NYC lodging help needed for Oct 12-15
 

My husband and I will be in NYC Oct 12-15 and are looking for 3 nights lodging. Trying to find a hotel room in the $150-$175 range. I've seen some hotels in the areas of Queens and Long Island City. Would either be a better choice? Also saw an apartment to rent in a Stanton Island neighborhood 3 min from ferry. That seems a long way from Manhattan - should I consider it? We plan to go in to Manhattan each day and see as many sights as possible in the two full days we have there. We then pick up a rental car and drive to New Hampshire for a week. If necessary we can get the car 3 days early if we need one to get to a hotel cheaper than airport transports, as long as the hotel has free parking. We don't mind staying outside of Manhattan if it is near an easy transit in. Any help or advice would be appreciated as I need to get something booked. Thank you.

Your budget is low for October. Remember that taxes add ~15%.
FYI, it's Staten Island.
Almost all short term vacation rentals are ILLEGAL in NYC.
There are hotels (Country Inn & Suites, Home 2 Suites, among several others) that are near subway stations (indicated by little blue Ms on google maps) in Long Island City, which is a section of Queens and a short subway ride from Manhattan.

Well, you could get a room with two bunk beds and shared bathroom at the Jane for $135 plus tax for those nights, but those rooms are tight for one, never mind two.

I was pricing before the tax. People keep saying apt rentals are illegal but from research it seems they are not but that there is a law pending, which has not gone into effect yet. Home & Away and VRBO have many of them listed.
Country Inn in Long Island City was one of the hotels that I saw. So is that section of Queens a decent location? What about Astoria?
Thank you.

Apartment rentals for less than 30 days are illegal in NYC NOW. This does not apply to renting a room in an apartment in which the owners remain while you are there.
Home & Away, VRBO, AirBnB and such are under no obligation to screen the rentals posted on their sites.

Samba is correct, short term rentals in NYC are illegal unless the owner is also living on the premises.
IIRC New York sued AirBnB a few years ago over this.

Check the reviews for the Larchmont Hotel which is in a lovely residential neighborhood near Washington Square Park. You'll get a real feel for life in Greenwich Village staying here. It's like a Bed & Breakfast, with two bathrooms on every floor. www.larchmonthotel.com

Country Inn in LIC is okay, Wyndham LIC or the Nesva Hotel are a bit better at the same price point. Nesva and the Country Inn are short walks to the subway, recent reviews of the Country Inn infer that there is a management problem/hotel is due for some upgrades & TLC.

Stay in Manhattan.

Try Hotwire.

Good luck!

Try the courtyard Marriott right in the Times Square area. There Re many hotel in NYC for you to choose from. You will be sightseeing all day and night long. A small room will not even phase you after twelve hours on your feet. I wouldn't bother to use Staten Island or LIC for lodging. Stay in the city and get the real experience.

Apartment rentals for less than 30 day are illegal NOW and have been for years. The pending aw makes the advertising illegal so that the city can shut down all of the ads. They have already started shutting down the apts as they identify them - more than 1,000 have been put out of business and they are fining or evicting the others out of business as fast as they can get evidence.

Only hotel or legal hostel is safe. With such a low budget I would try to something in Long Island City -and no renting a car in advance is a total nonsense. Hotels don't have free parking and car rentals are about $100 per day - which might let you stay in Manhattan if put towards a hotel.

I agree with Gekko, stay in Manhattan and try Hotwire or Priceline Hotwire showing a 3* Midtown West 90% recommended for $18s.00 free breakfast and internet. Places we usually stay are going for the upper 200's and they are not luxury.

Sorry, meant $182.00.

>>I was pricing before the tax. People keep saying apt rentals are illegal but from research it seems they are not but that there is a law pending, which has not gone into effect yet.<<

Then your research is not very good at all. There is no new law pending. They are/have been/ and most likely always will be . . . <B>Illegal</B>

The City of New York and it's laws have more credibility than Homeaway or VRBO or AirbnB. You don't want to be one of those visitors standing in an apartment house lobby being told by the front desk or doorman that your rental does not or can not exist.

AirBnB is fine as long as it's a shared apartment/ private room/ owner is on the premises. But if you don't mind sharing, look at the Larchmont Hotel where you won't deal with cleaning fees and booking fees and cancellation fees etc. Larchmont is always full however so don't wait much longer to book...you can cancel up until Oct 10. Light continental breakfast is included.

Thank you for your replies and information. Our plans have changed and I am starting a new post with my question now. Thanks.

You might also want to consider Fairfield Inn in Flushing. I stay there when visiting relatives. They have a shuttle to Long Island Railroad and you can be in Manhattan in 15 minutes.

Podie: The OP has a newer thread w/ different questions.

>>Our plans have changed and I am starting a new post with my question now.<<