Hotel recomendation in NYC, close to Penn Station?

[kzooknoedel]

We're taking Amtrak, and arriving at Penn Station. Need a hotel for one night pre-cruise that will be convenient to the dock. I will have 2 kids with me, ages 8 and 11. Anyone have a recommendation for something convenient and reasonably priced?

[138east]

Could you give an exact date and budget? Are you 3 or 4 people? Rooms in NY have been running in the $250-$300/night range. The hotels by Penn Station don't always get good reviews. What cruise line are you sailing?

[kzooknoedel]

Arriving on Amtrak about 5 p.m. on Saturday July 23. We leave on HAL on Sunday the 24th. There will be 4 of us total including my mother and my 2 kids. Was hoping to not spend more than $2-250 if that's possible. But convenience is priority. Was hoping to find something walking distance from Penn Station so we could just have one cab to the dock the next day.

[boo214]

Arriving on Amtrak about 5 p.m. on Saturday July 23. We leave on HAL on Sunday the 24th. There will be 4 of us total including my mother and my 2 kids. Was hoping to not spend more than $2-250 if that's possible. But convenience is priority. Was hoping to find something walking distance from Penn Station so we could just have one cab to the dock the next day.

try the wingate by wyndham on west 35th street. it got good reviews and is 1 block north of penn station. you can check them out at wingatehotelnyc.com

[138east]

You're really in luck. Right now there is a 4* Times Square Hotel on Hotwire for 4 people on July 22 for $209 - Betterbidding indicates this could be the Crowne Plaza, Hilton, Intercontinental, or Millenium. Don't obsess about taking an extra taxi - Times Square is towards the port, so you're not going out of the way. This is a noncancellable hotel, but if you're uncomfortable with that, Hotwire has a new feature where you can insure your purchase. I'd grab this in a heartbeat - it won't last long.

[cynbar]

We were in NYC for a weekend in May, came in on Amtrak and stayed at the Strand Hotel. It's on West 37th, between 5th and 6th avenues, about a 10 minute walk from Penn Station. It's over your price range but it was great, comfortable newly renovated rooms, free internet and continental breakfast, and a killer roof top bar that looks out on the Empire State Buidling. Good hotels in midtown Manhattan are not cheap by any means!

[Dulahey]

I will also be coming into Penn Station (with my wife-to-be) from Boston on August 11. Our Princess cruise leaves from Brooklyn on the 13th. So we need 2 nights in NYC.

 

I'm a huge Hotwire fan and have used it several times before. Which districts should I stick to in looking for hotels? I was thinking just Chelsea/Madison Square, Empire State & Times Square.

 

Also, any advice on getting from the hotel to the pier? I assumed we could just take a $40 cab ride. Is it preferred to reserve a car?

[138east]

I'd add midtown central. It looks like you have some reasonable choices out there for Aug 11. Take a cab to the pier - have printed directions in your hand.

[Dulahey]

What's the best way to get said printed directions? Simply from google maps? Or from a local? I'm not sure about how taxi's work with the different tolls and such.

 

Also, I'll stick to the 4* hotels just to be safe.

[138east]

http://www.nycruise.com/dirBKN.html

[Dulahey]

http://www.nycruise.com/dirBKN.html

 

You're great! :)

[Dulahey]

Hey 138east, just wanted to see if you had any insight to my hotwire options.

 

4* Empire State Area for $176. Most likely the Kitano.

 

4* Midtown Central Area $189. Could be a few things. Flatotel, Helmsley Park Lane, Royalton, Sheraton, Sofitel or Warwick.

 

4* Time Square/Theatre Area. Crowne Plaza, Inter-Continental, Millenium Broadway or Hilton Times Square.

 

Do any of those stick out to you as particularly good deals? I would probably go with the Midtown Central selection, but will research all those hotels to make sure none of them are a clunker or anything.

