Hotels

We have made arrangements with the three hotels below for discounted rates on Friday and Saturday nights (August 7-8).   These are moderately priced hotels for Manhattan standards.  

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Please make your reservations by July 7, 2009.  The hotels will not hold any rooms after that date.

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When making reservations please refer to the SCHAEFER-STOYANOV wedding.

Intercontinental, The Barclay

• Closest to our apartment

Hyatt at Grand Central

• At Grand Central Station;  Very close to our apartment and convenient to transportation

The Fitzpatrick

• Closest to the wedding reception

IF YOU BOOK A HOTEL IN A DIFFERENT AREA FROM THE WEDDING RECEPTION,
WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU AVOID HOTELS IN TIME SQUARE.  
WHILE IT IS A VERY INTERESTING PLACE TO VISIT, IT ALSO IS VERY TOURISTY, NOISY AND CROWDED AND THE HOTELS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY OVERPRICED.

Local Transportation
(Subways, Taxis, Buses, Walking)

Taxis

• Cab drivers DO NOT know addresses.  About the only way to get around is by identifying the cross streets.  For example, the reception is on 3rd Ave, between 59th and 60th streets.

• Rates:

  • $2.50 initial fee; $2.00/mile

  • 50-cent night surcharge (8pm to 6am)

  • $1.00 peak time surcharge (4pm to 8pm on weekdays)

Subways

• Very convenient, but in the summer, the subway stations are extremely hot.

Buses

• I (i.e. Stefan) hate busses.

Walk

• Walking is the transportation of choice in Manhattan.

Train Stations

Grand Central Station
(42nd & 45th St's, Lexington &
Vanderbilt Ave's.)

• Walking distance to our place and about 1 mile to the wedding reception

• Centrally Located in Manhattan with lots of Subways for around town

Pennsylvania Station
(7th & 8th Ave's and 31st & 33rd Streets)

• Behind Madison Square Garden

• Amtrak and many Subways stop there

Car/Parking

Note that in Manhattan, you are not allowed to make a right turn on a red light.

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There are numerous parking garages throughout Manhattan.  Expect to pay around $9-15/hr.  Parking for more than a couple of hours usually is at the full daily rate of $35-$50+.  Also, the posted prices often do not include Sales Tax (8.375%) and Parking Tax (18%), which are added at the time you pay.

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Astra/Wedding Reception Parking

(Information not available yet)

Airports

ONLY USE A YELLOW TAXI, A PREVIOUSLY HIRED CAR, OR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FROM THE AIRPORTS.  DO NOT HIRE ANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO OFFER YOU RIDES AT THE TERMINAL.  IT IS ILLEGAL AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN OVERCHARGED, MISDIRECTED OR TREATED POORLY.  THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT OTHERWISE THE DRIVER WILL TREAT YOU ANY NICER, BUT THERE IS A BETTER CHANCE WHEN USING OFFICIALLY SANCTIONED TRANSPORTATION.

LaGuardia (LGA)

• Approx. 30 minute trip to/from Manhattan

John F. Kennedy (JFK)

• About 45 min - 1hr trip to/from Manhattan;

• Taxis to Manhattan are $45 flat fare + Tolls; Not so from Manhattan

• You can use the subway and AirTrain between JFK and Manhattan

Newark-Liberty

• Anywhere from 35 min to 2 hrs;

• Trains to/from Penn Station