Priceline Hotel: 4* Newark (Jersey City) Westin

[todds]

Hi Guys,

My wife & I are planning a trip to the US in late September (23rd - 28th) from Australia and we only have New York left to decide on accommodation.

I have been having a read through the board and seen the people have been managing to get 4* accommodation in both MTE & MTW through priceline for around $120 lately and I was wondering if anywhere near these type of prices for a 4* would be doable during September? (I don't really know what peak season are classed as in NY).

I'm new to all this so if anyone could give me an idea of what to expect or what I should be expecting to pay which would classed as a good deal for a 4* in NYC through priceline for September it would be greatly appreciated.

Also does the fact that we have a 5 night stay limit out chances of getting a better deal and is it too far out at the moment to get decent prices?

Any info/advice that anyone could give would be greatly appreciated so that we can have an idea of what to expect.

Thanks Guys.

Regards.

[AaronJB]

Welcome to the site. :)

New York City in September is traditionally fairly busy, and prices can be higher if there are conventions. Do not go on what others are getting for rates - prices are date specific and what they are getting likely does not reflect what rates are like on your dates. 5 days straight may have an effect on rates, especially if this is a busier period.

While HOTWIRE has a 4* in the Central Park area for $149 (likely the Empire) for these dates, Midtown 4* properties on the service are considerably more costly ($250-300+)

What would be your budget per night for hotel?

It would be greatly appreciated if you could use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links when you do decide to book.

[todds]

Hi Aaron, Thanks for the quick reply. much appreciated.

I would like to try and keep the budget to around $160 including taxes if possible, if i have to spend a little more then i may do that also, it's just that I really have no clue of what may or may not be obtainable around this time of year.

Thanks again for the reply.

Edit: I just had a quick look in hotwire but couldn't see the 4* in central park you were referring to for $149 for the mentioned dates. do i have to look for in it a certain area of their website (away from the regular area search)? I can see a 2* in central park for $149... is that what you are referring to? thanks again.

[AaronJB]

Sorry about that, I had clicked on the wrong dates (I had clicked on 9-18 to 23, the $149 rate is unfortunately not available on 9-23-28) on HOTWIRE.

In terms of bidding on PRICELINE, based upon the high rates I'm seeing now, $150-175 is probably a realistic bid for a 4* in the MTE or MTW area. However, given the time that you have, I'd recommend starting lower, with a starting bid at $130 and then working up by $5's.

You may have more luck if you do split your stay, as the Wednesday/Thursday (9-23-25) dates seem more expensive than the Friday/Saturday/Sunday (25-28) If you are willing to split your stay, let us know and we can suggest a different strategy.

[todds]

Yeah I guess we could split out stay up into 2. If we could get 1 place for the entire 5 nights that would be preferable, but if not then that would be ok (we're easy).

So seeing as though the $149 rate is available just a few days earlier would this mean that there is more than likely a convention or something happening during the dates we are staying?

[thereuare]

So seeing as though the $149 rate is available just a few days earlier would this mean that there is more than likely a convention or something happening during the dates we are staying?

In some markets, but NYC is so big that there's usually something going on and unless the convention is HUGE (or it's a a big event like at the United Nations) the hotel market isn't driven so much by events/conventions... the price difference above is more likely due to midweek vs. weekend dates. On midweek stays hotels are busy with both business and trouist travelers, but on weekend it's mostly just tourists, so demand is a little weaker on weekends and prices are typically a little lower (exceptions exist of course)

However, i'll add that at the moment i think $160 "all-in" is going to be a bit though for a 4* hotel in Manhattan as that amounts to ~$135/nite maximum bid.

Which airport are you flying into? (i'm assuming EWR or JFK?)

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

[todds]

Hi,

Yeah we are flying into EWR (but out of JFK).

I had a look at the different rates as Aaron mention between the Wednesday/Thursday & the Fri/Sat/Sun on hotwire & there is quite a difference (almost $200) between the 2 per Night for a 4* in central park (with the more expensive being the mid week as mentioned).

[thereuare]

Here's an option to think about...

