BRONX/BROOKLYN cheaper?
 

Hi Recently posted about an affordable hotel in NYC w/a gym. No luck in our price range. We're considering staying further out, as long as it's easy to get to LaGuardia , the theater district, and Central Park by subway or cab from the hotel. So, no gym needed now. Can't do Priceline since we're 2 adults & our teen son in one room. Any suggestions for safe/affordable/convenient places to stay outside Manhattan? Under $200/night is our current definition of affordable. Have never been to Brooklyn or Queens, now seems like a good time! THANKS for your help. And wow, I agree our last trip to the Westin at under $200 was apparently a miracle!

Have you tried places like hotels.com, travelocity or expedia for something in your range? Add to that, I don't think the Bronx has hotels that you'd be interested in available (not the gentrified tourist-friendly kind, at least not yet).

There's a Marriott in Brooklyn and a Comfort Inn in Astoria, if I remember correctly.

Good luck.

There are no hotels (just a couple of very budget chain places not convenient to Manhattan) in the Bronx and am not aware of any in Brooklyn that have gyms.

There are a couple in Queens that MAY have gyms - you need to check. (I think the La Quinta in LIC is newer and MAY have one - but check tripadvisor for reviews. Travel from there into the city isn;t THAT inconvenient - but nothing like being in Manhattan.)

For the others travel is not that convenient either in rush hour (fighting the mobs) or later at night - few trains and even fewer buses (to get to some you have to use both).

Cabs from Queens to the city would be in the neighborhood of $30 to $35 each way - so why not apply the $60 or $70 to the room rate instead?

Separately, I even looked at the Hyatt in Jersey City - which has a spa - but rates are form $320 and up in May - never mind the travel back and forth.

I'm afraid that the kind of hotel for which you would pay $200 - esp for a room for 3 in May - simply doesn;t have that sort of amenity.

You could consider the Park Slope Inn (www.parkslopeinn.com) in Brooklyn, which has a very pleasant garden apartment that is $200 for 3-4 people, with a queen bed and a queen pullout. The pictures on the website are very accurate. Park Slope itself is very pleasant, and subway is nearby, or try a car service, which runs $18-$25 to various locations in Manhattan. We stayed there once when visiting daughter, wjo lives in the neighborhood, and were very pleased.

Any hotels outside Manhattan that have quick easy access to Manhattan are going to cost as much as Manhattan hotels.

Why don't you just skip the gym since your husband is running a marathon anyway?

Did you see if you home gym has a reciprical agreement with other gyms?

I think you are making this too complicated.

jeff,

There is plenty in Manhatten with your price range - especially since you don't need an in-house gym. Here are a slew of well reviewed places to contact:

http://www.eurocheapo.com/newyork/

I can't remember your dates, but you should be able to find something in Manhattan for $200/night. Brooklyn and Queens are not a good idea. If you really can't find anything for your dates, the Sheraton on the Hudson in Weehawken, New Jersey or the Hyatt Regency in Jersey City are just across from Manhattan. Still not as good as being in Manhattan, but "doable".

What are your exact dates? Have you looked on quikbook.com?

Staying in Jersey is never as good as staying in Brooklyn, being that Brooklyn is a part of the NYC subway/transit system. I know all too well as I've lived in both places. However, the Brooklyn Marriott is expensive, but right by the Brooklyn Bridge.

The Park Slope Inn would be good if you could do it, and give you a real taste of NYC living.

Getting to and from NJ, especially Weehawken, leaves you with limited transport: ferry and bus. Jersey City at least puts you by the PATH trains to Manhattan.