Brooklyn - Hol Inn Express on Union?
 

While mulling other possibilities (see the "Plan B" post running nearby), we came on the newly built Hol Inn Express at 625 Union St. in Brooklyn (they list it as Park Slope, looks like that's a bit of a stretch) that's 'somewhat affordable.' Hoping there's a Brooklynite out there who can give me a little idea about this neighborhood, proximity to subway, nearby restaurants, etc. Thanks!

That's actually pretty much in Park Slope, I believe it is on the corner of 4th Avenue, and 5th and 7th are the ones with all the restaurants, shops etc. I have been staying mostly in Brooklyn on recent trips because my daughter moved there last year, and really enjoy Park Slope. I'm anxious to try the Holiday Inn Express, which is a brand new property, but for our next trip we are trying something we saw on craigslist, which bills itself as the Park Slope Inn ([email protected]). It says it is a newly re-done brownstone offering rooms with queen beds and private baths at $130, or a garden suite for $180, but I haven't actually stayed there yet.

I find Park Slope a nice area to return to after the crowds and pace of Manhattan, and with a life of its own as well. I can't remember which subway line I use, but there is a station at Union and 4th--maybe it's the R? The restaurants are GREAT--every cuisine you can think of, and some drawing from other boroughs as well. There are good car services as well--about $15-$17 depending on what part of Manhattan you want, but really the subway works fine, too.

Marilyn - Thanks for the input! When is your next trip, to the PSI? Will be interested to hear what you think.

I believe I drove by this place yesterday (I live in the area). It's between 3rd & 4th Ave. It's pretty desolete over there. The good news is that you just need to walk 5 minutes to 5th Ave for all the great restaurants & shops. But the immediate block - 2 blocks around the hotel isn't so cute.

I'm sorry, you also just walk to 4th Ave & 9th Street for the F train. The Atlantic Ave. Station isn't too far either, where you have a ton of subway lines- M, N, Q, R, W, 2, 3, 4, 5.

To clarify about the subway: there is a M/R station at the intersection of 4th Ave and Union Street. Take it one stop Manhattan-bound to transfer at Atlantic Ave for the D,N,2,3,4,5,Q,B and LIRR. As the previous poster said, you can take the F from 4th Ave and 9th Street, but there's really no reason to unless you want to access the Lower East Side...

4th Ave and "below" (lower numbered avenues) is pretty industrial, but changing - thus the new Holiday Inn. It's not cute or very populated, but nor is it unsafe; as others have said, it's a short walk up the hill into the heart of Park Slope.

Park Slope is a great neighborhood, and the subway puts you in close proximity to Manhattan (20 minutes to the Village, 30-40 to midtown). I moved to the neighborhood out of financial necessity - and haven't yet moved out over 15 years later! :)

Will not be in New York again until end of October, and will report if this proves a good option. We just love coming to New York, but the cost of accomodations is really a factor!

It's a pretty decent location unless you have an aversion to the subway. Don't be fooled by the somewhat industrial location, it's a very short walk to one of the cutest neighborhoods in the city.

The subway stop closest to there is probably the R at Union St. which hooks up with almost EVERY line one stop up at Atlantic/Pacific. A few blocks away is the R/F stop at 4th and 9th. It's a super easy ride. I actually find the F to be a SUPER useful line, as it runs through the otherwise inaccessible LES, through SoHo and into Herald Square, and connects with a bunch of other trains.

There's GREAT restaurants in the Slope, and Prospect Park is one of the hidden gems in NYC that you'll be really close to. Sorry if I'm gushing, but I moved to the neighborhood over a year ago, and I keep finding cool stuff to explore. If you come to New York often, it might be a good way to see some things that you might not see if you were staying in Manhattan.

I also just realized that I may have just replied to your Plan B post with a similar reply. : )

This is sounding good/interesting! Since spouse has some endurance/walking issues, can someone give me an idea of just how far a walk it is to the subway, and how much and how long (block wise) of an incline (if any)? THanks!

This link might help you out.
http://smalltownbrooklyn.com/parkslo...lopeNhome.html
It'll give you an idea of what's around.

I don't think the subway's far at all, it might even be on the same block as the hotel. It's a pretty short walk, although the neighborhood restaurants might be worth the short cab ride - everything slopes up to the park, so you're walking uphill as the avenue numbers get higher. The avenues themselves are flat.

As a general rule, the street blocks are short, but the avenue blocks are long... and feel a bit longer when you're headed uphill.

Happy to answer any more questions! Good luck.

Thanks, Shirley! Spouse is a born and bred Manhattanite (well, til his early teens anyway) but it may just be time to discover another part of NY,NY!

It is a block from the Union Street stop on the R train.

To get into Manhattan, you could take the R train all the way in though many ride it one stop to the Atlantic/Pacific stop where they transfer to an "express" train. The N and the D will both take you into Midtown in 15-20 minutes. You could also walk to this stop from the hotel if you wish---it is a shorter walk than walking to the F stop at 4th and 9th Ave.

I'll echo other posters. Park Slope is one of Brooklyn's nicest neighborhoods, though I will say that this particular block has not been gentrified like the areas between and around 5th, 6th, and 7th Avenue. You will have no trouble finding good places to eat---A Di La, Blue Ribbon, and Stone Park are three great spots---and they're all on 5th-- there's plenty of small eateries on 7th as well.

If you've been to New York many times, it wouldn't be a bad option. I would not recommend it for first time visitors. To be honest, the block that it is situated on could look deserted and a little "rough" to some depending on where they are coming from. There is a used car lot a few houses down. If you happen to have driven to New York it's not a bad spot for parking-- you could with relative ease find street parking but you'd have to keep in mind that there are several street cleaning days. Some days you'll have to move it, etc. It's usually not incredibly difficult to park on the weekends. You certainly wouldn't need a car to stay here. In fact, if you have a car, don't plan on driving much unless you have a local with you. Traffic can be tough.

Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, and Brooklyn Heights are all very close, but not within easy walking distance. Carroll Gardens is about a mile from that Holiday Inn, but the area between Park Slope and Carroll Gardens is desolate at night-- you might prefer to take a cab. The Grocery and Saul are two great restaurants that come to mind-- both on Smith Street. Frankie's Sputino on Degraw is a local favorite-- stop in for the sweet potato ravioli.

Overall, this might be a decent option if you're comfortable navigating in a real neighborhood and looking for a no-frills hotel. For those that like the idea of settling into a neighborhood, perhaps a homier local B&B or a weekly rental off of Craig's List would be a better option like others have mentioned. There are some great Brooklyn treasures nearby---Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Art Museum, and the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens are all within walking distance.

tucker, if the walk uphill isn't good, keep in mind that there's a city bus that runs up and down Union Street. (Frequency, of course, is a different issue!) In fact in Park Slope, buses are a better north/south option - i.e., running along the avenues - than the subway. Buses are also good to get to the other Brooklyn neighborhoods that Fraggle rightfully recommended.

Go to www.mta.info, click on Maps, then NYC transit, then Brooklyn bus map (pdf). This map shows a good amount of neighborhood detail, and subway stops in addition to bus routes. Also, it's in proportion, which cannot be said for the NYC subway map. (Don't bother to print it out; if you want one, ask for it from the token booth at the Union Street R stop, or any other subway station.)

If you do opt to stay in Brookyn, I would suggest getting unlimited Metrocards, either daily as needed, or weekly if you'll be in the city for that long (valid 7 days beginning from day of first use). Metrocards are valid on all subways and city buses; with the pay-per-fare version, there is one free subway/bus transfer within 2 hours of when it's swiped through the reader...

Great info and rec's - thanks!