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-   -   Staten Island or Long Island City? (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/staten-island-or-long-island-city-760577/)

Stellar424 Jan 9th, 2009 10:51 PM

Staten Island or Long Island City?
 
I'm trying to plan a trip to NYC on a very tight budget. I was originally planning on staying in NJ and taking the bus to the city, but I am finding some really good hotel deals in Staten Island and Long Island City. Since transportation would be cheaper and shorter (for Long Island), I am leaning more toward those areas. Any opinions on either place?

Rhea58 Jan 10th, 2009 01:11 AM

Long Island City would be my choice.
Ask hotel how far they are from the
#7 subway which is a short ride
to Grand Central Sta.
Staten Island will eat up more of your day w/a ferry ride and then a subway.

nytraveler Jan 10th, 2009 10:15 AM

Staten Island is a very poor choice. First you have to get from the hotel to the ferry (can take 30 minutes or mre) then the ferry to Manhattan (another 30 minutes at least), then you're at the far south end of the island.

Long Island City, while not very pleasant, has the benefit of being only about 10 minutes from Manhattan by subway. (But do check the exact location of any hotel from the nearest subway stop - should be no more than a few blocks.) The hotels are serviceable and the area semi-industrial, but it's much more conveninet.

However, with all the incredible deals in Manhattan at the moment I would really try to stay there. If you look at travelzoo, hotwire etc - and even the hotel web sites - many rooms are available at incredibly low prices.

Stellar424 Jan 10th, 2009 11:29 AM

There will be 4 of us and I'm looking to spend no more than $750 for 6 nights. There are a lot of great deals in NYC, but none of the rooms in that price range are big enough for 4 people!

I have definitely decided against staten island as it will take out too much time for traveling.

I'm still considering closer areas of NJ, and I've found a really good deal in Queens at a hotel with great reviews. (the Pan American)

We're not looking for anything nice, just a cheap place to sleep in a decent location!

nytraveler Jan 10th, 2009 11:40 AM

Just be aware that later in the evening - after 11 pm or so - the train will run only every 20 to 30 minutes - rather than every 5 as is does during the day.

Aduchamp1 Jan 10th, 2009 11:51 AM

Try Jazz on the Town and Second Home on Second Avenue.

We have had relatives stay at the Pan Am but it is a bit out of the way.

J62 Jan 10th, 2009 11:51 AM

Be aware that sales & NYC hotel tax will add over 20% to your hotel bill, so budget accordingly. That means your real target is about $100/night for a room. Yes, it hurts.

While not ideal, I think the location in Queens is ok, at least for a few days. I like the ability to go back to my room mid afternoon to rest & relax, then go back out in the evening for a show or dinner. The location in Queens would make that harder to do.

mclaurie Jan 10th, 2009 03:07 PM

"We're not looking for anything nice, just a cheap place to sleep in a decent location!"

When is the trip and what do you plan to do? A "decent location" may change depending on your plans. How are you getting here? Some places are fine with a car but not otherwise. You haven't mentioned any hotels so far in Long Island City that fit your budget and that's a lot closer than the Pan Am which can take 40-60 mins. to travel.

The Holiday Inn in Ft. Lee NJ is great if you have a car and can drive in and out each day and park in a garage.

nytraveler Jan 10th, 2009 04:54 PM

I know a lot of people say Fort Lee is good - but it really depends on when you travel. I used to work in Jersey and at rush hour - or if there's an accident or some sort of delay on the dreaded cross Bronx - it can easily take 30 minutes from the entrance to the bridge to get into Manhattan.

TarheelsInNj Jan 10th, 2009 07:43 PM

If you're on a budget, do consider that the train from NJ will cost more than the subway from Long Island City. You can buy an unlimited subway pass that will take you everywhere you need to go, rather than taking the train/Path from NJ and still needing to buy a subway card.

mclaurie Jan 11th, 2009 08:30 AM

The PATH train from New Jersey is only $1.75 and there are now multi ride cards for that as well.

