Sheygetz

Hi all,
I've wanted to go visit New York for a long time, but equally long I have been put off by the amazing hotel rates there. Just recently I hit on the idea of staying on the Jersey side of the Hudson, assuming that there will be frequent bus and ferry transport. It does seem from my research that a decent room (think Best Western, Comfort Inn etc.) can be had for about 140 to 180 USD there.

What do you guys generally think of the idea? If approved, any place or hotel you'd care to suggest? Taking this further, how about staying in Brooklyn, would that be an option value-for-money-wise?

Thanks for your input, Hendrik

suzski

Hendrik,

We're doing the same thing this week. We're staying at the Hilton Garden Inn Secaucus and have a room with made-to-order breakfast for $141 (pre tax) per night. My brother and his fiancee have stayed at this hotel for their past four NYC trips and swear by it. Tripadvisor also gives it very good reviews and bus service is frequent. Another boon is that parking is in a covered lot and is FREE.

Although I've given up the convenience of staying in the City (and being able to drop off packages, take a break, etc.) I just could not justify the extra $ for a place to lay my head. I know others will disagree, but the difference in price enabled me to see two shows and do a lot of touring that I would not have been able to justify otherwise.

mclaurie

There are 2 kinds of places in NJ to stay--those that are connected by bus to Manhattan in places like Secaucus/Meadowlands (less than ideal but doable) and those connected by train, preferrably a PATH train (like a subway) like SOME hotels in Jersey CIty- a better option. The Hyatt Regency and the Doubletree Club are both Priceline hotels (3* Jersey City part of the NYC area airport section) and are regularly "won" for under $100/night. That's the best scenario for staying outside of Manhattan imo. Idea of prices here

http://p198.ezboard.com/fpricelinean...abiddingfrm266

If you are just 1 or 2, bidding on Priceline to stay in Manhattan is another option where, depending on dates, you could get a very nice hotel for $120/night plus tax. Idea of some recent wins here

http://p198.ezboard.com/fpricelinean...itynonewjersey


There are not currently a large number of hotels in Brooklyn and the best ones (like Marriott Brooklyn Bridge) are often not that much less than staying in NYC.

mclaurie

I should add between now and ~ end March you can find some pretty great hotel deals in Manhattan. The Buckingham, a pretty good suite hotel was on sale on travelzoo.com for as low as $159/night (sale ended yesterday for travel thru Feb.)

I should have added, it's important before committing to any hotel, whether in or out of Manhattan to see how close it is to a subway stop (or transportation). A lot of these places, even if they use a name that makes it sounds close are not near any transportation. There's a large part of Brooklyn that's not really served by the subway. Hopstop.com will show you distance in NYC (including the boroughs).

jodeenyc

For another option, there is also a Sheraton Suites on the Hudson in Weehawken that has a ferry slip in front of it. Here is the website:

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sherat...ropertyID=1177

Here is the link to the ferry:

www.nywaterway.com

You could also walk a couple blocks west from the Sheraton and catch the 126 bus into NYC. Per way it's around $2.50- keeps changing.

Hope that helps.

nytraveler

Staying in NYC is FAR preferable to staying in New Jersey - esp if you're going to do any shows or nightlife. The atmosphere is completely different, you can go back to the room during the day to rest or drop shopping - and you're in The City - versus a suburb that could be anywhere. Assuming you're o more than 2 people and can share a bed Priceline has some great deals.

Staying in New Jersey connected by rail - esp PATH - is the least objectionable of alternates - since you have easy access to the city in only a few minutes. In other areas of Jersey - including Secaucus - it can easily take an hour each way in and out of the city - and traffic/bad weather can increase that. I would not do this unless you put a gun to my head.

NJrunr3

I'd stay in Jersey City and use the PATH instead of taking a bus. I live 15 mins from the city and never have a problem getting into the city. You'll save a lot staying on the Jersey side. And if you do stay in Jersey, check out Hoboken for a night. There are lots of great restaurants that rival NYC and if you get bored, you can hop on the PATH from there and go to the city.

doug_stallings

There are several hotels in Queens (the Comfort Inn Long Island City is the most convenient) that are near NYC subway stops. These are often cheaper than hotels in NJ and offer 24-hour transportation on the regular NYC system. To me, these are far preferable to any hotel in NJ. Even if you stay in one of the hotels near PATH stations, you have to contend with greatly limited service at night and on weekends, though I certainly agree that this (or a hotel in the Meadowlands area) is doable if you cannot get a hotel in Queens or Brooklyn.

