Is Long Island City (NYC) OK???
 

So I'm coming with my kids to NYC to check things out over half term. Absolute nightmare finding anywhere to stay. Everywhere decent and not stupid money booked out. So used Priceline and MESSED UP!! I'd ticked Long Island City but hadn't realised. So now I 'won' a hotel in LIC and thats where we'll have to stay because it cost £750 for the week. Shit shit shit. The area looks really dodgy and it's a mile from the subway (altho there is a shuttle from hotel) :frown:
:(

Re: Is Long Island City (NYC) OK???
 

It's the Fairfield Marriott on Van Dam St

Re: Is Long Island City (NYC) OK???
 

I can see the confusion. Long Island City is also in Manhattan near the world trade center site. I don't know that area of Queens so I can't say whether it is ok.

If it is not a great area, see if you can cancel for a small fee and use something like Airbnb to find an apartment for a week. I used them when I was visiting my son in Brooklyn and got a one bedroom apartment (bedroom, living room, kitchen, bath) for about $105 per night about a block away from his place (near Grand Army Plaza) in a nice neighborhood.

http://www.airbnb.com/?af=73699&c=Ai...FQx3gwod3gRsOg

Re: Is Long Island City (NYC) OK???
 

I think there must be something going on in NYC. I was trying BNB and some other sites - everything that's not insanely expensive or a dive is booked out!!

Princeline are also bastards. They won't refund. It's also a problem because I'm going to be with my 2 kids and the room says max occupancy of 2. *Gulp*
I really am an idiot!!!!

What I'm hoping is that I might be able to persuade the hotel to transfer the booking to their other hotel in Astoria which has cheaper rates anyway (so no loss to company). Astoria looks a bit more residential and safer.

Re: Is Long Island City (NYC) OK???
 

That sucks that you pressed the wrong button, but I don't think you have anything to worry about. There's a free bus to the subway, so you're basically just going to be sleeping there and it's not like you just signed up for 2 star hostel. It might be annoying that you can't just pop back to your room whenever you want, but LIC is not shady as a whole. You're minutes from the city. It might be a little inconvenient but how much time are you planning to be there anyway. You certainly don't need to be anymore worried about your safety in LIC than you do when you're on the subway. Bullet proof vests will not be needed. :fingerscrossed:

Re: Is Long Island City (NYC) OK???
 

Phew. Thanks.

Do you think the hotel will refuse to let my kids stay in the room???? God, I'm really getting my knickers into a twist with this. :eek:

Re: Is Long Island City (NYC) OK???
 

I guess that depends how many beds are in the room and how old your kids are. They might charge you per head!

Re: Is Long Island City (NYC) OK???
 

So there's one king size bed in the room and the kids are 5 and 8. So I guess we can squeeze in (5 year old always ends up in our bed at some point anyway - and that's a normal British sized bed with my 100kg husband as well ;) )

Re: Is Long Island City (NYC) OK???
 

That doesn't sound like that should be a problem.

Re: Is Long Island City (NYC) OK???
 

Lol, this sounds like quite the relaxing break you've planned!

I'm sure they would put a little fold out bed in there as well, but to be on the safe side I would double check that they aren't going to spring an extra person fee on you...or you could try and smuggle your kids in somehow! I'm presuming the website asked you how many people were staying in the room? They can't just give you a room that you won't all fit in, right? It could be they mean 2 adults max. All I know is when I went away, I got charged an extra $30 a night for my dog this summer -however I'm not sure if kids would be cheaper or more expensive- less likely to pee in the corner or bite I would guess:D

Re: Is Long Island City (NYC) OK???
 

Long Island City is fine. It can be a bit industrial in parts but it has many businesses and is becoming more residential. Astoria would be a bit nicer but Long Island City is closer to Manhattan. They are both in Queens.

Re: Is Long Island City (NYC) OK???
 

Woo hoo!! Tried phoning Priceline again and just played the sympathy card, admitted all guilt to the mistake. They agreed to cancel!! There are some conditions. If I don't rebook through their site, I lost a night's stay. Otherwise they refund all apart from £15.

Phew!!

Re: Is Long Island City (NYC) OK???
 

The only reason there's a hotel in Astoria is to serve LaGuardia Airport, so be warned that there will be a lot of airplane noise at that one!