NJ Newark Renaissance Airport Options

[Phaelon56]

This is the property on the service road of Rte 1/9 South just across from the EWR airport property. It was formerly a Wyndham until quite recently. There's a Shula's 2 Steakhouse on the groudn level but I didn't try the food. $12 per day for parking.

Easy check-in and very courteous desk staff. Put me in a nice quiet room on a high floor. King bed was new mattress pillow-top style with high quality linen and loads of very good soft pillows. Clean... coffee-maker i the room and it's about a 20 minute drive to Manhattan if traffic is not backed up.

The $65 I paid on Priceline is very fair and at this time of year when 2* Hotwire hotels were $450 per night in Manhattan I think this was a bargain. Very nice property.

[actraveler]

Hi Everyone,

I have stayed at this Doubletree at least a dozen times as this was our corporate hotel and through Priceline.

Up until 4 years ago the hotel was a Holiday Inn. Wyndham purchased the property and completly gutted it right down the concrete superstructure and rebuilt it into a verrrry nice upscale airport hotel. Most recently, this franchise was moved to Doubletree.

What you will get is a verrry nice room with a marble bathroom. It and the taxes will be paid for by Priceline. After that, everything else is nickle-and-dimed- except the 1 cookie you get at check-in. By the way if you stay multiple days, you only get 1 cookie when you check in- not 1 per day. Charges for local and 800 calls, internet, parking are all extra.

A franchise of Shula's Steakhouse is the only restaurant in the hotel and it is horrible. For pete's sake, if you go into a fine steakhouse, they should at least know how to cook a steak medium!! If you have experienced Shula's in Tampa or Miami, this is a SUPER letdown. The problem with qulaity control is that the menu has more than a normal Shula's because it is an airport hotel, and they have to cater to everyone- from people who want wings 'n beer to people who want a fine steak. They just can't handle it all- and breakfast is just plain greasy and disgusting.

The hotel is on a busy highway (US 1&9 South). There is no alternate food within walking distance, and unless you take the shuttle back to the airport, there is no access to public transportation.

Don't get me wrong. If you need a EWR airport hotel for a layover, the room is very nice- although the front desk staff can be surly- and have reminded me that they can't do "whatever" because I am on Priceline- like a second cookie on day 2.

I suggest you read my review for the Country Inn & Suites Newark Airport for a tremendously different and consistent experience.

Hal

[petaling]

Stayed here 1 night October Wkday.
Lots of tour buses and guests with breakfast coupon.Standard bussiness hotel fare not bad for $71 all-in.($55+fees and tax).Lousy breakfast for $30 more.
We requested a non-smoking room 2 beds before arrival.However as always with Priceline request to hotels,not entered into system but there was ns double bed rooms available so we were given a room.However on entering the room,there was a big blower machine in the room marked ENGINEERING suggesting there was a flood in that room and they are trying to dry out the carpet.So off we went downstairs and got another room.
After that we went down to Shula hoping for dinner but was told they are fully booked.There were lots of people watching a game that night there.Mostly non-hotel guests and friends of the security staffs,drinking beer.
It was good that I remember a recommendation by DAHAMMER that the Spanish Tavern comes and pick you up for dinner.We phoned and within 5 min a courtesy van appears and took us to the Spanish Tavern.Excellent seafood,the cod so fresh it melted in our mouths,and the prawns are good too.The steak was a bit tough and salty though.But what the heck,excellent service,free soups and send-off to area hotels.Excellent recommendation by Dahammer.

[blindman]

One night stay on 14th March 2009

It is now a Renaissance

For a $46 win as opposed to a $140 rate I can't really complain.

We called the shuttle from airport and seemed to time it OK as there were a lot waiting and we only waited 5 minutes.
The hotel is used by tour groups so can be busy at check in and on the shuttle, ours was full.

There is no cheap transport from the hotel unless you are going to the airport.
Taxi fare anywhere is $20.00! Probably the best idea is to go back to the airport and get transport from there, that's what we did. However this means that an extra $5.50 is added to fares as you are using the Airtrain. There is a Bus 67 from EWR to Newark Penn we did not use due to luggage constraints.

Free Wi-fi is only downstairs in the lobby area not in room. There is a nice quiet library where one can work.
Pool and Gym. Did not use.
We did not eat in the hotel.

Overall a cheap overnight option for EWR but not much else.