sbp17

Okay, I need your advice. Three of us will be in NYC for four days with a rental car. We don't mind staying in the same room but there needs to be at least two beds. Since we'll have a rental car, I'm not sure which will be the most economical (while still efficient)....staying in the center of the city and basically not use the rental or staying in a hotel within 10 miles outside of the center and drive in every day and park the rental?

With option one, any good hotel recommendations that are nothing more than clean, safe, with a private bathroom. I don't care about any other ammendities.

With option two, what type of commute time am I looking at? (The stay will be Sun through Wed.) How difficult and expensive would it be to park? Would it be cheaper to take a taxi into town and just keep the car at the hotel.

Thanks in advance!

TripleSecDelay

A man walking down the sidewalk in NYC sees a well-dressed, middle-aged woman lying in the street, about two feet away from the curb.
"Are you allright, madam?", asked the pedestrian.
She looked up at the man and replied, "Oh, yes. I'm fine, thank you."
"Do you need medical attention?", he inquired once more.
"No, thank you. Everything's fine."
"Madam, why are you lying in the street?"
She says to the man, "Well, after living in NYC for two years, I finally found a parking space so, I sent my husband to go buy a car!"

janie

I'll be the first to ask, beacsue I know everyone will be thinking ths ame thing:
Do you have to keep the rental car while you're in NY (because someone needs it, or you have to return it to the originating location)?

There is a hotel that people have mentioned that has free parking (some place on 42nd street--forgot the name) but it seems a shame to pick a hotel just on that one fact, no? Parking in the city will cost (minimum) $25-40 per day (hotel parking rates or more likely a separate lot farther from your hotel)
There are many suburban hotels with free parking, but by the time you transport 3 people round trip everyday, you'll be saving something on the parking, but not that much--not to mention the time involved. 10 miles could be 45 minutes each way by public transportation, and then you don't have a hotel you can go back to early during the day if you want/need to

Ok, so when it boils down to it:
How much are you willing to spend in total for hotel/parking transportation for all of you per night?

If you give a specific dollar amount, we can brainstorm some ideas

Many hotels in NYC cannot accomodate 3 people (very smnall rooms) so you need an upgraded room or suite or 2 separate rooms. Tell us what sounds best
)

GoTravel

Before Gulliani and the NYPD cleaned up NYC, the primary reason to have a rental car in Manhattan was to have a central location from which thieves would steal all of your belongings.

Ditch the rental car or leave it outside the city and ride the train in. With the parking money you've saved, get two rooms. Parking can easily cost you upwards of $50 per day.

I'm guessing you have a long term rental which is why you have the car?

You don't want to stay 10 miles outside Manhattan if you are primarily there to sightsee.

clarkgriswold

Read the fine print, some car rentals don't allow you to drive the car into Manhattan.

From the Amerisuites in Secaucus NJ,(or the Crowne Plaza Secaucus if they have their $95 per night special available)...you can park your car and then just hop the bus into the city. It's about a 20 minute ride and well worth the hassle of not driving in the city to find parking.

sbp17

Okay, here are a few more details...

I'm flying into DC from Italy where I'll visit with friends for a few days. My parents live in NC and I'm renting them a car (because they don't have a reliable one) to drive up to DC where I'll then take over the driving to NYC. I'll drive them back to DC after our 4 day visit in NYC and I'll fly back to Italy from there while they head back to NC.

Maybe it's out of the question but I was kind of hoping that I would not spend more than $150/day on lodging/parking. I don't want a dump of a hotel but as long as it's clean and safe, that's all that matters to us.

nytraveler

Agree to ditchthe car if you can - and pick up another whn youleave NYC. Otherwise park the car at a suburban train station for the 4 days and take the train into a hotel inthe city. (Its a pity to want to sightsee in the city and then taking a couple of hours - plus trian or bus fares - in and out every day - rather than spending your time enjoying yourself.)

MFNYC

Considering a room for 4 and parking at $150 total per night, your only option would ne NJ.

