Staying in Jersey City- review...

[alfaeric]

Before our Anthem sailing on Nov 22, we spent a night in the Jersey City Doubletree Hotel.

 

For those who are looking for easier access to New York, this is a good option- for that matter, most downtown Jersey City hotels have a close PATH stop- which gets you across the Hudson and downtown to Manhattan.

 

The Doubletree is just like every other one, including the cookies. :D If you like them, they are great. But that being said, do shop around for your favorite hotel brand in the area.

 

Our hotel was a quick walk to a PATH station, and since we wanted to get to the World Trade Center area, we had to change trains once- Newport to Grove St, as the Hoboken line only runs during the week. Then the other line took us right to the World Trade Center area - where a brand new transit center is being built.

 

We spend the afternoon and evening walking around- going down to Battery Park, and then up to the Brooklyn Bridge, bad to the WTC area, and then up to our restaurant- Gigino Trattoria. Even found a great wine shop on the way to pick up a bottle for the cruise!

 

Heading back, we got on the Journal Square train on Christopher St.

 

Really great access to Manhattan.

 

The next morning (after a great run down to Liberty Park, where we got to see the Anthem from a distance), we were adventurous and took the light rail which had a stop right behind our hotel at Harsimus Cove.

 

Take that down to 34th street.

 

Then call a cab.

 

The train was totally on time- as we got to the 34th street stop by 12:30pm.

 

But the taxi was not quick. I had to call a few times, and we waited for over 30 min for what should have been 20. IF you want to try this- it would be faster to walk from the 34th st Station down to 32nd street- where taxis were driving by. Not sure why none took the quick turn into the Park and Ride lot like we needed them to.

 

Still, it was an interesting adventure- one I'm sure we will repeat. We plan on an Anthem cruise in 2016, and if we can, we will spend the night before in the same area- hopefully at least going to the wine store to pick up something special.

 

The current Bayonne construction had no impact on us getting to Jersey City nor from the station to the port. It DID have an impact on getting from the port to EWR, but our taxi driver took a chance on his app, and found a great alternative around the traffic.

[138east]

So glad it all worked out for you. I think taxis are a bit easier to get from the light rail if you arrive earlier because they can still expect to also get an outbound fare from the port. 10:00-10:30 seems to work.

[travelingla]

thank you for this great info -- we are looking forward to Anthem in 2017 -- whenever the itinerary is posted :roll eyes:

 

I will be looking for hotels and transportation - this helps.

Edited December 9, 2015 by travelingla

[138east]

thank you for this great info -- we are looking forward to Anthem in 2017 -- whenever the itinerary is posted :roll eyes:

 

I will be looking for hotels and transportation - this helps.

 

Feel free to post back with questions. I've also stayed in the Newport area of Jersey City at the Courtyard and loved it compared to Newark Airport. I'm also a big fan of taking PATH and the light rail to the port. Very easy and very inexpensive compared to a taxi/car service, but it's not for everyone. However it does cost a car service ride to get to Jersey City from the airport. What you choose to do should be a balance of time, money, and stress.

[alfaeric]

So glad it all worked out for you. I think taxis are a bit easier to get from the light rail if you arrive earlier because they can still expect to also get an outbound fare from the port. 10:00-10:30 seems to work.

 

While I was a little cross with the taxi service, the driver was pretty nice, so we chatted it up a little- he told us that we can schedule a cab to be there. And since the trains are on time, that's pretty easy to do.

 

Next time, before we leave the hotel, I will call and tell them when we should arrive- which should give them enough time to have someone there.

 

For sure, there will be a next time- next September. We plan on getting another bottle of wine in Manhattan!

Edited December 10, 2015 by alfaeric

[hackwid]

Hi. We are staying at the Hyatt on the Hudson in Jersey City. I figured a taxi would come right to our hotel to pick us up. Is this not the case? We have to take somethign somewhere else?

 

Will they willingly drive us from EWU to the Hyatt on the Hudson. I am so unfamiliar with how this all works. Just want to make sure I know what we need to do before we go.

 

Thanks.

[138east]

Hi. We are staying at the Hyatt on the Hudson in Jersey City. I figured a taxi would come right to our hotel to pick us up. Is this not the case? We have to take somethign somewhere else?

 

Will they willingly drive us from EWU to the Hyatt on the Hudson. I am so unfamiliar with how this all works. Just want to make sure I know what we need to do before we go.

 

Thanks.

 

Cabs at Newark Airport should quote you a flat fare to Jersey City, which is actually a relatively "local" trip. Tolls (between $0 and $2) and tip would be extra.

 

Please see my other response about the Hyatt. You don't need a cab until 5/14. Call the Hyatt again during the day during the week to try to get more info. They are a high end hotel catering to high end business travelers. Many Wall Street firms have operations groups in that area of Jersey City - there's a lot of big money around.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for your report.

[alfaeric]

Hi. We are staying at the Hyatt on the Hudson in Jersey City. I figured a taxi would come right to our hotel to pick us up. Is this not the case? We have to take somethign somewhere else?

 

Will they willingly drive us from EWU to the Hyatt on the Hudson. I am so unfamiliar with how this all works. Just want to make sure I know what we need to do before we go.

 

Thanks.

 

What we tried to do was a little more adventurous. Taking a direct taxi is a whole lot easier idea.

 

We thought it would be fun to try the train to get closer to the port. What we didn't know was getting a taxi near there would be that difficult.

 

And like was posted- getting from the airport to Jersey City was easy via a taxi.

[renata102]

Before our Anthem sailing on Nov 22, we spent a night in the Jersey City Doubletree Hotel.

 

For those who are looking for easier access to New York, this is a good option- for that matter, most downtown Jersey City hotels have a close PATH stop- which gets you across the Hudson and downtown to Manhattan.

 

The Doubletree is just like every other one, including the cookies. :D If you like them, they are great. But that being said, do shop around for your favorite hotel brand in the area.

 

Our hotel was a quick walk to a PATH station, and since we wanted to get to the World Trade Center area, we had to change trains once- Newport to Grove St, as the Hoboken line only runs during the week. Then the other line took us right to the World Trade Center area - where a brand new transit center is being built.

 

We spend the afternoon and evening walking around- going down to Battery Park, and then up to the Brooklyn Bridge, bad to the WTC area, and then up to our restaurant- Gigino Trattoria. Even found a great wine shop on the way to pick up a bottle for the cruise!

 

Heading back, we got on the Journal Square train on Christopher St.

 

Really great access to Manhattan.

 

The next morning (after a great run down to Liberty Park, where we got to see the Anthem from a distance), we were adventurous and took the light rail which had a stop right behind our hotel at Harsimus Cove.

 

Take that down to 34th street.

 

Then call a cab.

 

The train was totally on time- as we got to the 34th street stop by 12:30pm.

 

But the taxi was not quick. I had to call a few times, and we waited for over 30 min for what should have been 20. IF you want to try this- it would be faster to walk from the 34th st Station down to 32nd street- where taxis were driving by. Not sure why none took the quick turn into the Park and Ride lot like we needed them to.

 

Still, it was an interesting adventure- one I'm sure we will repeat. We plan on an Anthem cruise in 2016, and if we can, we will spend the night before in the same area- hopefully at least going to the wine store to pick up something special.

 

The current Bayonne construction had no impact on us getting to Jersey City nor from the station to the port. It DID have an impact on getting from the port to EWR, but our taxi driver took a chance on his app, and found a great alternative around the traffic.

I was born in the shadow of Statue of Liberty (jersey city). But the. Raised in other north NN towns (and Europe). I love how jersey city is up and coming again. And how close it is to NYC.