ny hotel recommendations

[lcat02143]

I will be traveling by car from just outside Boston MA to the Carnival cruise terminal in Manhattan for a cruise on 8/7/2019.  I am traveling with my 79 year old mother.  To make the trip a little easier we are planning to head out early afternoon on 8/6 and drive down to I think Stamford CT.  We will find a hotel for the night then continue on and park  at the pier.  I think this is the easiest for my mom who has some mobility issues.  

 

I am looking for hotel recommendations and which area would be the best to stop the night before.  From the maps I was thinking Stamford but am open to suggestions.  Also what time would you recommend heading to the port the next day to avoid too much traffic.

[138east]

 

2 hours ago, lcat02143 said:

I will be traveling by car from just outside Boston MA to the Carnival cruise terminal in Manhattan for a cruise on 8/7/2019.  I am traveling with my 79 year old mother.  To make the trip a little easier we are planning to head out early afternoon on 8/6 and drive down to I think Stamford CT.  We will find a hotel for the night then continue on and park  at the pier.  I think this is the easiest for my mom who has some mobility issues.  

 

I am looking for hotel recommendations and which area would be the best to stop the night before.  From the maps I was thinking Stamford but am open to suggestions.  Also what time would you recommend heading to the port the next day to avoid too much traffic.

We go to that area frequently and have stayed in a number of Stamford hotels.  We are budget travelers and have found that the LaQuinta satisfies our needs and offers AAA discounts and senior discounts.  It’s not fancy, but it’s adequate. Two queen beds with refrigerator and microwave are an option.  There are some steps, but there is also some sort of lift if your mom can’t do any steps.  The hotels offers free breakfast and there is a popular diner attached to the hotel.  If you book this hotel, I would make a special request for a room as close to the elevator as possible.  It’s an easy on easy off from I95.

 

We also liked the Hampton Inn, but a little harder to find from I95.  The fancier hotels charge for parking and can have large lobbies with more walking.

Edited January 12, 2019 by 138east

[138east]

Cars only parkway directions from Stamford.

 

If you come down I95 from Stanford at Rye NY there is a cutover to the Hutchinson River Parkway South at exit 21 immediately after exit 2 in CT (no exit 1). This cutover involves getting off onto I287 West and following the signs to the Merritt/Hutch. You get off onto a service road, go through a few lights and take the turn for the Hutch south.

 

The Merritt Pkwy becomes the Hutchinson River Pkwy at the NY/CT line. From the Hutch take exit 15 in New Rochelle to get on the Cross County Pkwy. Stay in the middle left lane, which will become the left lane when the road "scrunches". This leads onto the Saw Mill River Pkwy South which becomes the Henry Hudson Pkwy at the NYC line ($6 toll - if no EZPass they will bill you in the mail and you need to pay it!).  The toll is worth every penny.

 

The Henry Hudson Parkway goes directly to the Manhattan cruise terminal.  This route avoids the infamous “Cross Bronx Expressway” and the awful intersection of I95 and I87.  On a weekday morning if you leave Stamford after 9 am you should miss the rush hour traffic and get through the whole area before the shoppers get on the road.

 

If you come from Boston on the Mass Pike, I84, Wilbur Cross and Merritt Parkway, there is a cutover to I95 at exit 54. 

[lcat02143]

Thank you for the info.