We still need to know whether you're driving or flying and if flying which airport will make a big difference for your selected location. You don't want to stay in NJ if you're flying into JFK or LGA and vice versa, don't stay in Queens/LIC if you're flying into Newark. It's really inconvenient and becomes pricey.

Stellar424 Jan 11th, 2009 08:39 AM

We are planning on driving, but I would rather not drive into the city everyday since parking is expensive. That was one reason for considering Long Island City since we could take the subway straight into the city.

Some of the hotels I'm looking at in Long Island City are the Comfort Inn and Quality Inn. I'm also looking at the Crowne Plaza and Red Roof Inn in the Secaucus area.

The four of us are 22-23 year olds. Two of us have been to NYC before (including myself), the other two have never been. We plan on just exploring the city, and our hope is to see most of the neighborhoods during our stay.

Stellar424 Jan 11th, 2009 08:43 AM

Forgot to mention also, we will be going the second week of March.

MsSteinrunner Jan 11th, 2009 09:49 AM

Both the Quality Inn and the Comfort Inn are conveniently located near train stations, and it is a quick shot into the city. Perhaps the Comfort Inn is the one just a bit closer to the heart of the action. Where do you plan to leave the car?

nytraveler Jan 11th, 2009 09:56 AM

I hate to break it to you - but parking most places inn the greater metro area is not easy - or free (unless in your own driveway). There is no way I would leave a car overnight for several nights on a street in Queens - assuming you can find a plcae that doesn;t have meters and/or alternate side of the street parking due to street cleaning.

You MUST pay attention to that. If you park your car on a street cleaning day and it blocks the cleaning machine you are liable to tow and it will cost you more than $1000 to get your car back ($150 for the parking ticket, the tow fee and the impound lot fee). If parking anyplace in NYC you MUST read every sign with care and take them seriously. they do periodic sweeps and tow dozens of cars at a time - and you simply don;t want to deal with this.

Also, realize you must check if your hotel has a garage (most don;t) and what they charge to park in it.

Stellar424 Jan 11th, 2009 10:18 AM

Some reviewers of the hotels in Long Island City had said they were able to find free parking on the streets; however, I do not know how long they left their cars there. That is something I hadn't really thought about.

The Pan American in Queens does provide free parking and is close to the subways.

The Red Roof Inn in Secaucus also provides free parking. Does anyone know about the NJ bus into NYC? Is it a very long trip? Is it fairly easy to use for tourists?

Thanks so much for everyone's comments...I love this forum!!!

mclaurie Jan 11th, 2009 10:37 AM

I think your budget is unreasonable for 4 people. You're talking about paying $25/person per night. That's barely a hostel price. You MIGHT find that sort of price in a hostel in a dorm room and that might not be a bad option. Big Apple Hostel and Hostelling international are 2 good options as is the Vanderbilt YMCA and the Westside YMCA. I don't know if you're men, women or mixed, but if you're all women, you might be able to find 2 rooms at one of the women's residences like the Brandon for that price. http://www.thebrandon.org/

The only hotel I can think of that fits all your criteria is the Holland Motor Lodge off the NJ tpke. It's free parking, the room rate is right and it's within a walk of a PATH train (like a subway) to Manhattan. http://www.hollandmotorlodge.com/index.html

But honestly, I can't imagine any 23 yr olds wanting to schlepp back and forth if you plan on having any sort of nightlife. Taking a bus from Secaucus is fine if you're a family with small kids and don't plan to be out at night anyway.

