I am traveling to NYC from Newport and I will have a car. Where can I stay close to the city that has parking and I can use public transportation into the city itself???
suggestions. I will be staying overnight the day I arrive and the evening after my day in NYC where I will be out late seeing a play.

Nearly all NYC hotels have on-sight or nearby parking. Call ahead and ask the rates. Typically, "valet" costs more than parking your car your self in the very same garage. Or, you could drive around the block an save a few bucks a night, as there are a multitude of parking garages throughout the city. Sometimes you can do better, sometime your hotel has a "deal" with the garage for hotel guests. DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

What do you mean by "close to the city"??? There is inside the city and not inside the city. What is "close" to the city? Anything that is not inside is not particularly "close".

If your play is in the theater district (and i understand you correctly that you are looking to stay outside of NYC) i would suggest hotels in Secaucus, Rutherford, East Rutherford. There are a variety of hotels in these areas, almost all of which offer mass transit bus service at the hotel into the NY Port Authority (8th ave and 42nd St). I don't know of any hotel in these towns that charge for parking. Many of these hotels are also obtainable thru Priceline at a rate of <$50/nite (check out www.biddingfortravel.com if u decide to go this route)

A more convenient option, but slightly more expensive, is the Sheraton Suites in Weehawken, NJ. There is a ferry at the door (as well as one 1 mile down the road for when the nearby ferry stops running) that will take you across the river into NYC. There is also bus service a few steps from the door of the hotel.

my friend always stays at the marriott in brooklyn -- easy access to the subway and the ride is just as long as travelling within manhattan

How much do you hope to spend per night? The inconvenience of commuting into Manhattan may not be worth the savings. As posted above, just about every hotel offers some sort of parking, but it can be expensive. Great hotel deals are available right now -- perhaps consider spending the "savings" on parking.

Check out the Travel Inn on 42nd Street. Low rates, free garage parking, walking distance to theaters.

Donna,

You wouldn't happen to have the Travel Inn website address?

Not handy, bu go to www.newyork.citysearch.com and do a search and it will pop up.

Thanks Donna,

That's a great rate for a hotel with a pool and free parking!

Did you ever stay there? Any review would be appreciated

Thanks again

Thanks for the advice, but this is really not an expense issue but a driving issue. I am sure I did not make that clear, but I will be arriving in the mid-morning and will be staying for two nights. I have stayed at many nice hotels in Manhattan, but have never tried to drive and park in the city. (I live in San Francisco and do not mind driving there, but it is familiar territory) So.... it is really the driving I am hoping to avoid. The Brooklyn Marriot sounds like it may solve my problem or perhaps the Weehawken hotel.

We drive into NYC all the time and have never had a problem getting to our hotel (thought it was easier to get around there than in Brooklyn). When visiting NYC, I just love walking out the door and being there already (as opposed to "commuting"). I haven't stayed at the Travel Inn myself, but others report it's just fine. No frills (no big fancy lobby, no restaurant within, etc.), but nice rooms.

I would NOT advise staying at the TRavel Inn - it looks like a sleazy dump - you can find parking on the westside of Manhattan - say 10th Ave all along the 50's and 60's( streets, that is) and park for around $20/day.

To add to my post - to consider staying at the Travel Inn on 42st just because of free parking is the most stupid thing I have ever heard of in my life. Your car will be in better surroundings than you are!

Additional Info:
Staying in Brooklyn or weekhawken and traveling into Manhattan makes absolutely no sense - especially if you are saying cost is not an issue, just that you don't want to drive. again, just park your car in a Manhttan lot and forget about it. I just had a friend who drove from Mass. this past Weds. Took him about 20 mins to find on street parking. Didn't have to move it until Friday morning, when it took about another 20 mins to find free on street parking.
I DON'T understand why people make such a big deal about parking in Manhattan - that they would consider Staying outside Manhattan and traveling back and forth. I can tell you that the Mariott Brookyln DOES NOT have free parking, nor does the Sheraton in NJ, so why stay outside of Manhattan , just to come back in, when you still have to pay for parking?
The original poster said she was from San Fran.
Would you stay in Oakland and take BART into San FRan. just because you don't want to drive in San FRan?

Since I live in San Francisco,and know where to find parking and which streets are one-way, I have no problem driving in the city. If you say driving in Manhattan and finding parking is easy for a first time (driving) visitor, I believe you and will give it a shot. That being said-- any recommendations on locations within the city that are more convenient than others??? I do not need to stay at the Waldorf, but would like to keep sleaze to a minimum. On business, I have previously stayed at Club Quarters mid-town and at the Millenium Broadway which were decent, but parking facilities were not evident.

By the way, my friends who live in Berkeley always take BART to SF to avoid driving and parking in the city.

I'm partial to the Grand Hyatt on 42nd...though others on this board aren't. Give the keys to the valet and don't worry about the car.