Youanitgolden

Hi,

Looking for advice and recommendations on where to stay with a family of 9 ( 5 adults and 4 children).

We're looking for something close to a subway to get around and see the city sites.

We're going in October time.

Preferably would like a hotel, that include breakfast and car parking.

Have been looking at the Brooklyn heights area aswell, as it looks like it's only one stop into the city?

Also looked at the Courtyard Elizabeth hotel in Newark, however is this too far to get in and out of the city?

Thank you

IMDonehere

Unless you are near either river, you will relatively close to as subway in Manhattan. And since the major tourist attractions are spread out, you will be on the subway.

Well you could be one stop into Manhattan from the Heights, depending on the line but they all go through lower Manhattan first, so to go to midtown for example, it will be about 35 minute trip and to the Met Museum or Natural History closer to 45.

And if you have small children that need rest, than it is better to stay close in Manhattan.

Jersey has its own set of transportation issues. Long Island City is better than NJ.

5alive

The hotel we stayed at with our family is gone now. Another we looked at was just over the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, the Country Inn and Suites near the Queensboro Plaza station. I have not stayed there, but it is an idea for you to research. As I recall there weren't really restaurants close by. Good luck in your search.

SusieQQ

Your best bet is to look for a hotel in Long Island City (note, not Long Island) near a subway station. October is an expensive time of year for hotels.

"The usual Long Island City hotels that are recommended based on the convenience of their locations are the Verve, the Vetiver, the Country Inn and Suites, the Quality Inn on 40th Avenue, the Holiday Inn Manhattan View, the Fairfield Inn and Suites Queensboro Bridge, the 4 Points by Sheraton Queensboro Bridge, and the Comfort Inn on Crescent Street."

ElendilPickle

We stayed at a hostel in Long Island City in May which is right next to a Hilton Garden Inn. This location is a block from the Queens Plaza station and about a block and a half from Queensboro Plaza.

If you stay there, though, ask for rooms on the side of the building away from the train tracks.

Lee Ann

doug_stallings

Hotels in Brooklyn Heights tend to be expensive (more expensive than those in Long Island City). And while the area is one or two stops from Manhattan, it's not the part of Manhattan most tourists will spend the majority of their time in. That's why Long Island City is ideal.

Elizabeth is not ideal. It's not near a subway or PATH, and most of the hotels there are airport hotels (which means you have to pay for an airport bus/train into the city each day at a cost of over $10 per person each way, and that alone may break your budget. There are hotels near the PATH train in NJ, but they are often almost as expensive as those in Manhattan.

Be sure you include the relative cost of travel into the city each day in your budget. Coming from NJ adds a minimum of $5.50 per person to your travel costs since transfers to the NYC subway are not free. That is a lot of money for 9 people. Ferries (such as the one that leaves from the Hyatt Regency in Jersey City) cost as much as $10 per person per day and are not timed for tourists but rather for commuters, so there is greatly reduced service on weekends. Keep that in mind as well. Buses from NJ are cheaper, but they are also geared to the needs of commuters rather than tourists, so they aren't always as convenient.

Also budget for parking. You will simply not get free parking, so you need to plan on spending at least $25 to $45 per day depending on where you stay. The hotels in Long Island City do not have parking, either for free or paid, but there are some paid lots and garages in the area.

abram

Travel Inn and Skyline are budget properties in Manhattan with cheap parking.

5alive

Doug, I can't speak for all Long Island City hotels. But you are in error that none of them have parking. It could be their arrangements are with a garage a few blocks away--but at least some of them offer it. Here are the ones I know about.

The Ravel is in Long Island City and there is limited parking that you would pay for. On Expedia, it is listed as "parking limited spaces." So I believe it's a case where you reserve the parking at the time you reserve your room. I did not take this hotel when we went to New York a few years ago, as I didn't really like the location compared to the train station. They do have a shuttle to the train station or Bloomingdales that you can reserve, but that is an additional cost too.

If you go on Travelocity, you can select Long Island City as your region and "free parking" as your amenity. The LaQuinta comes up.Two other independents do too for the dates I picked (I did midAugust.)


Finally, if you go on Booking.com, the Best Western Long Island city comes up with parking that the guest pays additionally for.

doug_stallings

Well, @5alive, that's technically true. A very few hotels have small lots. The Ramada Long Island City, for example, has about 5 or 6 parking spaces in front of the hotel, but they are often occupied by employees and aren't always available for guests (but I think they are free); they cannot be reserved or guaranteed. Some of the others do, too. Perhaps the Ravel can guarantee its spots. I have friends who often stay at the Wyndham Garden Inn, and they tell me it's near the subway and has a cheap lot nearby. That's a much more viable option for most people, but you can't assume free parking anywhere in NYC.

I don't disbelieve that the Ravel has parking, but I'm not aware of being able to reserve. I think the best course would be for the OP to call any hotel to verify if parking is available and if it can be reserved. But I know there are nearby lots all over Long Island City, so finding a spot is usually not the issue.

As for the Travel Inn and Skyline in Manhattan, both have parking on-site, and it's reasonably priced, something you can't say for most hotels in Manhattan.

Youanitgolden

Thank you for all your advice!!

Very much appreciated