The Quality Inn in Long Island City is pretty decent and not far from Manhattan but they have NO parking. They say on the website there's nearby municipal parking that's cheap, but I wouldn't be so sure that it will be available or easy. You may have to feed meters daily or move the car each day. What a pain. As for the Comfort Inn LIC, as far as I can tell a room for 4 is 50-100% more than your budget.

doug_stallings Jan 11th, 2009 11:12 AM

There's absolutely no question that it's significantly more convenient to stay in Long Island City (i.e., Queens, not anywhere close to Long Island) than in Fort Lee. The NJ Transit bus costs at least double the cost of the subway. And remember that you would have to pay for the subway on top of the NJ Transit bus.

However, you are going to pay for parking; on-street parking in that part of the city for 6 days is not feasible nor advisable. If your budget is this tight, I think you need to actually add up the individual costs. NJ Transit has a web site to get the actual cost of the bus.

The subway is $2 each way but costs only $25 for a week, and if you plan to take the subway 3 times daily, that's a much better deal per person, even for only 6 days.

The Pan-American hotel is fairly inconvenient. For example, you couldn't take a cheap cab ride late at night, and the subway often runs only once every 20 or 30 minutes after 11.

nytraveler Jan 11th, 2009 11:21 AM

Sorry - $25 per night per person isn't even hostel money. The Hosteling International one on 103rd St charges $35 per night per bed/locker in a dorm room.

There's a difference between a budget trip and an impossible budget. And if you can afford only $25 per night for a hotel, what do you plan on paying for food, for sights, for entertainment? NYC can be done on a budget- but not for nothing.

Gekko Jan 11th, 2009 12:19 PM

LIC is the obvious location choice if you can't stay in Manhattan.

Enjoy NYC!

Stellar424 Jan 11th, 2009 12:24 PM

That budget of $750 was purely for hotel costs, and I have found a few within that budget! I have looked into hostels, but for 4 of us, they would cost more than it would for us to stay in NJ.

This isn't a strict budget but I am trying very hard to keep this trip as cheap as possible.

I have researched travel costs and I do know what to expect with the bus and the subways as far as that goes. I have also researched the prices of the museums and other sights we plan to see. I'm not going into this completely blind!

And honestly, we probably won't be out past 11 on most nights, if any at all. We are not into the clubbing scene.

Again, does anyone know much about taking the bus from Secaucus to NYC?

mp Jan 11th, 2009 01:04 PM

Here's some info about the buses from/to Secaucus - Last month i went outlet shopping there (Eileen Fisher was having a sample sale- nothing over $65.!)
It was surprising quick and convenient TO THE OUTLETS. I think there was a hotel along the route. i seem to remember it was around $6. each way, but I could be wrong.

"Express buses bring travelers from Secaucus to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, near Times Square, in approximately 20 minutes. Trains from Secaucus Junction reach Penn Station New York in 9 minutes and Hoboken in 10 minutes. You may change to a PATH train to lower Manhattan in Hoboken. All northern New Jersey NJ Transit rail lines and Amtrak stop at Secaucus Junction Access to Secaucus Junction rail station is by taxi, or bus only. There is no commuter parking at the station."
http://www.secaucus.org/buses.html

mclaurie Jan 11th, 2009 01:23 PM

"Again, does anyone know much about taking the bus from Secaucus to NYC?"

The website for bus schedules to/from NJ is njtransit.com There is a trip planner that will tell you which bus is closest if you put in the hotel address. You can also use maps.google.com to plot the hotel and then use the "search nearby" feature for bus stops. Some hotels are closer to bus stops than others. The buses can take anywhere from 20 mins. to an hour depending on time of day.

I assume you know about reviews on tripadvisor. Here's a link for the Red Roof Secaucus reviews. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ew_Jersey.html

bethke14 Jan 11th, 2009 02:17 PM

If you can swing it, I would definitely stay in a hotel with subway access. Being able to stop by the hotel mid day -- to drop off bags, change shoes/clothes, put your feet up, etc -- is a huge plus. I can't emphasize how nice that is. I would rather pay a bit more on a hotel and, say, eat for cheap than stay a NJ Transit bus ride away from the city.