GoTravel

What time of year?

My suggestion, have mom and dad take the train from NC to DC then everyone take the train to NYC.

From now until New Years, $150 will not buy you the worst motel room in NYC. However, if you can chance waiting until the very last minute, you may find something at that price.

Priceline would be an option for two rooms but you will have to wait until much closer to your dates.

Rachel

I agree with the poster who suggested you ditch the car when you get to NYC and then rent one again when you leave. If you dont need the car in NYC, that's usually a good way to go.

That asisde, I have stayed at the Super 8 Motel in midtown, which had garage parking for $20/24 hours across the street. you wont have easy access to your car though. In and out privileges are limited. The hotel was satisfactory and actually had rooms with 2 double beds, and suites (which consisted of two small rooms, each with a double bed in it and a microfirdge). Location was great (46th between 5th and 6th i believe) and price was good, although we were there in the summer, when prices are lower. Hope this helps

sbp17

I priced one way rental vice a rental the entire time and just one way with a different drop-off location is twice as much as keeping the rental for the entire time and returning it to NC.

I priced train rides from DC and it's entirely too expensive.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm leaning toward the Amerisuites option but I welcome more advice.

GoTravel

sbp, I think the Travel Inn has free parking. I would check that out.

kgh8m

When DH and I would drive to NYC, we would leave the car in Newark in the pay lot of the Newark Hilton, which is directly across the street from Newark Penn Station. Then we'd take the train into the city. Parking is not cheap there, either, but still probably better than in NYC.

earlxx

Yes, Travel inn has a free parking but it is a terrible place to stay. Rooms are worse than in any cheapest motel. Dirty, noisy, doors with a big cracks under them, sheets are not always changed. Ut is a dump of a hotel. I know this because my daughter worked there for two weeks before she quit.

janie

sbp17, Did i miss something, or did you leave out the dates (month) of your travel?
From now thru Jan 1 is very expensive in NY, January - March much cheaper, then prices do go up again/

mclaurie

A few more thoughts. Instead of the train between DC and NYC, what about the bus? Greyhound or Peter Pan has been having special deals to compete with the train. If you were gonna drive anyway, the bus gets you there w/o the hassle of driving yourself and having to park. Also, check difference in price on train between plain amtrak and acela. I really think you don't need to drive this and have to park the dang car.

Assuming you do go ahead and have the car, another poster here has mentioned the Crowne Plaza in Secaucus NJ. They got some sort of deal with an entertainment card for $55/night, parking's free and there's a bus from there into the city. There are also some hotels in Weehawken, NJ where you can get a ferry across into NYC.

Finally, check iconparking.com and see where they have the cheapest parking for your period of time.

sbp17

How could I have forgotten the dates....Dec 5 through Dec 8. I do realize that it is the expensive time of year.

Thanks everyone for such great advice!

wantsomesun

The Travel Inn is actually ok now, the hotel did some rennovations not long ago. My cousin, husband and 3 kids stayed there last year and really liked it. The hotel is on W 42nd St and it's easy to get anywhere in the city from there, by bus and/or subway.

The parking is also FREE. I think it's about $100 a night. There is also a deli next to the hotel for munchies and bagels/muffins kind of things for your room.

Have a great time while you are here.

Also you mentioned you are renting a car for your parents to drive. You will not be able to do that from a distance. To rent a car, using your credit card you have to be there, and show your drivers liscense. They can rent the car themselves, but you will not be able to do it for them.

sbp17

Thanks everyone. I went with the option of staying at the Courtyard By Marriott in Secaucus and taking the bus into the city. I was able to get a room for $70/night after taxes. My parents aren't night people so there really was no reason for us to stay in the heart of NYC. This seems the most economical while not being too inconvenient.

sugabean86

I have a question also. How far is LGA from the subway if that is the way we want to take, and if we are going to take the airtrain, is there a place at the airport to get on it? Thanks for all of your help