[Traveling Library]

Try the Holiday Inn Express Madison Sq Garden at 232 West 29th Str. You can walk there from Penn Station.

[138east]

I'm not a NY hotel expert - things change all the time. However, I don't think you will be disappointed in a 4* midtown Manhattan hotel at a bargain price. I'd stick with midtown central - I think folks have gotten the Warwick before and been very satisfied. I'm sure the Kitano is fine, but 39th and Park is not appealing to me. I'd rather be in midtown in the 50's - you can walk everywhere from there and it's possible your hotel will be discretely tucked away on a quieter side street. I don't think that would be true for the Times Square hotels. What is the cost for those hotels?

[Post Captain]

Hey 138east, just wanted to see if you had any insight to my hotwire options.

 

4* Empire State Area for $176. Most likely the Kitano.

 

4* Midtown Central Area $189. Could be a few things. Flatotel, Helmsley Park Lane, Royalton, Sheraton, Sofitel or Warwick.

 

4* Time Square/Theatre Area. Crowne Plaza, Inter-Continental, Millenium Broadway or Hilton Times Square.

 

Do any of those stick out to you as particularly good deals? I would probably go with the Midtown Central selection, but will research all those hotels to make sure none of them are a clunker or anything.

 

Dulahey~

 

If I might chime in here...

 

I slightly disagree with 138east re. the Kitano. The area is quieter than Times Square, and more upscale, but IMHO the location is just as convenient as what Hotwire defines as Times Square and Midtown Central, and not really that far away from them. It's just a few blocks south of Grand Central Terminal (with good access to bus & subway service); just around the corner from my favorite small museum in NYC, the Morgan; and a couple of blocks from Fifth Avenue and the Empire State Building.

 

I used to walk past the hotel nearly every day, and have been to the hotel for drinks and dinner several times. It's Japanese owned, and very cosmopolitan. For what it's worth, if the website is to be believed, it's tennis star Maria Sharapova's favorite hotel in NYC.

 

The Warwick is also very nice. (Have only been there for drinks.) I'm not personally familiar with the other hotels on your list. (BTW, the French-owned Sofitel has been in the news lately--it's where DSK is alleged to have interfered with a maid. The less said about that, the better!)

 

In any case, of the three areas, Times Square would be my last choice.

[Dulahey]

Sorry, late response, but the Times Square hotels were about $250ish. Significantly more.

[Dulahey]

Ended up going Midtown Central and got the Royalton Hotel for $187 a night. I was sure I was going to get the Warwick, but the Royalton is actually in a much better location. (For proximity to things that is)

[138east]

Great price and great location - it's so close to Times Square and Rockefeller Center. Congratulations!

[lenquixote66]

The Comfort Inn on 25 St .

[spakman]

We'll be in NYC for 4 nights prior to our cruise and then 2 nights post cruise. Not sure about Hotwire, I've registered with them but am still a little cautious :)

 

Will watch this thread for some ideas on where the better places are. Oh we are arriving 10/11 cruising on 10/15, back again 10/21 and out 10/23

[Bizziecruzer]

Hi Spakman - we are 4 couples from Australia - 1 from Qld, 3 from NSW. We will be in New York form 17 - 22 Oct sailing on Princess on the 22nd. We have booked suites at the Affinia Manhattan which is across the road from Penn Station as we are arriving via Amtrak from Niagara Falls. We really wanted suites so that we had a bit of room to spread out as we will have been "on the road" for just over 2 weeks by the time we arrive in NYC, so we didn't use any of the bidding sites. Have a look on Expedia - that 's where we booked our rooms for NYC. However I have booked some other accm in Washington and Dallas using Priceline and got excellent deals. Also FYI the weekend 8, 9 & 10 Oct is a long weekend in America and Canada - so suggest you book your accm early rather than later just in case it gets busy. Good luck with the travel plans

[138east]

Spakman - Your dates are a tough time to find hotel deals in NY - it's the height of the season. What is your budget and are you 2 people? At this time of year a you can expect to pay at least $250-$300 for a hotel room. Four of your days are weekdays when the rates tend to be higher due to business travelers.

