starbuck1105

Hello,

I'd like to know if anyone can recommend any hotels in NYC for Labor Day weekend. I will be attending the US Open that Saturday, so I'm hoping to find something that's either not too far away from the tournament or relatively easy to utilize public transportation/taxis. I've not been to NYC in some time, and am not really familiar with the city. My budget is around $100 per night but I can spend as much as $150 per night if necessary. Safety and wi-fi access are other considerations. Thank you!

cherrybomb

Your budget is really low unless you want a hostel, especially for a holiday weekend.

You won't really save that much in time or money staying in Queens at this point. Anywhere in Manhattan will be fine as you just need to get to the 7 train to get to the Open. You can get the train at Grand Central.

Here is a map for the subway as a start: http://www.mta.info/

MFNYC

CHeck out the larchmont hotel in Greenwich Village (www.larchmonthotel.com). It's a great neighborhood and close to the subway. Bathrooms are down the hall, but in your range I think it would be impossible find something ensuite, especially in Manhattan. I believe a continental breakfast may also be included with the room.

MFNYC

I don't know if the Larchmont has free wifi, but it is available in most NYC parks and libraries (both of which are within a couple of short blocks of this hotel).

The area and hotel are very safe.

ellenem

You might try the Quality Inn in Long Island City. It's just a block from Queensboro Plaza where you can catch the 7 train to the tennis center.

http://www.qualityinn.com/ires/en-US....2mTnmgkygg.47

mclaurie

Think again, starbuck. $100-150 will maybe buy you a room in a hotel with shared bathrooms (some are quite good like the Podhotel.com or the Larchmonthotel.com or ChelseaLodge.com) or maybe a private room in a hostel like the Vanderbilt YMCA or the Big Apple hostel. The open is in Queens where hotels are usually cheaper, but b/c of the Open, the hotels there are just as pricey if not more so than in Manhattan. STaying in Manhattan near a subway stop is your best bet.

If you have to have a room with private bath, you might find something for ~$200 on travelzoo.com or you could try bidding on Priceline. There's a special for the Hudson on travelzoo and it's also a Priceline hotel (3* upper midtown). You might get it for less on PL.

doug_stallings

Starbuck, I hate to tell you this, but your price range is completely unrealistic. Not only will this particular weekend be more expensive than usual, but you're waited very late to be making reservations for what is usually one of the busiest weekends of the entire summer in NYC. Ellenem's suggestion of the Comfort Inn Long Island City is a good one. It's just a block or two from the 7 subway, which takes you right to the stadium.

Barring that, I suppose you could stay in one of the La Guardia hotels, but a taxi is really going to cost a pretty penny. Technically, it's possible to reach some of these hotels by bus from the 74th/Roosevelt stop on the 7 train, but it's not easy.

Good luck ... your'e going to need it. A typical room in Manhattan starts at $250 per night, not including taxes at this time of the year and may be more for that particular weekend.

doug_stallings

I did a quick look, and rooms at the Comfort Inn Long Island City are $220 that weekend. You might be able to find something on Priceline for less, or if you pay about $30 more per night, you might be able to find something in Manhattan. I'd book something right away. Rooms for that weekend are already booked pretty solid.

nytraveler

Agree that you have left it very late. And $100 is;t realistic for a room in NYC - except in January.

You can either look into hostels (about $40 per night for a bed in a drom room with locker) or at least double your budget.

And you need to move quickly - since hotels are filling up rapidly (I checked several budget places and they have no availability) and prices will only go up - not down.

You can check out travelzoo and kayak - but do look at reviews on tripadvisor, the latter site especially has some hotels you do NOT want to stay in.

starbuck1105

Thanks all. I've booked a room at the Pod Hotel. Looks like a great location and I saw some nice write-ups for it earlier today while researching budget hotels. I'm paying $70 more per night than I wanted, but it should be fine.

doug_stallings

It's not a bad hotel at all; in fact, it's kind of stylish, even though the rooms are incredibly small and some have shared baths. And it's a good location. You can walk down to Grand Central in about 10 minutes and catch the 7 train straight to Shea; the subway trip takes about 30 minutes.

MFNYC

This is much better than staying in Queens. The atmosphere at the open is great. GIve yourself extra time to just hang out on the grounds of the tennis center.

starbuck1105

I'm not bothered by the size of the rooms. Realistically, I'll just be there to sleep and will probably check my email once a day or so.

Taking the Subway should be a (hopefully fun) experience for me. Never ridden the subway system and am, admittedly, a bit intimidated by the prospect of it. (Not so much the safety aspect... rather, getting to where I need to go.)

Hoping to score Yankees tix for Friday night (If anyone has suggestions for finding tix at or near face value, I'd love to hear them... again, I know that this is unlikely. I'm just putting it out there).

Also, any suggestions for transportation to/from JFK to the PodHotel? I've yet to do my research on this angle, and I'm sure the answers can be found online. I just thought I'd ask while I was thinking of it.

Thanks, everyone!

nytraveler

Almost al Yankees games are sold out. th eonly way to get them near face value is to go to the Yankees web site and see if they have any returns or single tickets left.

Otherwise your best bet is stubhub.com - which is reliable and doesn;t charge as much s some of the other resellers - but expect to pay from 1.5 times face value up - based on how desperate others are to get tickets before the Stadium closes.

ellenem

The Pod Hotel is perfect for the AirTrain/E train combination from JFK. Even it's website gives simple directions:

http://www.thepodhotel.com/getting.html

There a few threads here that discuss this in detail. Simply:
Take the AirTrain from JFK to Jamaica Station
(cost $5 as you exit)
Take the elevator and escalator down a few levels to the E train subway to Manhattan. Get off at Lexington Ave. ($2)

You'll be a very short walk from your hotel.