TAKE THE KIDS ///. NEW YORK CITY GUIDE - HOTELS

Finding a good hotel is usually our first step when we're planning a trip to NYC. It can take a lot of hours to find the One, but it's always a good challenge to find the right room at the right location at the right price and at the right time of the year.

Before kids, our expectations of a hotel room were different and at extremes also: uber-stylish for the full luxury trip or very low-low-key since we were out most of the day and didn't need much. But traveling with kids is different. They wake up early, they need space to run/jump/cry/scream, they want to rest during the day or get to bed early, plus you have tons of luggage and need some space for snacks and drinks so you can stop their temptation to open that mini-bar. 

All good reasons for us parents to pick a hotel room that offers comfort and function. Because after a whole day of pushing strollers and piggy-backing, you will appreciate a nice hot shower, clean hotel carpets and plush beds with extra pillows.

In the long term, we're aiming to try more boutique hotels to enjoy the design aspect of the stay. Until now, we've tried mid-range hotels and it fits perfectly our current needs. We've tried a few options in the past years and here's an overview of our experiences: 

A) New Jersey (NJ) Hotel:
The hotel prices in NJ are slightly cheaper than in NYC, which makes it an attractive option. You could leave your car at the hotel and take the train/bus into the city, but make sure to know when the last bus is in case you're planning to see the last Broadway show of the day. You can also drive in to have more flexibility, but make sure to take into account the toll every time you get on the island, time spent in traffic and parking costs as well. 

The main reason we prefer to stay on the island is that we enjoy being able to fully enjoy the city day and night. To be able to wake up and just walk out to the nearest coffee shop or playground and be inspired by the neighborhood's everyday life. I love people watching and there's no better place in NYC to do it. Also I like the option we have to be able to come back to the hotel anytime during the day for a change of clothes or nap, and then head out again once we're refreshed. One parent could also go on a solo excursion while the other watches over the kids. 

B) NYC Short-Term Rental:
This option might come in handy if you're a big group since NYC hotel rooms are short on square footage, if you need a kitchenette to cook or if you want to experience living like a local. We tried this option once back in 2012, and the location in the Flatiron district was ideal. We were 5 adults and 2 kids so we picked an apartment that offered 3 beds. The price was reasonable and location was perfect, but the overall stay was ok. The apartment was dark, the bathroom was old, the 3rd bed was an old sofa-bed, and all the bedding was mismatched and old. These may seem like minor details, but sometimes it's good to come back home to a safe and clean place after you've been out all day dealing with surprises and unknown territory. It is a vacation after all. There are definitely really nice, bright and spacious apartments available for rent, but they come with a price so it's good to shop around based on your priorities. Make sure to inquire about deposits, cleaning fees and other payment conditions when you book. 

Sites: vrbo.com,airbnb.com, kidandcoe.com.

C) NYC Hotel:
Currently, this is the option that works best for our family. We get to enjoy the simple luxury of comfy beds, daily maid service and stress-free cancellation policies offered by hotels. This option can even end up being more affordable than short-term rentals when you're a group with kids. Apartments usually charge by the number of people staying, including kids. Let's say you are 4 adults and two kids, an apartment for 4 people would fit the bill as the kids can sleep with the adults, but some rental owners still consider you as a group of 6 so they will not accept your request or recommend you to book an apartment for 6, which is more expensive. 

The Wismom trick is that you have to look for hotels that allow kids or additional adults to stay free if using existing bedding. Some hotels adapt the price depending on the number of adults staying over, but usually kids stay for free unless the room is quite small. 

I also find continental breakfasts to be useful when they're included. It saves you the trouble of finding a breakfast place early in the morning when the kids are ready to move, and you can pack up on some healthy snacks like bananas and cereal boxes for the day. But since we're in NYC for the food, we try to get breakfast in one of the cute coffee shops.

The hotels we've stayed at: 

The Be Hotel (stayed in 2014)
Brand new hotel. We felt relaxed the moment we stepped into the lobby. 
Located in Chinatown so it's quiet at night, but busy during the day. Near a subway station (Grand St). 
Easy to get to Uptown or Downtown. Walking distance to restaurants and shops.
Right next to a park with a playground (Perfect for the kids to go play with dad while mom gets ready!)
Modern and clean look. Comfy beds, white sheets, hot shower, friendly staff. 
We loved this place and hope to be able to come back if the quality and price ratio remains reasonable. I had found a deal on booking.com, but I was informed to check their site directly.

Holiday Inn Express Madison Square Garden (2013)
Good Midtown Location, Good breakfast, small room so little space for strollers & luggage.

Mulberry Hotel (2012)
Located in Chinatown. Clean, modern, big beds. Good customer service.

The site I use to shop hotel rooms: Mainly booking.com. I like their CRM process as well as their customer service. I've had issues booking and it was easy to talk to someone and have a follow up. I usually try to find hotels with free cancellation/pay later options.  I also like to go to the hotel sites directly and use my CAA member discount. This also allows me to accumulate loyalty points.

*Pearls of Wismom when booking:
- Book in advance as prices go up closer to the traveling day. I like to book many options to hold the price. Just make sure to understand the cancellation policy and put reminders in your calendar to cancel!
- I found many good limited-time deals while shopping really late at night. Overnight breastfeeding has its perks!
- Know your priorities (price, area, wifi, breakfast, other services, etc) to refine your search results;
- Use the filters to sort by your priorities. I usually sort by area first, and then review score and then price. I go usually for a score of 8 and higher;
- Read the reviews on the booking site or tripadvisor to get the latest updates. If I read that a certain area of the hotel is noisy, I will specify a request in my reservation to not get a room in that area;
- If you're two adults and two small children, only specify two adults in the search criteria, then look for hotels that can accommodate kids for free. If you specify two adults and two children, they will refer you to four-people rooms, which tend to be more expensive. If you still fit in a king bed, maybe save the money and use it for ice cream every night. The kids will end up in your bed anyway!
- Think of the neighborhoods you'll be spending most of your time in and book a hotel in the nearby area. A room may be cheaper uptown, but if you're planning on visiting mostly downtown, it might be more practical to book downtown or midtown. It will save you time and money. Until now, Chelsea and Chinatown have been good to us. Later on, we would also like to try Soho. We're not big on the Time Square frenzy so we try to stay away from that area, but it is centrally located. Listen to your gut and you can't do no wrong. That's the fun part with visiting NYC or any other city, you take small risks to try out new hotels and restaurants and get out of your comfort zone, and if you don't like them, you'll have a good reason to come back and try something else. You live and you learn.

Key Points Summary:
- Location location location;
- Hotel room costs (taxes, extras, wifi, cleaning, deposit);
- Parking - Found this site, SpotHero, where you can search, find and reserve parking in NY. Never tried it but the concept is interesting, it's like comparing parking rates without having to drive around the city;
- Services (breakfast, free wifi, beds, check-in/check-out times, luggage storage room, etc);

Did you have any good or bad experiences with NYC hotels and rentals? We'd love to hear about your favourite places to stay.

A room with a view is always a welcomed surprise