pam

I am scheduled to go to a three day training session in Union, North Jersey.In as much as I work for a public school, who does not typically spring for hotels, I was informed that I must do this on the cheap. I am concerned since the training is relatively close to NYC, that finding a "frugal" hotel may be quite relative. I found one for $175 (the Grand Summit) but it got nixed due to price. I am not interested, nor am I at all willing to stay in Newark or Elizabeth (all due respect) as I am traveling by myself and not at all familiar with those cities.Another resource suggested the Kennilworth Inn. Never heard of it myself, any one out there familiar with that property?

If anyone has any suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated.
Have a nice evening, thanks,
Pam

xx

See if you can locate a great rate at this hotel.
I'd try hotwire, personally.
It's a great hotel.

THE HILTON SHORT HILLS IS NEW JERSEY*S ONLY AAA
FIVE-DIAMOND HOTEL AND RESTAURANT. WITH 304 RICHLY
APPOINTED GUEST ROOMS AND SUITES IN A GARDEN-LIKE SETTING
IT IS NEW JERSEY*S FIRST TRULY DELUXE HOTEL.
THE HOTEL IS LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF NEW JERSEY*S
CORPORATE ACTIVITY- WITHIN EASY REACH OF MANHATTAN AND
ONLY 15 MINUTES FROM NEWARK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. A
NEWARK AIRPORT SHUTTLE IS AVAILABLE-SHUTTLE RUNS FROM
630AM TILL
1030PM EACH DAY MONDAY TO FRIDAY AND 7AM TILL 10PM ON
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY- TO AND FROM NEWARK AIRPORT. PRICE IS
15 PER PERSON EACH WAY. CALL THE HOTEL CONCIERGES DESK 2
TO 3 DAYS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL TO MAKE SHUTTLE PICKUP
ARRANGEMENTS. SHUTTLE PICKUP GUESTS AT TERMINAL P4 AT THE
AIRPORT. COURTESY PHONES ARE LOCATED AT THE BAGGAGE CLAIM
AREA AND AT TERMINAL P4.
TO ARRANGE TRANSPORTATION FROM THE HOTEL BACK TO THE
AIRPORT- CONTACT OUR CONCIERGES DESK FOR ARRANGEMENTS-
PLEASE GIVE THE CONCIERGES AT LEAST 4 HOURS ADVANCE
NOTICE.
THE HOTEL IS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE
CELEBRATED MALL AT SHORT HILLS.

pam

thank you for your response. I did hear of that hotel, and had once visited (and loved) that mall. When I called the hotel directly and asked for the best price, it was over $250! I will try hotwire for better rates, but I don't hold much hope for beating the Grand Summit which was defeated by the powers that be in the administration.

Still looking!
Thanks,
Pam

Owen O'Neill

Will you have a car? I believe it will be crucial as there isn't a great assortment of reasonably priced but decent hotels in or immediately adjacent to Union. I agree that staying in Newark is not a great idea. Elizabeth has some rough sections also but there are a few highly commercial areas that might be relatively safe but unattractive. best bet is you have a car is the Secaucus area. It's probably a 25 minute drive to Union but that's quick by North Jersey standards. There are any number of places in the Secaucus area that are under $80 per night - Red Roof Inn, Extended Stay etc. You should seriously consider using Priceline. You have many areas to consider as options due to Union's central location - it's about 20-25 minutes from the Parsippany area, from Short Hills, from Morristown, from Woodbridge. These are all decent areas where a single woman should feel safe staying. Depending on where you're bidding, you should be able to get a 3* or 4* PL property for about $40-60 per night. Skip the Kenilworth Inn - I've driven by it on the Garden State Parkway if I recall correctly and it doesn't look like a good choice.

Owen O'Neill

I'd suggest using PL and using Short Hills as my city of choice. Bidding on Short Hills in Priceline puts you in a screen that has five "free rebids" because Short Hills is the only area out of the six hotel zones that has a 4* property. I'm almost certain this would be the Short Hills Hilton as I know of no other 4* properties in the area. The "free rebids" means you can start a bit low (perhaps $50 per night) and then keep rebidding in $5 higher increments by adding additioanl geographic zones (since the extra zones do not have 4* hotels you don't risk getting a hotel anywhere but in Short Hills when using this bidding technique). The biddingfortravel.com forum doesn't have any winning bids that people have posted for Short HIlls so I have no bidding price recomendations but suspect you can get this property in the $55-$80 range.

If my Priceline bidding suggestions seem cryptic please email me directly and I'll send you a document that explains the process.

pam

Thanks for the great info. I printed your response and am planning on bringing it in to our business administrator for approval. I am not sure if schools are allowed to go this route, but perhaps they will allow me to complete the transaction personally and reimburse me.
To think, all of this crazyness simply to have the desire to improve in my position. There's got to be a better way.

Thanks for the offer to email you-I think I followed your note, but will take you up if I get stuck when actually on line with PL.

Thanks again,
Pam

Howard

I am glad to see that the town I grew up in - Union - has made it to the travel board. I would suggest looking into either the Garden State Motor Lodge in Union or the Holiday Inn in adjacent Springfield. Both are adequate, if unspectacular. Do not stay Parsipanny, Woodbridge, etc. as others have suggested. Why drive that much and risk getting stuck in traffic???? If you need any tips on what to see in Union, let me know.

scott

I would try the crown plaza in clark, on in cranford there is a hilton brand (forgot name) suite hotel that is nice