If you give your exact date and budget in USDs someone may be able to help you. Staying in New Jersey can be a pain. Is "we" two?

If you want to stay in NJ and just visit NYC for one long day, taking the car into the city might just be easiest. It doesn't make much sense to me to stop off at a hotel, check in, then come into NYC (if I'm reading that part of it correctly). I assume you will not then be coming back to NYC the next day

But it also depends on:
when this trip is (don't try it this Saturday, for example)
where in NJ you are staying. For some locations, it's such a pain and/or expensive to get to/from NYC that the high cost of parking is well worth it. Some places (on the PATH train for example) are different. But for traveling back at 2 or 3 am your public transportation options are limited anyway.
If you do come by car, expect to leave it the same parking spot all day, though. It would be silly to move it in the city so be sure to park near or convenient to where you'll end the day

We is two of us and we are looking to come Saturday, December 29th. It is kind of a last minute birthday decision and we already have tickets to a sold out show so we can't change the date. I'm finding hotels in Jersey near Jersey City/North Bergen ranging between $120-150, but I also just found one up by 141st for $170 so I didn't know if that would be better. We might like to spend some time in the city Sunday morning also. Leaving the car parked in the same place all day and either walking or using public transportation is completely fine, we'd just like to make this as budget-friendly as possible.

Thanks!

Why don't you just say what hotels you are talking about?

Sorry, I didn't know that really mattered, I thought just general location would help.. Honestly, I have looked at so many that I don't remember all of them... I think one in Jersey was a Days Inn in North Bergen and then Holland Hotel I think.. and then I think it was Spring Hill Suites in the city.

At that time of night probably the only way to get back to a hotel would be car service (commuter trains and buses don't run that late typically). And NYC cabs won't want to go to Jersey.
How much this will cost depends on where in Jersey you are - but I would assume at least $50 - and possibly $100 or more.

Definitely cheaper to put your own car in a garage and drive it to NJ - assuming you will be able to drive - but you need to be sure it is a 24 hour garage and tell them when you will pick the car up so they know what level to park it on. And do you really want to be driving around god knows where at 3 am?

But - if you are planning on doing a show and then going out to a club - I would simply get a hotel room in NYC. Not cheap - but probably a lot less then having to buy your way into a trendy club. And better than wandering around the city at 2 or 3 am.

Comfort Inn Long Island City right near the subway which runs 24/7 for $225 plus tax. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g48080-d281640-Reviews-Comfort_Inn-Long_Island_City_New_York.html

You won't find anything in NJ near punlic transport that runs that late thats available or affordable. If you want to pay less andstay in anj, you'll need to drive ito amanhattan and park. Bestparking.com will help you find a lot.

Sorry for the typos! Hope you get what I mean.

If you're seeing legitimate hotels in midtown (I assume you meant 41st street, not 141st street) for only $30-50 more than a hotel in North Bergen (which is close, but kind of a grim area) it is a very good deal,especially for being out late and doing something in the city the next morning.

Driving into the city will be challenging this Saturday, but if you're doing that anyway, the convenience of staying local and not having to drive back to NJ that late seems well worth the difference. I had assumed that the NJ hotels you looked at were hundreds of dollars less than the ones in NYC.

Staying in Long Island City makes no sense for you since its on the other side of NYC from where you're arriving so for a one day stay, you'd waste too much time getting there(and it seems like it's more expensive that what you found anyway)

Do look for a parking discount since an overnight stay can cost $50 or more

Thanks for the help so far.
I did mean 141st... I definitely would jump on a midtown spot for that price. It is just that since I am not extremely familiar with the city I didn't know if it would be a bother being that far up or if it would be a good thing just by being in the city at all. Pretty much all of the other NYC hotels that I saw were at least $100 more than the Jersey ones.

And it won't be this Saturday, but next week... I'm not sure if that is what you meant. Also, we may have decided to not do anything after the show and just head back to the hotel, but are still thinking about doing something the next morning.

I don't think there are any legal hotels for short term (under 30 days) stays on 141st street. Many discussions here about what is or isn't legal.
You said "Spring Hill Suites in the city" which I thought was a Marriott chain and they definitely don't have hotels that far uptown.

Next weekend will be somewhat different. This Sat. is a getaway weekend for NYers leaving town plus lots of last minute shopping and tourists. The Saturday before New Year's won't be quiet but I think it will be somewhat better than this weekend.

