Hi all,

Your advice is great! Here is my situation: I have tickets to see Martha Stewart's new show, which tapes in Chelsea. We will be driving in from Detroit, and I am looking for the best options for where to stay and how to get to the Studio (on 26th Street between 7th and 8th) once I get there (taxi, subway?).

I've never been to NYC, and I am SHOCKED at the hotel prices for Manhattan! $400-500 a night is WAY out of my price range, so is it better to stay in Jersey and take a train or something into the city? Or are there any "cheaper" accommodations in the area - and how does parking work (I drive a large SUV - hey, I'm from Detroit!)....

Thanks for any advice anyone can give!!!!

1.) Do not plan on driving into NYC
2.) Check out Priceline for a NYC hotel. And if you've not used P'line before, check out Biddignfortravel.com for a look-see at what kinds of hotels you can expect and the going rates.

Staying outside Manhattan when you are planning on doing all your shopping, sightseeing, and dining in Manhattan is a major PIA. Any money you save at a hotel will be eaten up with commuting time and costs.

NYC isn't like other cities you drive to and visit.

Firstly, ditch the giant SUV. Parking is scarce and very expensive and many garages will not accept big SUVs or mini vans. Street parking in most neighborhoods is iffy at best and not for the faint of heart.

Take the train or fly from Detroit. Spirit Air has direct flights.

What are your dates to visit? That has a lot to do with hotel prices.

October through December is the busiest time and hotel prices are double what they are in Jan/Feb. For that time of year I would consider $300 rock bottom - for a modest place. Priceline has little inventory because the city is so busy (many extra europeans since the dollar is low). But you can keep trying aand hope you get something relased by a tour group that didn;t fill.

But stay in Jersey only if you really can;t pull off NYC - trekking back and forth - esp as you get closer to the holidays can take massive amounts of time.

For best hotel rates try up or downtown- avoid Times Square. (If you do a search above you wil find lots of specific recos for budget places.)

Also- agree to ditch the SUV - flying is a much better option. Most garages in NYC can;t take the big ones (the ceilings are too low) and for the few that can parking will be a premium since you're taking up 2 spaces - like $50 a day.

You can;t really park on the street in midtown - what there is is metered and limited to an hour. It's possible in residential areas - but you have to follow the arane alternate side parking rules or they will ticket you ($100) or tow you ($1000 plus). And finding a spot to put a big SUV would be a big chore - since most cars leve much smaller spaces (and you have to be able to park in a space no more than a foot longer than the car). (I have an Acura RSX and often can fit into spots the bigger cars - still smaller than your SUV - can't.)

You say $400-500 is out of your price range, but haven't mentioned what your price range IS or your dates. If you can manage $300/night, you can still find something pretty nice. And there are some lower cost hotels. Try looking outside of the really touristy mid-town and Times Square area. For example, I usually find better prices on the upper West Side. Someplace like On The Ave or the Beacon. You might also try Murray Hill. The Shelburne Murray Hill might work.

Parking is going to be expensive. Most hotels will offer some kind of parking, and last I checked it was around $30/night. So make sure to figure that into your budget. Or don't drive. Given gas and parking prices you may well find airfare is cheaper.

Try quickbook.com for discounted hotel prices. You can get some better deals there.

We have stayed 2x at Gershwin 7 E. 27th St. for around $180/night (may be a bit less-can't find my notes at the mo) and were perfectly satisfied. Call them at 212 545 8000 about parking. On paper, that looks like an easy walk to the studio. Two diff subway lines in easy walking distance also. Check also DK Eyewitness book-it lists several places in that area but I can't vouch for any of em.

You will not find $30 per night in Manhattan for an oversized SUV.

Jersey City and Weewauken will be close to if not more than $200 per night this time of year.

The last few months of the year may be the most expensive in New York, but $300 a night is NOT rock bottom! Sure,. you won't get the Ritz, but you also can get something around $200 that is not a dump. Do some research.

Howard, the Courtyard by Marriott Jersey City is $179 per night.

I'm not sure I'd stay in a hotel less than $300. Even the old inexpensive standbys are that much.

NYC has gotten extremely expensive, partly due to the good exchange rate for foreigners coming here.

The Travel Inn is the only hotel in NYC that has free parking, but not sure even they will take a big SUV. There's a municipal garage on 42 st b/w 8th & 9th ave. just as you exit the Lincoln Tunnel, but again, not sure whether they will take your SUV.

