Priceline Hotel: Need advice on Secaucus NJ/NYC

I am traveling with my wife and 4 children (ages 6-13) from Atlanta, GA to visit NYC from July 29 to August 1. I have zeroed in on Secaucus as an area of interest because it seems as though there are a lot of hotels, pretty good bus routes to NYC, and possibly pretty safe. I was very intrigued to find a Hyatt Place there because I know all 6 of us have fit very comfortably in Hyatt Place hotels before. From what I am reading, it seems as though I should probably bid on 2 rooms to be safe but I'm not a little confused as to why I should use Hotwire with multiple children as opposed to Priceline. I have always had great success traveling with my family and using Priceline to get just one room. (Two youngest don't mind sleeping on the floor!) Can any of you please offer any advice on the area, bidding on 2 rooms vs. 1, bidding on Priceline vs. Hotwire, etc? Any info you can provide will be helpful. I will continue to investigate on this wonderful site.

Thereuare, I know you live in the area so I'm hoping you can give some insight, as well as anyone else. I guess you could say "we are here" in Atlanta but I want to be where "thereuare" is so I can say "we are there" also. Or something like that....

Welcome to BetterBidding!

I should probably bid on 2 rooms to be safe but I'm not a little confused as to why I should use Hotwire with multiple children as opposed to Priceline. I have always had great success traveling with my family and using Priceline to get just one room.

It's "fine" until you have a problem :) I'm not sure how often you've used PRICELINE and/or the cities which you've visited, but six people is usually well over the number of occupants 'allowed' (as per fire code) in a standard hotel room. Maybe you've been lucky, maybe you've stayed at family friendly areas where there are a large percentage of rooms with two beds, or maybe you've simply encountered check-in clerks that don't care or don't want to have a problem on their hands... but it will only take one to have a clerk that 'cares' and wants to say something for you to have a problem. As well, even if the desk clerk is willing to look the other way, you could get a hotel that is near capacity or full and only be able to give you a room with one bed.

In light of all the above, bidding for one room on PRICELINE is just a bit too risky for us to recommend it for six person occupancy.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

In light of all the above, bidding for one room on PRICELINE is just a bit too risky for us to recommend it for six person occupancy.

Yeah, that was my plan to bid on two rooms but I was wondering if there are alternative "family-safe" bidding zones with quick access by rail or bus to NYC. I've heard from a friend to stay away from Newark and the airport areas but I haven't been to NY/NJ in years and never with the kids.

And is it safe to assume that I could get 1 adult and 2 kids in one room?

One last thing - I found out that Bruce Springsteen is doing a few concerts that week at the Meadowlands. Will that greatly affect room supply?

Again, I TRULY appreciate any help! This board is awesome. Depending on where I make my bid (HOTWIRE or PRICELINE), I will be sure to use the links found herein.

And is it safe to assume that I could get 1 adult and 2 kids in one room?

Since you are fine with one kids in each room sleeping on the floor i would think you'd be ok, but if you're going by the written rule, all that is guaranteed by PRICELINE is double occupancy. If you want to guarantee more then double occupancy (up to quad occupancy) then you need to use HOTWIRE.

I found out that Bruce Springsteen is doing a few concerts that week at the Meadowlands. Will that greatly affect room supply?

I would expect increased demand the nites of the concerts in the immediate area surrounding the Meadowlands Sports complex. Do you know if the concerts are at Izod Arena (still Brendan Byrne to some of us!) or Giants Stadium?

The Boss will be at Giants Stadium July 27, 28, and 31. I know it sounds sacrilegious but I have never "gotten" Bruce Springsteen. And he will sell out Giants Stadium three times in one week??? :)

What are your thoughts on Jersey City as an alternate to Secaucus? Thanks again for all the input. You are so there!

I know it sounds sacrilegious but I have never "gotten" Bruce Springsteen. And he will sell out Giants Stadium three times in one week???... What are your thoughts

I 'get' Springsteen and in the late 80's he sold-out 10 nites at Giants Stadium (iirc). Oh, that's not the part you wanted my thoughts on... :)

The waterfront in Jersey City is usually prefered over the Secaucus area, but the Hyatt is sold-out, the Doubletree Jersey City is over $340/nite, and the Courtyard is won very infrequently (it's $249/nite) so your odds of winning something in Jersey City i think are low.

What is your budget (per nite) for this trip? (is the budget the same if you're looking for 2 rooms vs. 1 room? if not, what is the budget for each scenario)

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

I know I can get a room at the Secaucus-Hyatt Place for $199. The way their suites are set up, I can sleep my whole family very comfortably with the two doubles and sleeper sofa. My thought was if I can get two rooms for less than $199, I win. I've seen wins here and on other "less than helpful" boards in that area for around $70 - 75. I even saw where one guy got two rooms at Hyatta Place for $56 each, but that was a date in May.

If I can get two rooms in 2.5 star Secaucus hotel for less than $175 total, I think I should smile. What do you think? Are there other family friendly zones in NJ that have quick bus/rail access to Manhattan?

I found a room with two double beds for $119/nite at the Crowne Plaza Secaucus... not sure if you would take the chance with the occupancy issue or go with two rooms, but this property has a bus stop at a half a block away to NYC.

I found a room with two double beds for $119/nite at the Crowne Plaza Secaucus... not sure if you would take the chance with the occupancy issue or go with two rooms, but this property has a bus stop at a half a block away to NYC.

Interesting...is that through Hotwire, Priceline, or some other source? I'm thinking I would HAVE to buy two rooms though, wherever I go. I really don't want to risk it, unless of course we could just send the kids over to your place!! :)

Thanks again for all the help. Incredible.

It's available HERE.

$119/nite

I have my hands full enough with two little ones. :)

Hey NJ Friends, I erroneously posted this in another thread. Need to ask it here. I just came across a 2.5* in Secaucus-Meadowlands for $69 per night for the time I'm looking for (July 29 -August 1). It sounds as though this would be the La Quinta Clifton - breakfast, pool, laundry, and hi-speed internet are the icons showing. Is this a safe place for a family to get two rooms? Thereuare, you said there's a good NJ Transit bus into Manhattan. Do you know how long it normally takes to get there? And if it's $69 on Hotwire, could I possibly bid less on Priceline?

Thanks as always. If any of you ever need advice for Atlanta, let me know!

these amenities are a match for those of the LaQuinta in Clifton, I've stayed here twice and I would stay here with my family. I would call the hotel to verify this, but I believe that the bus stop into Manhattan is on a street behind the hotel, its an uphill walk of about a block and a half. You should also call to see where the return bus stop is located, something tells me that it's not the same as the pickup point. I am a big fan of the North Bergen Park and Ride, about 5 minutes away, because of the frequency of bus service.