Best Western Airport West

Cruising out of Cape Liberty next year and considering this hotel. My understanding is that it's quite close to the cruiseport. We will be arriving by car, spend one night pre-cruise and then drive to the port on the day of the cruise. Are there any restaurants within walking distance of the Best Western? Thank you and happy cruising!

Cruising out of Cape Liberty next year and considering this hotel. My understanding is that it's quite close to the cruiseport. We will be arriving by car, spend one night pre-cruise and then drive to the port on the day of the cruise. Are there any restaurants within walking distance of the Best Western? Thank you and happy cruising!

IMO this may not be your best option. It's a Newark Airport hotel, which means it's about 10 miles from the port. There are no restaurants in the area within walking distance. It's a highly urban area on the west side of the airport near the route 1/9 truck route.

What price are you seeing for the hotel? What date? Number of people? Where are you coming from?

IMO this may not be your best option. It's a Newark Airport hotel, which means it's about 10 miles from the port. There are no restaurants in the area within walking distance. It's a highly urban area on the west side of the airport near the route 1/9 truck route.

 

What price are you seeing for the hotel? What date? Number of people? Where are you coming from?

Driving in from Western New York at the end of June. There will be 4 of us. We plan to park at the cruiseport just for sake of ease (both coming and going). $135/night. Not being familiar with the area, we want to be somewhat close to the cruiseport -- mostly to reduce our risk of getting lost on our way to the cruiseport. Do you have any suggestions for hotels with restaurants within walking distance? Thank you for the help!

Driving in from Western New York at the end of June. There will be 4 of us. We plan to park at the cruiseport just for sake of ease (both coming and going). $135/night. Not being familiar with the area, we want to be somewhat close to the cruiseport -- mostly to reduce our risk of getting lost on our way to the cruiseport. Do you have any suggestions for hotels with restaurants within walking distance? Thank you for the help!

What exact date do you need a hotel? Bed size requirements - 2 doubles, 2 Queens, king and sofabed? Will you come down the NJ Turnpike?

What exact date do you need a hotel? Bed size requirements - 2 doubles, 2 Queens, king and sofabed? Will you come down the NJ Turnpike?

I'm honestly not sure if we're coming down the NJ Turnpike since we don't know where we're staying yet. Will we take the Turnpike to get to the cruiseport? If so, then we'd like to stay in the area of the Turnpike -- does that make sense? No requirements on beds, but will want 2 rooms. I'm not as concerned about price as I am about proximity to the cruiseport and proximity to a restaurant for dinner the evening we arrive. Thank you again!

I need your exact date please.

You first want to look at the Hotels on International Blvd in Elizabeth - Embassy Suites, Courtyard Elizabeth, Residence Inn, and Country Inns. You can walk to IHOP or Ruby Tuesday's or drive around the corner to Jersey Gardens Mall for Applebees, Johnny Rockets, and the mall foodcourt.

Thoughts on Hilton Newark Airport? It's not on International Blvd but it is in Elizabeth. Price is a little better compared to the others. Thanks again for all the great help!

NO to both those places. If you would please provide answers to the questions asked, we can better help you.

The Hilton is a pain in the arse to get to and NEVER NEVER NEVER stay in a Best Western in New Jersey, especially in Newark. Trust us.

Carol 138 gave you ideas. If you respond, we can give you better info......

There is nothing to eat by the Hilton, aside from their restaurant and it will be overpriced, mediocre hotel food, plus getting there is hard...you have to pay attention. I am up there all the time and even I get screwed up sometimes.

You're better at a hotel on International Drive as you have 2 places to eat that are walkable plus a few things in the outlet mall across the road. That mall, though is NOT going to help you if you forgot toothpaste or want to buy a bottle of wine.

There is nothing to eat by the Hilton, aside from their restaurant and it will be overpriced, mediocre hotel food, plus getting there is hard...you have to pay attention. I am up there all the time and even I get screwed up sometimes.

 

You're better at a hotel on International Drive as you have 2 places to eat that are walkable plus a few things in the outlet mall across the road. That mall, though is NOT going to help you if you forgot toothpaste or want to buy a bottle of wine.

