The Westin Hotel, Jersey City – area information & videos

[Post Captain]

The Westin Hotel in the Newport section of Jersey City is frequently recommended for pre- or post-cruise stays by others on these boards. Several Cruise Critic users recently have reported that they have had luck in finding highly discounted room prices at the Westin when searching for a 4-star hotel on Hotwire or other hotel booking websites. Since many visitors who come from other parts of the world to cruise out of Bayonne (aka Cape Liberty) or New York are unfamiliar with the area, and since questions about where to stay seem to arise on a daily basis, I thought it might be useful to share some general information as well as my own observations and experiences of this area.

 

Earlier this week I shot several short videos showing the exterior of the hotel and the immediate surroundings:

 

 

As you can see, the hotel is located across the street from the Hudson River waterfront. A very pleasant walkway / promenade runs along the waterfront and offers great views of the river and the Manhattan skyline. (Since it opened just a few years ago, the Hudson River Walkway has become one of my favorite walking routes in the tri-state region. There are proposals to eventually extend the walkway all the way from the George Washington Bridge to the southern fringe of Bayonne.)

 

The Newport section of Jersey City was completely redeveloped in the last 10 or 15 years. What formerly was a somewhat desolate area of derelict piers, abandoned rail yards, crumbling warehouses, empty lots, and suchlike is now virtually a brand-new city that is home to a number of Fortune 500 corporate headquarters and offices (primarily in banking and financial services), high-end condo and apartment complexes, hotels, restaurants and other eateries, parks and plazas, and marinas.

 

In my daytime walks hereabouts, I’ve always found the area to be remarkably safe, clean, and reasonably quiet although bustling. (Mind you, I sometimes run into rowdy teenagers at the Newport Mall—but then, my idea of “rowdy” also encompasses some of the crowds I’ve encountered at the buffet and swimming pools aboard cruise ships.;))

 

The aforementioned Newport Centre Mall, within easy walking distance of the Westin, has four large department stores—Macy’s, Kohls, J. C. Penny, Sears—and an extensive assortment of smaller specialty chain stores and restaurants typically found in malls.

 

The area is very walkable, and has excellent public transportation. Modern above-ground NJ Transit Light Rail trains (the 21st-century equivalent of trolleys) stop just a few blocks from the Westin and can take you to the adjacent city of Hoboken as well as to the entrance of the Cape Liberty cruise terminal in Bayonne [34th Street] in a matter of minutes. Similarly, the underground PATH train system has a couple of stations in the area [Newport and Exchange Place] and will whisk you to Manhattan in about 15 minutes. (The PATH train is super-handy for getting to Lower Manhattan [World Trade Center], Greenwich Village [Christopher Street], Chelsea [23rd Street], and Midtown Manhattan [33rd Street, at Herald Square, near Macy’s, and a short walk to Empire State Building, Times Square, and other midtown landmarks].) PATH trains run 24/7. New York Waterways ferries depart from several nearby docks to various points in Manhattan; however, some routes operate only at rush hour, and not at all on weekends. Local buses also run right past the Westin on Washington Boulevard. A taxi or car service can take you directly from the hotel to the Cape Liberty cruise terminal or to Newark Liberty International Airport.

 

There are several other hotels within a block or two of the Westin: Courtyard Jersey City Newport, Doubletree by Hilton Hotel and Suites, and Candlewood Suites Jersey City. A bit further south along the river is the Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson, built on the foundations of an old pier jutting into the Hudson River, with spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, the Hudson River, and Upper New York Bay. (The Sheraton Lincoln Harbor, another 4-star hotel that also is frequently recommended on these boards and shows up on Hotwire, is located a few miles north of here in the Lincoln Harbor section of Weehawken.)

 

I realize that many cruisers prefer to stay at an airport hotel if they are flying into Newark the day before their cruise and just need a convenient place to sleep for one night. However, for stays longer than a day, and/or if you want to spend some time in New York City before the cruise, or just want to stay someplace more scenic and with more local amenities than are available at an airport hotel, I would confidently recommend the Westin or neighboring hotels if only for three reasons: Location, location, location.

 

Finally, a few standard disclaimers: I've never stayed at the Westin or any other Jersey City hotels—I’ve never had any need to do so, since I’ve got a roof of my own hereabouts. So I can’t tell you anything about the rooms or the beds or the service at these hotels, beyond what I’ve read elsewhere. Nor, unfortunately, do I have any financial interests in or connections with any of these hotels. But when you check in, tell them (just for fun) that Post Captain sent you, and see how they react.:D

[138east]

Great videos. The area sure has changed since I lived on Montgomery St in Jersey City, but I see that some of the old pier pilings are still there. My husband and I could never understand why the Pavonia/Newport area wasn't developed, but I think the RR track area was tied up in bankruptcy at the time.

