going through New York

We are going to take the afternoon shuttle to JFK from Boston next month before heading on to St Maarten directly the next morning.
My questions for the group are, what is a good airport hotel to stay (assuming an early morning trip from NYC would be slow to the airport), and especially, on the night we get to the city, what would be a nice mid to upscale restaurant to have a dinner in Manhattan or elsewhere (really don't know New York so any suggestions are okay).

Have always enjoyed Becca on restaurant row, a short safe walk from Times Square. Recommend the chef's daily pasta trio as either a main course or as a mid course if you have a good appetite. They have about 100 bottles of wine priced at $29.

Try the grill room downstairs at Delmonico.

We stayed during the summer at the Marriott Courtyard at JFK airport. Had early morning shuttle to the terminal. Room was nice and clean and breakfast was available. We have stayed there a few times before and would again.

best of luck
https://www.le-bernardin.com/

JFK is not really near or convenient from NYC. If you are staying at a motel near JFK you probably should consider a restaurant nearby rather than traveling to Manhattan (if thats your plan).

A short cab trip or a shuttle from your JFK hotel if there is one, could take you to the Resorts Worlds casino at Aqueduct Racetrack where there are a few fine restaurants (and gambling and entertainment) or to the A train subway stop right at the track. The A train goes right to Times Square/midtown. Just a thought.

I would agree with Coachie and stay near JFK. You can take a cab into the city that evening and back out after dinner. The traffic will be much lighter than leaving the city in the morning.

I think it's relatively easy to get to the city from JFK if you take the airtrain.
I have come in from Montauk straight to JFK in an afternoon.
Cheers
irina

Fairly easy is a relative term. Getting from the hotel to public trans might be the issue. Some hotels drop you at Federal circle while others drop at the terminals. From FC you have the choice of LIRR @ Jamaica station to Penn sta or the A train @ Howard Beach. I don't know how happy the hotel shuttle would be by using them for other than airline to hotel purposes, although it is NY so a tenner might make them smile. Personally I would just hang at the casino, eat at Wolfgang Pucks and get to bed early.

NYC residents of Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island resent very much non-New Yorkers referring to Manhattan as 'The City'!

Well, to the rest of the world, when one refers to "we are going to NYC" or "the city", its pretty much a given one is referring to Manhattan - sorry but we are splitting hairs here and sounds like your trying to pick an argument. Enough of the meaningless arguments on this board!!!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

It could be worse, we live in Buffalo, and people ask us what it is like living in NYC, they should mean NYS

I have lived in New York City most of my life. When some one, and I mean a resident refers to "The City" they refer to Manhattan even though five boroughs make up the entire city. It goes back to the days when Manhattan was the actual city.

Even the subway stations in the outer boroughs still often refer to trains going to "The City" or "Coney Island"

The old lines BMT (Brooklyn Manhattan Transit) IRT (Inter-borough Rapid Transit) IND (Independent Line) & Culver Line, were at one time private corporations.

It is just something we say without any further thought.

The same is true of Long island. We tend to think of Long Island as Nassau & Suffolk counties, however Long island is really Kings, Queens, Nassau & Suffolk counties, 120 miles long even though two counties are part of NYC, the road signs will not tell you this. Long Island City is in Queens county for example. Interesting - have a good day all.

Wow!! Someone schooling me on "The City".
LOL
Cheers
irina

BTW Miss,
Silverfox is from "The Island" and I lived in "The City" for almost 40 years.
Cheers again!
irina

Sorry - not schooling anyone - just providing some background - btw I have 70 years in "The City" & LI

Ciao

Most people don't realize that the present city limits of New York are only a little more than a hundred years old. Prior to that time, Manhattan was New York City. Also, borough is also a county. Manhattan is New York, Queens is Queens, Brooklyn is Kings, Staten Island is Richmond, and the Bronx is the Bronx. Notice the only borough that is said with a "the" in front of it is the Bronx. When I first moved out of state, people would frequently ask me where I was from and I'd say "Queens" and they would reply "Oh, the Queens". Right there and then I knew that the person had never been to N.Y.C..

Sorry BobCat.
Didn't mean you. Meant Rochester.
My bad. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />
i