With an exact date and budget we can look for acceptable hotels in your price range. Another option, which is a bit further North on the Turnpike, might be the hotels in Harmon Meadows - http://www.harmonmeadow.com/PublishingImages/HMDirectory.pdf

You will be a bit further from Cape Liberty, but you are likely to be coming past this area anyway. There are a ton of restaurants within walking distance.

Thanks again, everyone, I appreciate all the helpful info, tips, ideas. I believe I answered all the questions with the exception of cruise date. Our cruise is July 2019, coming in on a Friday night, cruise leaves on Saturday. I'll take a look at the Harmon Meadows area - thanks for that suggestion. I'm a list maker, so hopefully we'll have everything we need - wine, toothpaste, etc., so shouldn't need a store for anything. (knock on wood, right?!)

Thanks again, everyone, I appreciate all the helpful info, tips, ideas. I believe I answered all the questions with the exception of cruise date. Our cruise is July 2019, coming in on a Friday night, cruise leaves on Saturday. I'll take a look at the Harmon Meadows area - thanks for that suggestion. I'm a list maker, so hopefully we'll have everything we need - wine, toothpaste, etc., so shouldn't need a store for anything. (knock on wood, right?!)

Exact date? We can't check hotels without an exact date - prices vary widely depending on a variety of factors like Events in the Meadowlands.

Thoughts on the Renaissance (Spring Street) in Elizabeth? Restaurants nearby? How is the drive to Cape Liberty? Thanks so much!

Thoughts on the Renaissance (Spring Street) in Elizabeth? Restaurants nearby? How is the drive to Cape Liberty? Thanks so much!

Renaissance is fine and it has a restaurant, but it's on the truck route 1/9 on the west side of the airport.

The only airport hotels with restaurants nearby are the hotels on International Blvd in Elizabeth. This is an easy off/easy on at NJ Turpike exit 13A. The roads around the airport are a spaghetti like mess. If your GPS is late, you will miss a turn and get lost in the mess. That's one of the reasons I like to recommend hotels near exit 13A or exit 14 for folks with a car. I personally really dislike driving route 1/9 South of I78 on the west side of the airport.

Thoughts on the Renaissance (Spring Street) in Elizabeth? Restaurants nearby? How is the drive to Cape Liberty? Thanks so much!

It's fine, NOTHING nearby and if you're not paying attention, you'll miss it. The drive is not bad but in order to get to the turnpike, and actually to the hotel, it's a circuitous route and IMO if you're not familiar with the area, you're better off at a hotel by 13A. Trust us.

As for how much to pay, since you don't want to provide us with dates, we really can't offer any other suggestions. We're not stalkers, we are just trying to give you good advice.

It's fine, NOTHING nearby and if you're not paying attention, you'll miss it. The drive is not bad but in order to get to the turnpike, and actually to the hotel, it's a circuitous route and IMO if you're not familiar with the area, you're better off at a hotel by 13A. Trust us.

 

As for how much to pay, since you don't want to provide us with dates, we really can't offer any other suggestions. We're not stalkers, we are just trying to give you good advice.

Ditto - no dates = no specific advice

I look at rates for folks all the time and have seen a wide range of prices for the same hotel. June is long way off. Prices can change a lot over time. High level advice is usually to make a cancellable reservation, check prices as the cruise gets closer, and change hotels if a deal comes up.

Remember these are airport hotels, not vacation destinations.

Is there a specific reason you want to be as close to the cruise port as possible? You can stay in areas of northern NJ that are under 60 minutes from Cape Liberty that will give you better options than staying in Newark and Elizabeth area. As suggested Secaucus is one. East Rutherford, Lyndhurst, Hasbrouck Heights, Wayne are others. Parsippany, Morristown, Mahwah and Paramus are a bit further away. I would rate all of those better than Newark area.