 

There are often great deals on weekends at the Sheraton, the Westin, and the Hyatt and I also think they are a great choice for Cape Liberty cruisers. Sometimes folks even get the W hotel in Hoboken. No one has ever posted back that they were unhappy in these hotels. Folks sailing the first weekend in June have gotten rates under $120, but that is not always available. Folks should also know that parking is an extra charge because of the close proximity to NYC. If there's any well priced 4* hotwel on Hotwire in Jersey City for your sail date, you should seriously consider it.

[MT Becca]

Thanks for this info! We got the Westin on Hotwire, and now I'm even more pleased after reading your post.

 

Question - is this hotel near the ferry terminals? Still haven't figured out the best mode of transport for us to the Manhattan cruise terminal and it occurred to me that we could possibly take a ferry directly there. I just can't seem to determine exactly how far away the hotel is from the nearest ferry, and if it would drop us at a pier in Manhatten that was close to the pier that we are sailing out of (I'm thinking pier 88? Its the Disney Magic). Thanks!

[Post Captain]

Thanks for this info! We got the Westin on Hotwire, and now I'm even more pleased after reading your post.

 

Question - is this hotel near the ferry terminals? Still haven't figured out the best mode of transport for us to the Manhattan cruise terminal and it occurred to me that we could possibly take a ferry directly there. I just can't seem to determine exactly how far away the hotel is from the nearest ferry, and if it would drop us at a pier in Manhatten that was close to the pier that we are sailing out of (I'm thinking pier 88? Its the Disney Magic). Thanks!

 

Hello MT Becca ~

 

Thanks for your kind words; glad I could help. The Westin is in a great location; I've never been inside the hotel, but it's virtually brand new (2 or 3 years old) and has an excellent reputation.

 

To answer your question in a nutshell: Yes, you can get over to Manhattan, and very close to the Pier 88, by ferry.

 

There are several ways you could do the trip, but I think the route I've outlined below is the most direct and easiest. It involves a short ride on a New Jersey Transit Light Rail train (basically a modern tram), followed by a ferry ride and then a short walk or cab ride.

 

(Note: There are a couple of ferry terminals that are closer to the Westin than the one in my suggested route; however, they only operate a rush-hour service to where you'll need to go in Manhattan.)

 

So, breaking down the trip into four easy sections:

 

Part 1: Take the NJ Transit light rail train from the Harsimus Cove stop (just a block and a half from the Westin) to Port Imperial in Weehawken. (Travel time is 16-minutes; trains run every 20 minutes, and the fare is $2.10 for adults, $1.05 for children, seniors, and disabled.)

 

 

(Not my video, but not bad.;))

http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=LightRailTo

(You'll be on the Hudson-Bergen line.)

 

Part 2: Exiting the train at Port Imperial, cross the road to the Port Imperial ferry terminal. (A pedestrian overpass has been under construction for several years--don't ask why it's taken several years to complete! If it's finished by the time you travel, you won't have to worry about traffic crossing the street. Or you could just cross the street normally—there's a pedestrian crossing with a traffic light, though it doesn't give you a tremendous amount of time to cross the busy multi-lane road.)

 

 

Part 3: Ferry ride!:) Ferries run from the terminal to 39th Street in Manhattan—just 10 blocks or so from the pier. Buy your ticket before boarding. ($9 for adults; $8.25 for seniors 62+ [great, save 75 cents!]; $6 for children 6-12; free for children under 6.) The trip takes just 8 minutes, and you'll get a great view of the Manhattan skyline and of your ship.

 

http://www.nywaterway.com/PortImperialWeehawkenRoute.aspx

 

Here's a video of the ferry trip, albeit in the opposite direction:

 

 

(Not my video either. I'm envious!)

4. The 39th Street ferry terminal in Manhattan is less than 10 blocks due south of Pier 88. If you're traveling light and have easily maneuverable wheeled luggage and the weather is good, you could walk it (approximately 15 minutes); otherwise, take a cab. (I've walked it a number of times.) If walking, turn left when you exit the 39th Street ferry terminal, and stay on the same side of the street. You'll pass right by the aircraft carrier Intrepid (now home of the Intrepid Air and Space Museum). As you walk, just be aware of the adjacent bicycle path, and watch out for cyclists; also take heed at a few crosswalks where cars and buses enter or exit waterfront terminals/ parking areas. You'll see the Disney Magic before you get to the pier, and you'll know where to go when you get there!

