I will be returning a rental car and taking Amtrak into New York City Which of the two stations, Kingston or Poughkeepsie has a car rental return place within short walking distance of the train station? And which station do you recommend (cleanliness, restaurants nearby etc.). Alternatively, do you know of a nice hotel or B&B within short walking distance of the train station? Thanks.

As far as I know, there isn't a rental car place near the Poughkeepsie train station. I grew up in Poughkeepsie, but only go back periodically to visit family and friends, so I could be wrong now.

Poughkeepsie, FYI, is pretty dreadful. I haven't been in Kingston in years, but I'm not sure it's much better.

Amtrak doesn't stop in Kingston.

Enterprise has a partnership with Metro North commuter rail.

www.mta.info/mnr/html/enterprise.htm

Also, don't take Amtrak - it'll be much more expensive than Metro North, and uses the same tracks to NYC. MetroNorth goes to Grand Central, Amtrak goes to Penn Station, but other than that both will get you there in about the same time.

As TFF says Poughkeepsie is pretty dreadful - at least it was last time I was there. Another option is Rhinebeck, serviced by Amtrak (but not MNRR commuter rail). Lots of B&B's in Rhinebeck, and worth a stopover. The tracks run along the river, about 2mi from the village so walking really isn't an option.

All that said, there are a handful of restaurants near the Poughkeepsie station, but none are very interesting -- generic American food. The only hotel near the station that I know of is the Poughkeepsie Grand, but it's not worth staying at because the surrounding area is really gross.

J62 is correct; Rhinebeck is a much nicer option for an overnight stay than Poughkeepsie.

J62 -- Not much has changed re: Poughkeepsie. Like any place, it has its nice areas (like around Vassar College), but overall it's pretty uninteresting, and gang activity is still a problem.

I know, I was there Sunday.

I am revising my question: I now know that Amtrak station is not Kingston, nor Rhinebeck, but is called Rhinecliff. You have convinced me that Poughkeepsie is not a nice place, but that I can take Metro North from there (and end up at Grand Central) or Amtrack from Rhinecliff (and end up at Penn Station). Thanks all of you for that information. The fare difference ($8.31 lowest Metro North, $22 lowest Amtrak because I am a Senior),
isn't as important as how I can get from the car rental return place to either Amtrack in Rhinecliff, or Amtrack or Metro North in Poughkeepsie. Any information on that last question?

I would just take a cab.

If you want to return in Rhinebeck then your only option is Enterprise - they will drive you to the station.

In POK there are Avis and Hertz about 10min away near IBM, and I believe Budget in the town of POK, in addition to local Enterprise locations.

It's an easy drive from Rhinebeck to Poughkeepsie, so staying at a nice place there then catching a morning train out of Poughkeepsie would be very doable.

The Beekman arms in Rhinebeck http://www.beekmandelamaterinn.com/ gets very nice reviews here on Fodors.