What is up with the New York Marathon? I'm planning on visiting NYC the first week of Nov and everything is booked!! I finally found out why! All the prices are jacked up too. What exactly goes on here? Is is an annual thing? Where abouts is it held??

Question -

I'm running in it and booked my room the day i found out i got a spot in the lottery (in June). The race starts on Staten Island and goes through a number of the boroughs before ending in Central Park. It's been an annual event for more than 20 years (I believe). 30,000 runners (along with their friends and family). 2,000,000 spectators. If you find a room, come out and watch it Sunday - it is a GREAT event. I know I'm biased, but watching a world class marathon like NYC, Boston, or Chicago beats watching more popular sports hands down

Oh boy. You picked a really bad week for accomodations. The marathon is a thrilling event for all New Yorkers, and the thousands of participants, friends, and family who decend upon the city that week. You could try the Marcel on E.24th @ 3rd Ave. It is a little less known than most of the others. Besides that, I have no other suggestions. So sorry!

NYC is really packe d for the marathon. If you can't find anything in Manhattan, I would try Brooklyn or even New Jersey. Ft. Lee, NJ is right over the bridge to NYC and there are several hotels.

You might want to try some of the hotels in New Jersey near Giants Stadium, about a 20 minute or so bus ride to the bus terminal on 8th Ave. and 42nd:

Holiday Inn Express, Carlstadt, NJ
Hampton Inn, Carlstadt, NJ
Fairfield Inn, Carlstadt, NJ

Just to clarify - the marathon goes through ALL of the boroughs (five of 'em).

Agree that the Marcel would be a good choice. Look at it and others in the same management group at www.nycityhotels.net

My visit to NYC two years ago was over the Marathon weekend as well, and I had a lot of trouble finding a room in a decent price range. That was when I discovered the On the Ave Hotel on the Upper West Side...they had rooms and it's become my favorite budget hotel in NY. Plus, you'll be within walking distance of Central Park and the finish line for the race...a thrilling event indeed and one of the things I miss about living in NY.

Hi!

We're there the same weekend and had the same problem . . . could not find a hotel under $350/night. We ended up renting an apartment in Midtown from Urban Ventures (www.nyurbanventures.com).

We have a 1 bedroom apt w/queen bed in bedroom, queen sleeper sofa in living room, full bath and kitchen, elevator, office staff downstairs during bus hrs.

We're paying $180 + 8.25% tax . . . a bargain (for the 4 of us).

We dealt w/Jennifer (email: [email protected]), very nice.

Good luck,
Sandy

there is a hotel in bay ridge, brooklyn, off of 86th street. I do't remember the name but we would go for brunch every now and then when I lived in Brooklyn. it is 2 blooks away from 3rd ave ( the runners will go right by. There are also some owsome restraunts and increadable night life and bars. You will definatly have a great tme.

Park South, a new hotel, just opened this week on East 28 Street between Park and Lex. I really don't know much about the hotel, I live around the corner, but the lobby looks nice and it isn't very busy yet. The website is parksouthhotel.com.

May I suggest Fort Lee, New Jersey...it is right over the George Washington Bridge...you can take any bus going over the bridge to Port Authority on West 181st Street and Broadway, and then take the bus or the train anywhere you want to go in the city...Anyway, there's a Hilton (201)461-9000, Holiday Inn (201)944-5000, and Best Western (201)461-7000 in Fort Lee...You can also take the commuter shuttle bus to the New York Waterways Ferry in Weehawken, NJ..this will leave you off at 38th Street, but they have a shuttle bus that will take you to the major intersections in the city...there used to be a Comfort Inn on River Road in Edgewater, New Jersey (near Fort Lee and closer to the ferry)...it's on the banks of the Hudson River...try (201)943-3131...there's also a "floating" restaurant there called Binghamton's...I haven't been there in a awhile so I don't know how it is now.