 

http://wirednewyork.com/wp/media/2010/04/manhattan-cruise-terminal.jpg

 

Just one other tip: If you're doing this on a weekday, it would be best to wait until after the morning rush hour before starting your trip on the Light Rail train. (Say, after 9:30 a.m.) The trains get pretty crowded during the morning and evening rush, but if you wait until mid-morning, you shouldn't have any problems getting a seat. Also, it's pretty easy to take luggage on the train; the trains are at platform level, and there's sufficient space for a reasonable amount of luggage if it's not standing-room only.

 

 

Enjoy your visit to New Jersey, and your cruise on the Disney Magic.

Bon Voyage!

[highlandmom]

Hi,

 

As always, I appreciate the information provided on this site. I'm cross-eyed from reading the Cape Liberty posts.

 

We (DH & DD, 11 & myself) are on the Celebrity Summit (Sunday July 15) but plan on flying in on Friday for 2 nights in order to take our daughter to the American Girl store on Saturday.

 

We could get significantly lower priced airfare into JFK or LGA but after reading the posts, I was scared off (transfer prices & logistics) and I think we've decided to fly into Newark.

 

That said, here are my questions for which I'm just looking for input & reassurance or advice for planning:

 

We want a hotel for 3 people, 4*, under $200. From reading here, it looks like it would be a good idea (convenient and budget friendly) to stay in NJ and take transit into the city. The 4* hotels listed in the previous posts seem to be near restaurants or a mall for our first night.

So....

Would the only 4* on Hotwire (Hoboken-Jersey City-North Bergen) be the Westin? It's listed for $142. I could book direct on the Westin site, it's not too much more. What other hotel might it be?

 

For transportation from the airport to the hotel and then from the hotel to the pier we would need to book a private car, correct? Cost for 3 people approximately $50 plus tip? Post cruise to EWR would be a bit less for a shared van, and we would just catch one when we disembark, correct?

 

Thanks in advance!

[138east]

There is no guarantee that the Hotwire hotel will be the Westin. However, it will be either the Westin, the Hyatt, Sheraton Lincoln Harbor or the "W" - all 4* hotels. It's unlikely to be the "W". Recent bidders on Hotwire have been getting the Sheraton or the Westin.

 

No one has ever posted back that they were unhappy with one of these hotels - they can be a great deal compared to a NYC hotel. The Sheraton is right by the Lincoln tunnel and you would take a quick bus ride through the tunnel to Port Authority Bus terminal. The other hotels are near one of the PATH stations and you would take the PATH train into midtown or downtown NYC.

[Post Captain]

Hi,

 

As always, I appreciate the information provided on this site. I'm cross-eyed from reading the Cape Liberty posts.

 

We (DH & DD, 11 & myself) are on the Celebrity Summit (Sunday July 15) but plan on flying in on Friday for 2 nights in order to take our daughter to the American Girl store on Saturday.

 

We could get significantly lower priced airfare into JFK or LGA but after reading the posts, I was scared off (transfer prices & logistics) and I think we've decided to fly into Newark.

 

That said, here are my questions for which I'm just looking for input & reassurance or advice for planning:

 

We want a hotel for 3 people, 4*, under $200. From reading here, it looks like it would be a good idea (convenient and budget friendly) to stay in NJ and take transit into the city. The 4* hotels listed in the previous posts seem to be near restaurants or a mall for our first night.

So....

Would the only 4* on Hotwire (Hoboken-Jersey City-North Bergen) be the Westin? It's listed for $142. I could book direct on the Westin site, it's not too much more. What other hotel might it be? Sheraton Lincoln Harbor in Weehawken (about 3 miles due north of the Westin) or the Hyatt Regency on the Hudson, Jersey City (about 1/2 mile due south of the Westin).

 

For transportation from the airport to the hotel and then from the hotel to the pier we would need to book a private car, correct? Either car service or cab; others here can provide specific recommendations. But see my comment below re. travel from the hotel to the Cape Liberty cruise terminal. Cost for 3 people approximately $50 plus tip? Post cruise to EWR would be a bit less for a shared van, and we would just catch one when we disembark, correct? I believe the shared van from the cruise terminal to EWR is $17 pp; others can confirm.

 

If you stay at the Westin, Hyatt Regency, or Sheraton Lincoln Harbor, you can save $$$ by taking a NJ Light Rail train to 34th Street in Bayonne and then taking a taxi from there for the remaining two miles to the cruise terminal. The total cost for three people would be not more than $20, versus the $50 or more that a car service from the hotel to the cruise terminal would cost. (There is a Light Rail stop within a block or so of each of these three hotels.)

Thanks in advance!

 

You're welcome.

 

You might want to take a look at these videos showing the Hyatt Regency and its surroundings:

 

 

[138east]

I have taken the light rail from Hoboken to 34th St. in Bayonne - very easy and very cheap. No problem with luggage. I called Bayonne Taxi when I got there and they picked me up within 10 minutes. It was an interesting ride and I went right by the Westin and the Hyatt.