So back to your NJ idea, if NYC is just too expensive, see if there are other locations that work for you since North Bergen just doesn't look appealing (in my opinion, of course)

I am not aware of any hotels that far uptown - and would look at one very carefully - esp how near it is the subway and where you would be able to park your car.

The only things that come up on the map in Harlem are the Sugar Hill Inn and the New York Renaisance gues house - both B&Bs. the former seems to be booked for you night - not sure about the other - but they aren't hotels.

Pardon me, you are right, I meant Sugar Hill..

How about Secaucus, is that area any better? It looks a little bit farther, but not much. Does it sound like it makes sense to stay there (or around there) and then take the ferry or public transport into the city and back?

Is $237 plus taxes out of your range? There is a “5-star hotel in Manhattan - Upper East Side/New Yo” hotel available for that on Last Minute Travel (LMT). Based on the photos, I think it is The Surrey

Last Minute Travel: http://www.lastminutetravel.com/

Search on your dates: http://tinyurl.com/ck3qk99

Room Cancellation Policy
Hotel cancellations or changes made 3 day/s prior to check in time (Noon local hotel time), will be subject to 1 night/s fee
Hotel cancellations or changes made 1 day/s prior to check in time (Noon local hotel time), will be subject to a full fare fee
No-show is subjected to a full fare fee
Room Facilities
Air Condition, Cable/Satellite Flat Screen TV, In Room Safe, Mini Bar, Private Bath

The Surrey: http://www.thesurrey.com/

LMT is a blind bidding site (they also have non-blind options as you can see if you click on the above). It is sometimes possible to figure out which hotel it is, though, by description and photos. I've used it once myself and have seen it recommended a lot on Trip Advisor.

There is also a “4-star hotel in New York” available on LMT for $178. Based on photos and description, I think it is Andaz Wall Street
http://www.newyork.wallstreet.andaz.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels-newyork-wallstreet-andaz/entertainment/index.jsp


Room Cancellation Policy
Hotel cancellations or changes made 3 day/s prior to check in time (Noon local hotel time), will be subject to 1 night/s fee
Hotel cancellations or changes made 1 day/s prior to check in time (Noon local hotel time), will be subject to a full fare fee
No-show is subjected to a full fare fee

Room Facilities
Air Condition, Cable/Satellite Flat Screen TV, Data Port, Hairdryer, In Room Safe, Mini Bar, Private Bath, Telephone + Voice Mail, Wireless High Speed Internet Access, Work Desk

You are going to have a lot of trouble getting public transit back to Jersey late at night - since these are basically commuter train or bus services. So, you can leave your car in the city for the day. Or you can pay a car service to take you back to Jersey. That means the hotel in Jersey has to be probably $70 at least cheaper than the NYC hotel for the numbers to even begin to make sense.

Well, I think Secaucus is nicer. Not close or convenient, but nicer. Getting back by public tranposrtation late at night would be difficult if even possible. Ferry doesn't take you anywhere near Secaucus so you'd need a NJ Transit bus or train. I'm not sure they run that late, and you'd still have to get back to your hotel somehow.

I suppose you could drive into NYC from Maryland, park the the car in a central location, spend the whole day running around, go to your concert, go out afterwards, then drive back to Secaucus. I couldn't do it. I would be too tired ro drive safely.

I'm sorry I don't have an alternate hotel suggestion for you at your budget.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

If I am reading the schedule right, it looks like the ferry runs until about 1am, so we were thinking that we could park in the lot there and then we would have our car to get back to the hotel. I was thinking that that might be an easier option than trying to figure out the bus/train schedules? Also, I think after talking about it that we probably will not stay in the city after seeing the show, so getting back late may not be an issue.

From what I have seen, the price differences are enough that I think it works out on the plus side. I'm just hoping it is worth the trouble as well!

I know the ferries aren't cheap, so add up what 2 round trip ferry rides cost(plus any parking cost there, not sure if they charge). If you are already going to drive part of the way, maybe you are better off just parking in NYC and then you don't need to worry about getting or missing the last ride back.

Hope it all works out!

I think you'll find that two RT ferry fares plus paying for parking will probably cost at least as much as a garage - and you can't miss the garage (as long as it;s open 24 hours) and then have to find car service and pay $60 or $70 to get to your car in Jersey.