Also consider transportation costs. The subway costs $2 per ride, discounted tremendously if you buy a day or week unlimited ride pass. A NJ Transit Bus or Train trip can be $5 each way (more, I believe if you are staying in Secaucus). Multiply that by the number of people and other transport costs in Manhattan for every day of your trip to see if you are really saving money.

Anonymous

I stay in Jersey City when I visit NYC in my RV because that's the nearest place for me to park, but when I stay in a hotel, I stay in Manhattan. Even if you're staying near a PATH station, commuting is commuting.

NYC hotel rates vary so much from one time of year to another, don't overlook the impact of the calendar on your budget.

This weekend (Jan. 10-13), we're staying at the Red Roof Inn (6 W 34th St.) for $128 per night (before taxes). It gets great reviews, offers free in-room WiFi and a light breakfast (bagels, yogurt, fruit). With that kind of a deal, I'm not even bothering with Priceline (in our experience, more stars means pricey internet access and less free food).

When I told my daughter where the hotel is, we both laughed since it's so close to the northernmost PATH station where we exit when we stay in Jersey!

Sheygetz

Whew, I never expected as many responses so quickly. Thanks everyone! mclaurie: I have come across this Priceline thing before, but actually have no idea whatsoever how it works. I presume it's like Ebay for accomodation, will look into this. This Hopstop site is a real boon to know.

Two of you have pointed out PATH trains. Is there any good site for checking on schedules and getting a general hang of it (including a network map?)? I have to admit I had not reckoned on 5 USD per person per trip - but then a recent stay in Hongkong, otherwise not really a budget destination, may have been misleading.

Hendrik

Rhea58

http://www.panynj.gov/CommutingTravel/path/html/

Fares, maps etc all here.

doug_stallings

You should also take a look at the NJ Transit site, which will be more helpful if your hotel is not on a PATH line. Prices aren't quite as bad as I thought they might be. For example, a train from Secaucus Junction to NY Penn is $3.25 each way, but that's still twice the PATH fare. In any case, here's a link to NJ Transit: www.njtransit.com.

The stop names don't mean much to me (and there are both buses and trains, which have different fare structures), so search carefully once you settle on a couple of hotels to check out.

Most hotels list nearby transit stops on their web sites. I'd suggest you start there. If no nearby transit stop is listed, you can call the hotel directly, but I'd do that before committing to something.

Anonymous

Basically, PATH is the New Jersey subway system. It runs so frequently that there's no need for a schedule, though of course they run most often at weekday rush hours and less often on weekends and late at night. It runs northward into Manhattan under 6th Ave., with several stops from Greenwich Village to Herald Square (34th Street). Fare is $1.50.

You'll find higher prices and less frequency if you rely on buses (including express or commuter buses such as Seacaucus), ferries, or commuter trains.

Priceline is not like eBay for travel. If you "bid" for a hotel, you're not biding against other potential guests, you're making a "bid" to the (undisclosed) hotels themselves to see if they'll accept that price for your stay.

mclaurie

biddingfortravel.com and betterbidding.com are designed to help understand/construct bids for Priceline. If would behoove you to spend some time familiarizing yourself with the process. Some cities are better suited to Priceline than others (imo) and NYC and the surrounding area is one that's very good for Priceline, especially if you're not coming for a week or more.

EmilyC

Staying directly in the city is certainly the best option.
Take a look at the Courtyard Times Square and the Residence Inn. Both are advertising specials until March or April for $199- 209/nite---a good deal.

geg5150

I just saw a rate of $159 for the Hampton Inn in the Financial District on Pearl Street...way easier than going back and forth from Jersey. That price was for during the week at the end of Feb. Just do a hilton search. Good luck.

kwren

we've stayed at the Hilton Gateway in Newark and had an easy time getting to NYC by NJ Transit. The train was late however one day and everyone was offered a free ride from the other side on what appeared to be a subway. We decided to wait for the train - the other's passengers didn't look like a good/safe way to start out our day!