You could consider SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID, staying the first two (or one) nites in Jersey City where i believe you can get a 4* hotel for $90-$110/nite. The 4* hotels on the waterfront provide easy access to Manhattan via a PATH train (~15 minutes to the city) and would enable you to save some money for the first two (or one) nite and still have access to the city. As well, you'll save a little bit on getting from the Airport to the hotel the first nite since a cab from EWR into the city is ~$50-70 plus toll and tip... whereas the fare to Jersey City can be as low as $24 from a local company. Assuming your luggage is managable, you could then just take the PATH into the city or 'switch' day with your bags and show up at your new hotel.

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

Thoughts?

[todds]

Hi,

Yeah we could do that if it would make things more obtainable. Is the "path train" you mentioned the same as the subway?

I was also looking at staying at the Ravel in Long Island as the place itself looks quite nice it appears to be a steal at the moment on Expedia but I have seen review mentioning that the subway is 8 blocks back (which we have no problems walking) but I'm just not sure about the area it self as I have read mixed comments about it (as in whether it is safe or unsafe to walk day & night). Do you know anything about this place?

I think I might book it as a back up as both my wife & I liked the look of what we saw and it we find something better the cancellation policy through Expedia is only $32 AUD which we would be happy to write off. What do you think?

Would you be able to give me an idea/a few names which 4* places in New Jersey we may be get for $90-$110 a night? Also is the area safe to walk day & night?

Thanks heaps for your help so far guys, we really appreciate it.

[valencia]

You need to calculate transportation costs/ TIME factor when you stay far outside of manhattan. You have a lot of time to get this figured out and the moderators I am sure can suggest a back up hotel IN Manhattan that has a ZERO cancellation fee, and is more convenient.

In the end I would prefer to drop star level than stay far away.

This, only of course, after repeatedly trying their bidding strategy at a higher level.

Good luck.

[todds]

Hi Valencia,

Yes I thought about the extra traveling & cost like you have mentioned. The travel time (which from what I have read is around 10 - 15min by train is more than fine with both my wife and I. Just have to find out the regularity of the trains that head into the city from New Jersey (if they run once every 10 minutes,once an hour ect).

I have found a few place in NYC that have a zero cancellation fee. the reason I mentioned the Ravel is because we both thought it looked great (the hotel itself judging by pictures) and the price I have seen it for on Expedia at the moment appears to be excellent ($830 AUD which would equate to around $600 USD including taxes for a 5 night stay) which appears (to me at least) to be an absolute steal compared to what else I have seen available. However the fact that we do not know the area (Long Island) in terms of neighborhood safety is a major thing holding us back.

I would even consider spending our entire stay in New Jersey if getting to the city is easy enough as a few of the places I have seen on the water (as thereuare mentioned this in his post) looked absolutely lovely but again I'm not sure about the regularity of public transport into NYC and again don't know about the area (if its safe to walk at night ect).

Thanks Valencia, appreciate your input & suggestions.

[todds]

Sorry guys, I have been giving you slightly false information when asking about the area of the Ravel Hotel.

I have been saying that it is Long Island. But a mate of mine has just pointed out that it is Long Island City which is in Queens and is quite different to Long Island itself.

Cheers.

[valencia]

I was referring to the Ravel as of travel time and location. The NJ hotels mentioned will work out just as the moderator explained.

However, be patient and follow their strategy every few days and before you know it you will have a nice hotel at a decent price, I am sure.

[thereuare]

I don't know the Ravel hotel, but the under the Queensboro Bridge (which is where the Ravel is located) is not an area i would recommend walking around at nite.

Regarding NJ, the PATH is similar to the subway but is it's own system (separate fare, $1.20-$1.75 depending upon how you purchase) runs 24/7 and service is 'pretty good' other than very late at nite. During rush hour service runs every 3-7 minutes, during non-rush hour it's every 10-15 minutes, late nite (10pm-2am) about every 15-20 minutes, from 2am-6am it's every half hour. The area around the waterfront can get very quiet at nite (before 11pm-midnite), i would feel fine walking from a restaurant back to the hotel, or from the PATH back to the hotel (as there will be others around doing the same), but wouldn't necessarily go out wondering aimlessly after midnite just to 'take a stroll'.

While the savings of staying in NJ are worthwhile, it's not something i would recommend for your entire stay (especially given the distance you'll be traveling to get to the States) as you do lose the 'nyc feel' that comes from staying directly in the city... and while the PATH is convenient, waiting 15 minutes for a train and then traveling 15 minutes on the train, can get a bit old after a few days. While certainly do-able, it's something i would only consider if the savings were significant, and right now NYC is cheaper than it has been in years, making the trade-off a bit less worthwhile, imo.

