Did you look at prices for the Comfort Inn Long Island City? To me, it is a much more convenient choice for a not-Manhattan location than New Jersey.

I have a couple of friends in NJ...so it would be easier to catchup with them staying there if not Manhattan..

I'll attempt a brief explanation of Priceline here, although if rooms are as tight as this thread leads me to believe, then maybe getting a bid accepted will be tough.

With Priceline, you select a city or area, then a zone within that city you want to stay in, then the "star"-level property you desire, four stars being the nicest/most expensive on down. Once selected, you place a "bid" on how much you would like to pay for your room, assuming your bid is accepted. If it is, you have agreed to accept whatever hotel takes your bid without knowing the name or exact location. Once your bid is accepted, your credit card is immediately charged so no changes or cancellations are allowed. You are guaranteed accommodations for two people only, in whatever bed configuration the hotel puts you in.

Ideally, you will have first done your research on www.biddingfortravel.com or preferably www.betterbidding.com (they are nicer) to get an idea of what bids are being accepted. You do not have to "join" either site to read them. The good think about bidding for a New York hotel is how much activity there is on those boards so there is a lot of info. You can also read the hotel lists to know which hotels you might be likely to get in each zone at each star level. With research and patience you can get some really amazing deals and it's really fun when it works out! Once you try, it's easy to get hooked. Good luck!

I understand silver, but honestly, you will miss out if you stay in NJ. A big mistake all around, ESP with just 3 days. Did u check out Comfort inn long island city?

Look around price line.com for awhile. Pick an area of manhattan, put in your dates, the number of stars you require (3 * hotel) and how much u are willing to pay. For example: midtown west, $250, 3***


Know that you have to pay the $$$ up front. Worth it over NJ!

You should be able to get a hotel on Manhattan using Priceline for way less than $300 per night. I would start bidding at about $150 per night (3*) and move up from there. You just need to look at the areas you want to stay in.

I really think that this will make for a much more productive trip and save you a lot of time and money trekking to and fro the airports. And you friends in Jersey can come and visit you in Manhattan - a much smaller distance than the trip you are already making.