If your dates are locked and you won't cancel, take a look at hotwire. There are 2.5 and 3* hotels in Manhattan for $120 a night.

nytraveler Jan 11th, 2009 04:33 PM

But are those for 4 adults?

bethke14 Jan 11th, 2009 04:41 PM

Yep - 4 adults. With only 2 adults, you can get a room for $89 on hotwire.

It's crazy -- $200 used to be a steal.

mclaurie Jan 12th, 2009 06:36 AM

bethke has come up with an amazingly good suggestion (I'm embarrassed I didn't think of it) to use Hotwire. I find a 3* hotel in midtown central for that time for 4 people for $106/night. The icons suggest it's the Holiday Inn midtown.

This is an excellent location and a hotel with spacious rooms. Tax will add another 15% or $122/night but it's still a steal to be right in midtown Manhattan within walking distance of so much. You'll save quite a bit in transportation. There's a swimming icon which most hotels don't have so it's pretty certain with the help of the Hotwire list on betterbidding.com that it's that Holiday Inn.

Your only issue now is parking. For 6 days, I'd consider leaving the car at the Port Imperial terminal in Weehawken, NJ for $8-10/day.
http://nywaterway.com/Home/RidetheFe...ult.aspx?ID=11

The ferry is expensive but convenient for you. You could also take the bus from there to Port Authority.

doug_stallings Jan 12th, 2009 07:24 AM

The buses to and from Secaucus are geared for commuters, not tourists, so they run fairly frequently during the day and especially at rush hour, but not frequently at all at night or on weekends. I've taken the buses to the Secaucus area a few times, but I don't do it often, and it's not a bad trip. As another poster said, it can take 20 minutes or an hour depending on traffic.

Many people on this board stay in NJ to save money, but I don't recommend it. You can search for many other trip reports and posts about staying in NJ to get more information. If you are on a tight budget and have a party of four, I think you will find it much more cost-effective to stay in Queens because of the extra cost of traveling from NJ (the train from Secaucus Junction is particularly expensive).

Stellar424 Jan 13th, 2009 06:33 PM

Wow, mclaurie, thank you so much for the time you put into that! I can't believe how cheap of a room that is for Manhattan, and even with taxes it isn't much at all over budget! I am seriously going to consider that.

Stellar424 Jan 13th, 2009 06:34 PM

Oops and thanks to bethke!!!

mp Jan 13th, 2009 06:49 PM

here's a very good piece that ran in yesterday's NY Times about bidding on priceline. prices are really coming down for the slow periods in Manhattan hotels.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/13/bu...&st=Search

Stellar424 Jan 13th, 2009 07:03 PM

thought about priceline, but they only guarantee for 2 guests, not 4.

Stellar424 Jan 13th, 2009 07:08 PM

Did it on hotwire! Thanks again, everyone! I will plan on leaving my car at Weehawken unless anyone has any other ideas!

mclaurie Jan 14th, 2009 06:52 AM

Did you in fact get the Holiday Inn Midtown for $106/night?

bethke14 Jan 14th, 2009 09:15 AM

I'm really glad it worked out - I think you will be lots happier in Manhattan.

Enjoy your trip!

Stellar424 Jan 14th, 2009 05:48 PM

I did get it! And I totaled it up with what I'll pay for parking and the ferry, and it will actually be cheaper than what I would have payed to stay in NJ and take the bus in and out every day! So THANKS again!!! I had never used Hotwire before, but I will keep that in mind for future trips.

mclaurie Jan 15th, 2009 04:33 AM

Hotwire is good for NYC if you're more than 2 people. Otherwise, Priceline is cheaper but only good if you're 2 and can share a bed. Don't forget to check hotel lists on betterbidding.com before bidding so you have a good idea of what you're getting. B/c the HI Midtown is the only 3* in the are with a pool, it was easy to figure out. Btw, the pool is not enclosed so don't bring bathing suits expecting to use it.


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