By Elissa Leibowitz Poma
Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, July 8, 2007

Q. Can you suggest some reasonably priced hotels within walking distance of Lincoln Center in New York?

Patricia Edwards, Annapolis

A. To stay near Lincoln Center, you won't have to settle for cheap seats to the opera to afford a nearby hotel; you can sleep blocks from the performing arts center even on a limited budget. Daily room rates in Manhattan averaged $267 last year, according to NYC & Company, the city's tourism office, but some hotels near the Upper West Side institution are a fraction of that. Here are some options within a half-mile of Lincoln Center:

· The 200-room Hotel Belleclaire (250 W. 77th St., 877-468-3522, http://www.hotelbelleclaire.com; from $109 double with shared bath, $169 with private bath) is super chic, with modern dark-wood furniture and stylish bedding. It's 10 blocks from Lincoln Center.

· Eleven blocks from Lincoln Center, the Milburn Hotel (242 W. 76th St., 800-833-9622, http://www.milburnhotel.com; from $139) has 120 studios, junior suites and one-bedrooms, all with kitchenettes. The hotel also has a fitness center and access to a nearby swimming pool.

· The Park Savoy (158 W. 58th St., 212-245-5755, http://www.parksavoyhotel.com; from $134 double) is six blocks from the performing arts center and a block from Central Park. The 105 rooms are small and amenities are few, but the location makes the simple setting worth it.

For more hotel options: NYC & Co., 212-484-1200, http://www.nycvisit.com.

Do we need to get shots for a tour of Egypt? Is there anything we should be especially concerned about?

Rita Hamilton, Shelbyville, Ind.

No vaccinations are required to visit Egypt, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Egypt, in a medical sense, is not dangerous," says Hugh Fraser, director of sales at Cox & Kings, a high-end travel agency that plans Egypt tours. "You just have to be careful where you eat and sleep."

However, the CDC's Travelers' Health Web site ( http://www.cdc.gov/travel) suggests that depending on your health, itinerary and doctor's recommendations, you may want hepatitis A and B, rabies and typhoid vaccinations. Also, be sure your tetanus-diphtheria, measles and polio shots are up-to-date.

The biggest health risk to travelers in Egypt is ingesting contaminated food or water. To prevent gastrointestinal problems, drink only bottled water (make sure the cap has not been tampered with), avoid ice in beverages and only brush your teeth with purified tap water or bottled water. In addition, the CDC recommends skipping street vendor food and a dip in the Nile River. If you're sensitive to heat, Fraser says to avoid May through August, when temperatures hover around 100 degrees; travel between November and February.

Be discerning when choosing accommodations and restaurants as well. Choose a guide with good local knowledge who can steer you toward restaurants sensitive to American stomachs. Also, opt for higher-end hotels, which are safer (many Western-style hotels have metal detectors at the entrance) and cleaner. At budget properties, "I have been bitten to death by bed bugs," admitted Fraser.

We plan to travel around the United Kingdom with our 10-year-old nephew. Do we need documentation proving he is related and that we have the parents' permission?

Bill Ryerson, Winston-Salem, N.C.

The British Consulate says formal documentation is not required to travel with your nephew. However, the agency strongly recommends carrying a notarized letter signed by his parents that includes your nephew's full name, date of birth, passport number and travel dates. The U.S. State Department echoes that suggestion.

Neil Schlussel of Annandale has advice for the cyclists who want to stay in New Jersey before the 2008 Five Boro Bike Tour in Manhattan (June 24). Schlussel recommends staying in Jersey, then driving over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to Staten Island and catching the ferry to Battery Park. "I have ridden this ride twice and both times I stayed in New Jersey -- Newark Airport is 15 minutes away and has plenty of hotels -- and have taken the Staten Island ferry to Manhattan." A bonus: The ferry is free and the event ends on Staten Island.

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