Is there a specific reason you want to be as close to the cruise port as possible? You can stay in areas of northern NJ that are under 60 minutes from Cape Liberty that will give you better options than staying in Newark and Elizabeth area. As suggested Secaucus is one. East Rutherford, Lyndhurst, Hasbrouck Heights, Wayne are others. Parsippany, Morristown, Mahwah and Paramus are a bit further away. I would rate all of those better than Newark area.

I totally agree. We often recommend staying within an hour of the port. I don't know exactly how the OP envisions Newark Airport to be, but given their insistence on a "walk to" restaurant, they are going to be disappointed if they're not staying on International Blvd. After a long trip from western NY on a Thursday, the last thing they might want to deal with is the NY metro rush hour traffic on route I80 and the Turnpike east of Parsippany. Newark Airport is a highly industrialized urban environment. Parsippany is a nice suburban environment.

It's fine, NOTHING nearby and if you're not paying attention, you'll miss it. The drive is not bad but in order to get to the turnpike, and actually to the hotel, it's a circuitous route and IMO if you're not familiar with the area, you're better off at a hotel by 13A. Trust us.

 

As for how much to pay, since you don't want to provide us with dates, we really can't offer any other suggestions. We're not stalkers, we are just trying to give you good advice.

Thank you all again for this helpful information. It's funny because I read other posts about various hotels and positive reviews, then I come here to inquire for myself and I get a completely different opinion. It's actually what I value most ! So again, please know how appreciative I am.

I didn't ask any info on pricing, but thank you for your willingness to help out in that regard, too. I can get that info easily - probably the easiest part of the planning. It's the locations that you've all been most helpful with. I'm sorry if I'm asking questions that annoy you.

And I also didn't "insist" on a restaurant in walking distance. I merely asked. We were hoping to get to the hotel, be able to park the car and not have to go out and deal with traffic again on unfamiliar roads. When you aren't from a big city, it can be pretty intimidating. Again, the knowledge that others have of these kinds of things is just priceless. Proximity to the cruiseport seems important to us as we're thinking it reduces the risk of our getting lost in an unfamiliar area and this is the first time I've read that being within an hour of the cruiseport should still be a pretty comfortable distance. Again, I thank you for that!

But really, there's no need to insult me. :(:(

I totally agree. We often recommend staying within an hour of the port. I don't know exactly how the OP envisions Newark Airport to be, but given their insistence on a "walk to" restaurant, they are going to be disappointed if they're not staying on International Blvd. After a long trip from western NY on a Thursday, the last thing they might want to deal with is the NY metro rush hour traffic on route I80 and the Turnpike east of Parsippany. Newark Airport is a highly industrialized urban environment. Parsippany is a nice suburban environment.

I live in this area and have never had an issue with driving to EWR, then again my trips there are infrequent. Just this year I have become aware of many who have issues with the connecting roads around the airport and hotels be it night or day, as a visitor I would not want to figure out those roads in darkness.

I can understand staying in Jersey City with its views of & close proximity to NYC. I have a difficult time understanding staying in Newark if one is driving an automobile. It would not be a first or any choice for me.

Thank you all again for this helpful information. It's funny because I read other posts about various hotels and positive reviews, then I come here to inquire for myself and I get a completely different opinion. It's actually what I value most ! So again, please know how appreciative I am.

 

I didn't ask any info on pricing, but thank you for your willingness to help out in that regard, too. I can get that info easily - probably the easiest part of the planning. It's the locations that you've all been most helpful with. I'm sorry if I'm asking questions that annoy you.

 

And I also didn't "insist" on a restaurant in walking distance. I merely asked. We were hoping to get to the hotel, be able to park the car and not have to go out and deal with traffic again on unfamiliar roads. When you aren't from a big city, it can be pretty intimidating. Again, the knowledge that others have of these kinds of things is just priceless. Proximity to the cruiseport seems important to us as we're thinking it reduces the risk of our getting lost in an unfamiliar area and this is the first time I've read that being within an hour of the cruiseport should still be a pretty comfortable distance. Again, I thank you for that!

