive club'; room (not a suite) at the Westin TS had great views south %26amp; west through wonderfully panoramic windows that went spanned almost the entire height of the room. It was very impressive visually, BUT the windows are not double-paned for sound insulation so although we were on a high floor, we heard a disturbing level of noise from cars honking, etc.

We booked one of the ';penthouse loft'; suites at On The Avenue this summer and liked the views there even more. We had 3 exposures (north, south %26amp; east, which provided breathtaking views across Central Park. Plus, it had a little terrace with table and 2 chairs -- and it was blissfully quiet. The penthouse loft suites aren%26#39;t all configured alike, so you%26#39;d want to specifically request one with primary exposure towards Central Park or the Hudson River (sorry I don%26#39;t remember our room number %26amp; I now see I didn%26#39;t include it in my review).

On The Avenue is presently offering 30% off its best rates for 2009 bookings made on its own website, but that%26#39;s likely to change; 3 days ago, the discount was 40%. Regrettably, none of their accommodations include kitchenettes, and that would be a nice feature if you%26#39;ll be here for more than just a few nights.

Thanks for your advice. We emailed the Affinia Dumont on Saturday, asking which was the best room the Studio Suite or a Junior Suite and they replied straight away with the same info you have given me.

I will definitely book a juniour suite now and will mention the corner room with a Chrysler view.

Thanks again, I%26#39;m very happy with the help i%26#39;ve had on this forum.

Thank you for your post, I have settled on the Affinia Dumont but if for some reason they do not have rooms for the dates I want, then I will make Westin my 2nd choice.

I had heard about the big windows in the Westin and it was this that created my indecision in the 1st place!

Thanks again for your help. :-)

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