New York City
 

WE would like to spend Christmas/New years around Time Square however can not get a hotel close and at a reasonable price. Would like to know if there is somewhere on the outskirts we could stay and commute back and forth with a reasonable time to commute?

Can you not get a hotel near Times Square or in all of Manhattan? (It will be high season so many hotels have likely been booked long ago)

What is your general, preferred price range?

How long is reasonable to you?

Many visitors stay in Long Island City or other parts of Queens, easily accessible by subway. New Jersey is another, less desirable to me, option. And then there are the towns along the main rail routes, including the Long Island Rail Road and others. I'd look in Queens first. Brooklyn, too.

Which dates are you checking? If you're trying to do a stay including New Year's Eve, I'm not surprised. But otherwise I'd be surprised that you can't find something pretty good from Christmas until New Year's Eve Day -- then maybe move further away just for that night.

And what do you mean by "reasonable"?

A quick search for 7 nights arriving the 25th showed some decent choices in the just under $300 range (these days that is "reasonable" by NY standards in Midtown). One I found on Expedia for that week I have stayed several times and enjoyed the Lexington (and it looks like it was all renovated recently). It is at Lex and 48th, the East side of Midtown but a reasonable walk to Times Square, Central Park, Rockafeller Center and elsewhare and the east side is handier to LaGuardia if you are flying in and out there.

Looking at the Fairfield Inn by Marriott Times Square

How far Comfort Inn JFK Airport to time square

"How far Comfort Inn JFK Airport to time square"

Times Square.
It is not convenient to stay near the airport.

According to Google it will take an hour and a quarter by public transportation to get to Times Square from the Comfort Inn at JFK.

Book a hotel farther away from Times Square and take the subway there if you want to visit it. On NYE in the daytime roads are blocked off surrounding Times Square with police barricades. I couldn't wait to get out of there and back to my hotel on the east side follwing a Broadway matinee with my grandkids.

You do not want to stay at JFK.

There are safe, clean, and reasonably priced hotels throughout Manhattan.

You also must read about NYE at Times Square and how you must be there hours in advance and if you go to the bathroom, you lose your spot.

Also that night the trains are on a special schedule.

Also the entire Christmas week, try to eat in residential areas not in mid-town, the street around Rock Center become impassable on days other than New Year's.

I'm guessing since you mentioned Comfort Inn by JFK that your budget is pretty low. Let us know what it is and we can help. As others already said, long trip from JFK to Times Square.

I think someone already mentioned looking at Long Island City. There are quite a few hotels in the $150 range plus tax. Four Subway stops to Midtown which takes about 8-10 min.

Staying at a hotel near the airport will be an hour at least to get to Times Square. You would either have to pay for cabs from hotel to and fro the City - a fortune - or get the hotel shuttle to the airport and from there take the Air Train and then either the subway or the LIRR. A major PIA.

If you want to stay on Long Island You should stay in Long Island City - about 15 minutes to the City by subway (but make sure the hotel is near the subway in LIC).

but for us to help you, you need to give us a specific budget in $ and tell us how many and who "we" are - can you share one double bed - which is the usual configuration in NYC.

Have you looked at Hotel Newton on UWS? Good prices.


What about staying at a hotel at Jamaica Station Sky Train and taking the LIRR to and from Penn Station?

I would absolutely try and stay in Manhattan.

Thin

Newton is a reliable budget property and is right on top of the subway (10 minutes to Times Square) on the mid/upscale upper west side. I would definitely check there - they usually have very good rates. but may be sold out - without your dates and budget can't tell.