 

But really, there's no need to insult me. :(:(

Willow, sorry you feel you have been insulted. I know that is no ones intention. Carol/138 East is the BEST source on this board. Her knowledge is impressive, she knows much more about this area than I (a life long resident)do. She always asks for bed configuration and dates because she takes the time to find price/deals that the rest of us do not or cannot.

Everyone here is trying to help and will continue to help. The metropolitan area is intimidating for many and asking for input on this board is a good choice. There is no need to stay in Newark/Elizabeth and most especially if you will be arriving in darkness. Depending on the route you drive you can stay as in Morristown or Parsippany or Mahwah or Paramus as they are further away from Bayonne but hopefully you could arrive at any of those locations in daylight and easily find a nearby restaurant from among the many choices those areas would allow.

The final drive to Bayonne/Cape Liberty would be via the NJTP exiting at 14A (note there are a few exits numbered 14). From any of the cities listed, you could depart your hotel between 9/9:30 am and avoid any rush hour traffic and be at the cruise port between 10/10:45 am.

If you have further questions, do ask.

I agree you weren’t being insulted. I live 10 miles west of manhattan, 10 miles from Newark airport, and driving on the turnpike at night in rush hour in this area is not for the timid. My sister in law lived here for 30 years, now lives in the Midwest, she really has panic attacks driving around here when she visits. Unless you are visiting NYC or are flying into Newark airport, there is no reason to get a hotel room close to the cruise port. Stay a little out from the madness, and have a nice somewhat traffic free drive the next morning after rush hour. NJ really is a beautiful state with a lot to offer, but not in this area.

ETA, this is not PC, but it’s pretty accurate IMHO, this state is really small but diverse https://goo.gl/images/TxcPEU

I agree you weren’t being insulted. I live 10 miles west of manhattan, 10 miles from Newark airport, and driving on the turnpike at night in rush hour in this area is not for the timid. My sister in law lived here for 30 years, now lives in the Midwest, she really has panic attacks driving around here when she visits. Unless you are visiting NYC or are flying into Newark airport, there is no reason to get a hotel room close to the cruise port. Stay a little out from the madness, and have a nice somewhat traffic free drive the next morning after rush hour. NJ really is a beautiful state with a lot to offer, but not in this area.

 

ETA, this is not PC, but it’s pretty accurate IMHO, this state is really small but diverse https://goo.gl/images/TxcPEU

First, thank you for the info and that there really is no reason to stay at a hotel close to the cruiseport. That's very helpful and reassuring! I don't know where the idea came from that we'll be driving at night, but we won't be. That being said, I've researched Meadowlander's suggestions of other locations and we'll find something there.

As far as not being insulted, your opinion is just that. Being bullied or insulted because I didn't give cruise dates is helpful to no one. It isn't necessary to know one's cruise dates to recommend safe areas and hotels. Offering reassurance that traveling from other areas should be relatively stress-free is acutely helpful to not just me, but to others who aren't familiar with the area. Comments like "Ditto - no dates = no specific advice" is far from friendly when it was not what I asked in my original post. "As for how much to pay, since you don't want to provide us with dates, we really can't offer any other suggestions. We're not stalkers, we are just trying to give you good advice" is unfriendly, as well and had nothing to do with my original post. That sounded like tag-teaming to me.

My DH and I are on the Anthem of the Seas Friday, January 18th sailing from Port Liberty flying into Newark from Minneapolis either Thursday, Jan 17th or possibly Wednesday, Jan 16th.  We are considering flying on Wednesday, because winter brings a real possibility of bad weather in both MSP and EWR.  I would appreciate any thoughts on arriving Wed vs Thurs. for a Friday cruise departure.  It will be our first time in NYC. 

I would also welcome any hotel recommendations for 2 people for either 1 night (Jan 17th) or 2 nights (Jan 16 & 17). 

If we were to fly in on Wednesday, is there any recommendations for sightseeing on Thursday?  If there are any questions I can answer to help in determining a good answer, please let me know.  Thanks

What is your hotel budget?  Do you want to stay in Manhattan or are you willing to stay in NJ and take public transit into NYC?

Post back and give me time. I am on a ship in the Med right now