The Cosmopolitan is a newish budget hotel downtown. There's a Hampton Inn in Chelsea (probably booked). Another thought is trying to rent an apt., but you'd still have the parking issue. How many of you are coming and what are the dates?

Do yourself a huge favor and leave the SUV at home. What you will pay in gas and parking will more than cover your plane tickets and driving in NYC is not for someone who has never been here before and doesn't know their way around. Do as most residents do and use public transportation - it can get you almost anywhere faster and easier than driving will (and without the headache of parking). Honestly, I sometimes have a hard time finding a parking place for a small car, finding legal spaces big enough for an SUV will take miracles (and I have the option of putting mine in a garage when necessary - most garages will not take SUVs).

That said, since I live here, I don't know much about the hotel prices or where you can do better than $300 per night. I do know that it all depends on what time of year you are coming.

I know a few people who have been to tapings of Martha Stewart's show and have said that it was fun. Enjoy yourself!

Wow - your answers are even better than I thought! We are attending the Martha! taping on 11/7 (Monday), and hoped to arrive Sunday (11/6) - which I have just learned is the day of the NYC Marathon!! Wouldn't it figure - just my luck!?!

Most hotels that are cheaper are booked solid, so we may have to compromise.
We have to arrive at the studio by 8:30 am, so I decided I really would rather stay in the city, versus fighting commuter traffic coming it at that time of the morning.

I checked the Cosmopolitan, as it seems to get really good reviews, but they are booked Sunday... Maybe we spend a bit more and stay somewhere else Sunday, and move to the Cosmo for the next couple of nights? I was really hoping to stay under $200 a night, though...

Can anyone speak to hotels in the TriBeCa, Village, or Financial areas? These seem to be do-able as far as getting to the studio. Also - how are taxi prices, if we need to cab-it from the hotel to the studio, and into Midtown for shopping? I will have my mom with me who has had a recent knee replacement and can't walk distances too well...

Sorry for all the questions, but I want to make sure I have all bases covered so mom feels "secure". I do work in downtown Detroit, so I am familiar with city driving (though not near the scale of NYC), but I think even I would be in over my head!!

Thanks again, everyone!!

Smart girl kaydell!

Stay downtown. Easy transportation to your location by either cab or subway.

The city will clear out by Monday afternoon.

I'm running the marathon and we don't leave until Monday BUT many of those runners and families flying internationally will be flying home Sunday night.

Okay, this is what I found arriving Sunday November 6 and departing Tuesday November 8 on Quikbook.com

Best Western Seaport Suites (downtown, fantastic hotel) $195

Windsor Hotel (SoHo) $196

Wall Street Inn (downtown, GREAT hotel) $239

I'm not sure the Windsor is any good. Check tripadvisor. The Seaport Suites is the best option of the ones GoTravel mentioned. There's a VERY basic place called Chelsea Lodge. Maybe stay there the first night if it's available and then move to the Cosmopolitan. You might also want to check the Abbingdon Guest House and the Townhouse on west 11 th. They're nice b and b type places in the village.

Cab fares aren't bad. Have we given up on the SUV?

I've been trying to get Martha tickets with no luck. I've been able to request tickets 3 or 4 times, but never get the tickets...how'd you do it?

Well, here's the latest! I did get reservations at the Cosmopolitan Hotel through an online reservation site called "hotelconxions.com". I paid $10 over the price quoted on the Cosmo Hotel website, but I couldn't get a reservation through the hotel directly. I am a little nervous about whether my reservation will actually be there or not, so I am calling tomorrow to make sure. With taxes and all that, the total was approx. $200 per night, which works out perfectly, and we are only a little over 2 miles from the studio!

I am still undecided about driving in; I hate to fly (post-9/11 syndrome, I guess), so I think we will ditch my SUV and take my mom's Chrylser Pacifica. It's much smaller than mine - a cross between a car and mini-van. I will check with the hotel, as they have "parking garage access" advertised - I will check that out....

Last bit - to Isabellasu - I tried 3x to get tickets for Martha with no luck -I thought since we were out of state that maybe they would not give us tix. On the 4th try, I got a confirmation - although it was only a little over 2 weeks in advance - not 30 days like they indicate. Thus, the mad scramble for reservations...

You all are so terrific - sincere thanks to you all! I am so excited about my first trip to the city. Next thing is to review posts for best restaurants and sights to see -we only have 4 days, so we must make the most of it!!

Thanks again to everyone!

Good luck kaydell! Please do a report about your adventures!