Newark/NYC hotel
 

My mom and I will be flying in to Newark at night and hoping to visit NYC the following day. Any suggestions for a hotel near the Newark airport that will have good access to the airport as well as access to transportation to NYC? Reasonable price and good transportation options are the priority at this point. Thanks.

Transportation from EWR into Manhattan isn't particularly cheap or convenient. The difficulty in staying at an EWR airport-area hotel is that you have to go back to the airport in order to get into Manhattan, and then you pay an inflated train fare to get on at the Newark Airport station.

If you can find a hotel in your price range, consider staying in Manhattan so at least you are there for touring the next day.

There are plenty of EWR airport hotels that offers shuttles, so I don't think it matters much which one you stay at. But none are very convenient for getting into Manhattan.

The only reason to stay at Newark is if you're flying out the following day. There is a Marriott right on the airport grounds, but I don't think it gets very good reviews. Check on tripadvisor.com Newark airport is about an hour from Manhattan. If you explain your exact plans (and hotel budget) we can help you better.

Thanks for the responses. We will be arriving late at night and my mom is nervous about trying to get into Manhattan that late at night (she's never been and I have only been once), so she wanted to stay close to the airport and travel in to the city the next morning. We are planning to fly into EWR because after seeing NYC, we have a wedding to attend in PA, and EWR is the most convenient airport on that end of the trip. So the plan was to fly into EWR, go to NYC for a day or two and then go back to EWR to rent a car and head to the wedding. We haven't yet finalized any travel so, so any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.

You will do better to just go to a hotel by taxi in Manhattan. Newark isn't any day at the beach for late night either.
You could take a shuttle or the train BACK to EWR for the car rental etc.

I 'd much rather be heading into Manhattan late at night than into Newark at any time (the airport is just an airport - but much of Newark is very high crime).

Totally agree. Instead of a taxi, use a private car service like dial7.com who will ask you to phone when you've got your luggage and are ready to leave the airport. They'll tell you where to meet the driver. Stay at a hotel in Manhattan and wake up with the city at your feet.

Manhattan is safer than Newark!

Where is the wedding in PA...is it on a train route?

Thanks for the responses, this has been very helpful. Of course, my next question is how to find select a hotel in Manhattan. My mom doesn't get out much, so will likely suffer sticker shock regardless of where we stay. I am aware that the prices will be quite a bit higher than Newark, but would still like to keep it as reasonable as possible. Thanks!

EWR is more convenient than Philly? You can do an open jaw into LGA or JFK and out of EWR, ABE or any other airport. It's not always more expensive. Either way, get a driver or shuttle to pick you up. That will give you sticker shock, too. Cabs are easy too. Hotels in NY, check these:

http://gonyc.about.com/od/hotels/tp/topcheaphotel.htm

Check tripadvisor before you book.

christabir,

Thanks for the suggestion. You are right that a three-airport itinerary is not much more. Any recommendation between LGA and JFK?

Thanks!

LGA is a cheaper taxi ride (about $25 on the meter plus toll and tip), quicker and closer to Manhattan than JFK (set rate $45 plus toll and tip). I would pick based on best arrival time for the price.

A 3 airport itin? Where in Pa is the wedding? Some locations like Philadelphia would be easier to do by train.

Agree, pick the airport with the better price/flight times for you. LGA is closer to Manhattan and smaller but EWR or JFK are also fine. As for hotel, know that prices fluctuate pretty dramatically by date/season. Travelzoo.com and travel-ticker.com are websites that have hotel sales 1-3 months in advance of a stay. Quikbook.com and Kayak.com are websites I use for "shopping" hotels. How old is Mom and what sort of things do you want to see/do?