Cathy

We will be in NYC in December for several days and are debating between these hotels. All are on the Upper West Side. Does anyone have an opinion about any of them? The Comfort Inn and the Quality Hotel (92nd & Broadway) have incredible rates; probably TOO incredible, so we're wondering if they are clean, safe, etc. The Beacon sounds like it has the largest rooms, but is more expensive.

Any advice?

Alan

Cathy, where did you find the ultra-cheap rates on those two hotels? I checked a few websites for a bargain, but without success. Sorry I can't give you any info on the standard of the hotels... am just about to head for NYC myself! (I got the Broadway on 101st St for $39 a night, and, like you, I am wondering if the rate is too good to be true.)

Merilee

The area around West 92nd Street and Broadway is a diverse and busy one...there are lots of shops and restaurants of all kinds...the #9 train has a station at West 96th Street (also 86th Street, 79th Street, 72nd Street and more) that goes to West 42nd Street and other areas...there are also bus routes that will take you past different neighborhoods...other posters may disagree with me, but I think the neighborhood is fine...if the weather is nice and you like to walk take a stroll down Broadway through the 80's and 70's...there's a nice cafe called French Roast and a restaurant called La Caridad which serves Spanish/Chinese cuisine that is so good...huge portions at a bargain price...there's also a Barnes & Noble, Gap, and one of my favorites, a Tasty Delite, the best "fake soft ice-cream" you'll ever taste.

Merilee

Alan, some of the hotels in the 100's are what used to be SRO's (single room occupancy) where people down on their luck could stay...I've heard some are being renovated and this may well be one that is, but you should do some more research...just a few blocks can change a neighborhood drastically...my father's pharmacy was in that area, but since he's not there anymore I don't have exact info on that place.

Janie

Quality Hotel is at 94th and Broadway. It's across the street from the 1/9/2/3 subway station, in an diverse upper middle class neighborhood filled with stores and restaurants. Can't vouch for the hotel other than the lobby, which looks nice, and the groups of perople I see coming in and out--who look fine to me. The location is good in that it is a quickl train ride to most places in NYC (5-15 minutes to midtown, for example) always busy (i.e. not deserted like some midtown streets after dark or on weekends) and near lots of reasonably priced restaurants.
Comfort Hotel is on 71st street, right, Also a good location (about a mile south of Quality Hotel) also near the subway (though a different line) on a quiet street. Very close to Columbus avenue shopping and restauaarnts (somewhat fancier neighborhood than Quality Hotel)
very close to Lincoln Center.
Beacon is on Broadway itself rather than the other two which are on side streets so is noisier location, but also in a good neighborhood for both safety and services nearby. What qualifies as incredible rates, by the way?
Alan, FYI, 101st and broadway is a somewhat different feeling neighborhood from Quality Hotel ,even though only 7 blocks apart. Hotels up there were mostly the SROs mentioned above, and likely to be shared bath and less well maintained than the hotels Cathy mentioned.

NYer

IMHO - I would not stay above 92nd street..cheap in NY means there is something wrong with it that they can only tempt you with low rates..sorry.

jack

The Comfort Inn on 71st is infinitely better located than the Quality Hotel. Right off the park and in the beautiful part of the Upper West Side.

Beacon is well-located, too.

Cathy

For those who wanted the rates of these hotels, these are what I got via phone calls for Dec 8-12, 2001. We got the Beacon for $145/night, their "fall special." The Comfort Inn Central Park West (AAA or AARP rate) is $161.10 for Saturday night, then $71.10 thereafter. The Quality Hotel on Broadway is $67.50 for Saturday, then $65.25 for the next 3 nights (my sister-in-law got a higher price for Saturday night via internet, but same $65 rate for succeeding nights). FWIW, both of these places are handled through www.hotelchoice.com, 800-228-5150)

We are interested in this area bec/ of nephews who live nearby, but this is not the deciding factor.

I'm just wondering if the Beacon is worth almost twice as much as the Comfort Inn or Quality Hotel...and we fully realize that these prices are not "high" for a decent NYC hotel.

We're willing (and would prefer) to stay in midtown somewhere if we can get the same deal!

So, what do y'all think?

RQF

The Quality at 94th in another life was an SRO and a blight on the neibhorhood. About 3 years ago it underwent extensive renovation and while there may still be some permanent residents it has become a regular transient hotel. It is no longer a blight. We live a blcck away and when it was an SRO my wife refused to walk by the place. Today, she feels perfectly safe and doesn't hesitate to walk by. As was pointed out in another reply they did a good job with the lobby. If the rooms were totally renovated as well it sounds like a good deal. Lots of restaurants of all price ranges in the immediate area. T HOtel is less than 100 feet from the entrance to the subway. Train ride to Times Square is less than 10 minutes

Rosemary

Stayed at that particular Comfort Inn last December, relatives stayed there this July. Location is brilliant, Subway and Central Park really close, seemed safe, as previous posters have said, the Columbus Avenue shops/restaurants are near. Rooms are small but clean. Reasonable continental breakfast is included. There were one or two problems in July, for example our family were given a full bed when they'd booked a queen-size, and didn't find it easy to change. But in July the hotel was packed and the staff finding it difficult to cope - I would imagine you won't find this the case in December.

ABD

You can perform a search of the above mentioned hotels on newyork.citysearch.com and if there are reviews from previous guests, you can read them and make a decision based on comments of previous guests...this is my suggestion.

Alan

Cathy, your question certainly yielded a lot of good advice, and I am grateful especially to Merilee and Janie, who gave me some advice in with their messages to you.... I found that I couldn't match your prices at Quality or Comfort, but maybe that's because we need a larger room for ourselves and our two kids. However, mindful of the advice in this thread, I re-booked at the Aladdin, which is only marginally more expensive than the Broadway and right down on 45th street. Thanks for all the help!

Rebecka

Two friends and I stayed at the Comfort Inn Central Park West last week. The hotel was clean and the location can't be beat. On the down-side, the rooms were small and 2 of us had to share a double bed which was hardly ideal. Next time, I think we'll be looking harder for a hotel with single beds! The continental breakfast was nothing to write home about but at least it was something. Unfortunately, there were some service-related snafus as well, although our room rates ended up being less than the quote they gave us, which was great. For the triple each of us paid only a little over $87 for two nights! Not bad.

Cat_Lancaster

Cathy - I'm going to be in NYC from 22nd Dec. thru 26th and found really good hotel rates from citysearch.com. I'm staying at the Park Central (7th & 56th) for $139 a night, king sized bed. Normally I don't like huge hotels like this, but for that price & location it's worth it. Just a thought.

Cat in Chicago

Tania

Stayed at the Comfort Inn for Macy's parade last year. VERY small rooms, had no heat for an afternoon and night. Would not stay there again. Hotel Beacon is wonderful. The rooms are very big, stove, refrig. - the best we have found in the area so far. Did stay at the Milburn this year for the parade and it was nice (only a block fromm the Beacon). Friendly staff, large rooms, kitchenette.