JOAN SCALESanswers your travel questions
What’s the story with Ryanair boarding passes?
Q Eleven of us are about to go to Sweden for a week. We fly by Ryanair from Belfast to London Stansted and then go on to Stockholm. I booked our flights on March 5th. Am I right in saying that we don’t need to check in online and that we can check in at airports without extra charges? If we check in online, do we need to print the 11 boarding passes individually? What charges should I expect?
GH, Antrim
It depends whether, when you booked, you opted to check in at the airport or online. If you paid for check-in, which you might have done if you booked baggage too, then there will be no charge. Ryanair says that “passengers who have previously selected to check in at the airport can now check in online at no extra charge; however, airport check-in is still available to you if you wish”. If you check in online you will need to print off the 11 boarding cards. Print the return boarding cards, too. Boarding cards can be printed from 15 days to four hours before a flight.
Q We were thinking about
going to New York for five to seven days with our four children, aged 17, 15, 14 and 11, before school starts again, in September. Would you have any advice on a good, reasonably priced hotel – clean, air conditioned and central? Should I book flights and accommodation separately or go for a deal with a travel company? (I would be a little afraid that it would go bust in the current climate.) Can you suggest things to do with the kids apart from the usual sights? They are not museum fans, and one day of shopping would be enough for them. My final question is whether we would be mad to go at this time of year, with the heat and humidity.
OO’S, Meath
I will deal with your last question first. August in New York can be very hot and humid. I have seen the buildings shimmer on an August day during a heatwave – but then the weather could be just perfect. You have to take a chance on it. Try a site such as www.wunderground.com for an advance forecast.
As you are travelling in high season, when flights are expensive, expect to pay ¤600-¤750 each. Continental (www.continental.com/ie) is a good airline to try for competitive fares.
Most hotels in New York are air-conditioned. Hotel Beacon (www.beaconhotel.com), on the Upper West Side, has two-bedroom suites that would accommodate your family, as does Hotel Belleclaire (www.belleclaire.com), in the same area. Expect to pay about $400 (about ¤290) per night.
Other well-located hotels include the Comfort Inns (www.comfortinn.com), which cost $200-220 (about ¤145-¤160) per night. They have rooms that can sleep four. The Eastgate Tower Hotel has junior suites from ¤103 per night with www.hotels.com.
Touramerica (www.t our america.ie, 01-8173535) can book flights and hotels for you; it also has some self-catering properties in New York, including the Radio City Apartments.
American Holidays (www.americanholidays.ie, 01-6733840) has a good selection of hotels, too. Expect to pay from ¤1,000 to ¤1,300 per person for packages.
Both of these tour operators are fully bonded and licensed, and you need have no worries about losing your money.
The area around West Broadway towards Canal Street and Chinatown has good shopping for teenagers, with stores selling urbanwear and all the well-known brands. (The outlet malls, which are a good way out of the city, would consume a whole day and be exhausting in August.)
When it comes to things to do for the family, here are five suggestions that the kids should love:
- Take to the water on the Beast – a giant speedboat – for a tour of the harbour (www.circleline42.com).
- Visit the Top of the Rock observation decks (www.topoftherocknyc.com), at the top of the Rockefeller building in central Manhattan, for the best views of the city, including at night.
- Take a location tour and see sites made famous in television shows and movies (www.screentours.com).
- See some great skaters and skateboards in Central Park (www.centralpark.com).
- Have dinner at Hard Rock Cafe, on Times Square, which has memorabilia from The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Billy Joel, The Ramones, Elvis Presley and Madonna. You may even spot the Naked Cowboy, who wears just boots, briefs and hat as he plays his guitar on Times Square.
For lots of free things to do in the city, search for “free events for teenagers” at www.nycvisit.com.