 

Using the amenities listed on Hotwire you can try to match up your hotel with the list of NY hotels on betterbidding. This will give you an idea of the hotels that might be offered and you can look them up and read the reviews. For NYC we don't recommend choosing anything less than a 3* hotel. Hotwire offers an option to pay for trip cancellation - if you don't have overall insurance for your trip, this could be an option to protect the money you're spending up front on a hotel.

 

I wouldn't obsess about choosing a particular hotel - most people want to be in Times Square, Midtown, Empire State or Chelsea to ensure they have a centrally located hotel with good public transportation. No matter where you stay in NYC, there will always be someplace you want to go that is a subway or bus ride away. If you find a deal in Central Park, Midtown East or Downtown, it would be worthwhile considering. For your weekend I am seeing our favorite 4* hotel in Jersey City for $115 - either the Westin or Hyatt. These are 4* hotels that are frequently on Hotwire that are close to Path subway stations across from downtown NYC and have fantastic views of the city from either property.

[spakman]

Hi Spakman - we are 4 couples from Australia - 1 from Qld, 3 from NSW. We will be in New York form 17 - 22 Oct sailing on Princess on the 22nd. We have booked suites at the Affinia Manhattan which is across the road from Penn Station as we are arriving via Amtrak from Niagara Falls. We really wanted suites so that we had a bit of room to spread out as we will have been "on the road" for just over 2 weeks by the time we arrive in NYC, so we didn't use any of the bidding sites. Have a look on Expedia - that 's where we booked our rooms for NYC. However I have booked some other accm in Washington and Dallas using Priceline and got excellent deals. Also FYI the weekend 8, 9 & 10 Oct is a long weekend in America and Canada - so suggest you book your accm early rather than later just in case it gets busy. Good luck with the travel plans

 

Thanks - yes I know it is a holiday on the 10th - I have been looking at a lot of different sites and will probably watch availability and pricing and then book early next month. Just throwing some cash on an AMEX USD card to take advantage of the rates :)

[spakman]

Spakman - Your dates are a tough time to find hotel deals in NY - it's the height of the season. What is your budget and are you 2 people? At this time of year a you can expect to pay at least $250-$300 for a hotel room. Four of your days are weekdays when the rates tend to be higher due to business travelers.

 

Using the amenities listed on Hotwire you can try to match up your hotel with the list of NY hotels on betterbidding. This will give you an idea of the hotels that might be offered and you can look them up and read the reviews. For NYC we don't recommend choosing anything less than a 3* hotel. Hotwire offers an option to pay for trip cancellation - if you don't have overall insurance for your trip, this could be an option to protect the money you're spending up front on a hotel.

 

I wouldn't obsess about choosing a particular hotel - most people want to be in Times Square, Midtown, Empire State or Chelsea to ensure they have a centrally located hotel with good public transportation. No matter where you stay in NYC, there will always be someplace you want to go that is a subway or bus ride away. If you find a deal in Central Park, Midtown East or Downtown, it would be worthwhile considering. For your weekend I am seeing our favorite 4* hotel in Jersey City for $115 - either the Westin or Hyatt. These are 4* hotels that are frequently on Hotwire that are close to Path subway stations across from downtown NYC and have fantastic views of the city from either property.

 

Thanks, yes there are 2 of us and $250 a night (++) doesn't scare us too much. A 3 star is our absolute minimum, we have been tempted by the Herald Square Hotel, have read some good reviews.

we do want to stay on Manhattan, our first time in New York, so we will be doing touristy things for a few days :)

I did see a suite style room available in the Empire State area for a pretty good price - as I said to the previous poster will keep an eye on availability and probably book early next month.

[shorepal]

The Wingate was near Penn Station and a very nice and safe hotel when we were there last summer.