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

Let us know your thoughts and we'll take it from there.

[todds]

Hi,

after multiple discussions with my wife (and lot of reading here and on trip advisor) I think an entire stay in New Jersey or Manhattan would be a lot more preferable to doing a split if possible.

I guess the main reason being that the day you do the switch is a day when you can't really plan on doing anything such as a tour ect on a time schedule (I could be wrong here as I've never done it before, but it is the way I think of it) so it restricts one day of your stay. Would this be accurate do you think?

The reason I was asking about walking around at night is one that you have mentioned. It is purely for when we are coming back NYC using the path.

I have looked into the path system and found that an unlimited 7 day pass is $18. So no problem whatsoever weighing that into the extra traveling cost factor.

So with all that in mind and after a rethink it's really going to come down to what sort of $$$ we would be able to get a Manhattan hotel for for the entire stay.

When looking on your calender for bids won last year around that time, they were still quite high & being that this is the end of our 24 day trip (we are also doing Anaheim, San Francisco & Las Vegas) its where the band account is starting to look miserable, lol. So an all in of $160 is probably going to be the max we can afford without remortgaging the house. lol. So I guess the main options would be to either stay in a lower/less star class hotel in Manhattan or stay in New Jersey and use the path.

I see on hotwire there is currently a 4* in Meadowlands NJ for $112. I'm assuming this would have to be the Hyatt or the Westin yeah? We thought both places looked great (especially the view from the Hyatt over the water to Manhattan... WOW). So either of those places would be fine for us if we were to put a bid in on priceline for a 4* in the area as I'm guessing it would have to be one of those 2 that we would get going by posts on this board.

So after reading this what would be your recommendation for us?

Just as a side note & to give you a laugh (i'm probably going to cop a lashing for this) but when we originally decided to stay in Manhattan the place where we were booked to stay was...... the YMCA West Side. lol. as we just getting blown out of the water with "retail" prices of where to stay. Most of which were coming back at $2000 - $3000 AUD for our stay period. Which was just way too much. so we opted for the YMCA... Until I found this site.

Thanks a heap guys.

Regards.

[thereuare]

I guess the main reason being that the day you do the switch is a day when you can't really plan on doing anything such as a tour ect on a time schedule (I could be wrong here as I've never done it before, but it is the way I think of it) so it restricts one day of your stay. Would this be accurate do you think?

Not really accurate, imo, as your current hotel, or the one you'll be checking in to, will hold your bags for you... so it's really a matter of stopping by the 'new' hotel first to have them check your bags (assuming your hotel room isn't ready) or returning to the original hotel later in the day to retrieve your bags before 'moving' to the new property.

The reason I was asking about walking around at night is one that you have mentioned. It is purely for when we are coming back NYC using the path.

You should be fine.

I see on hotwire there is currently a 4* in Meadowlands NJ for $112.

Which zone of Newark-Meadowlands is this property... the Jersey City zone?

So after reading this what would be your recommendation for us?

A lot depends upon your (and your wife's) personality... do you like "nicer" hotels or simply use them as a bed to sleep at the end of the day? Personally i would still favor SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID (but my wife may feel differently :) ) so understand your desire to be in one hotel the entire time. Jersey City is certainly do-able, but NYC is one of those place that has a 'vibe' to it, and one of the allures is that you can walk out of your hotel room and do just about anything at any time of the day... something you miss when staying across the river in Jersey City. Do you think you'll be returning to NYC in the future or is this a "lifelong trip" that you've wanted to take and this is the one chance you have to do it? (you don't mention your age(s) so not sure where in the spectrum you are)

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

[todds]

I'm unsure how you done those quotes lol, so i will just answer in an entire post

The switching of the hotels is do able I guess if the hotels can hold you baggage prior to check in/after check out.

yes the 4* property i was referring to on hotwire was in the jersey city zone... however it has slightly increased to $114 now. I'm taking a guess here but I am pretty certain this is the Westin as that is what everybody seems to be getting through priceline at the moment.

In terms of the nicer hotels vs just a bed it is kind of a split... I do at times think they are just sleeping HQ (hence the YMCA hostel) but then on the flip side of that I believe that staying in a dump can with a good location can still ruin you time there (whether they are just sleeping HQ or not)... for instance I am a lot more excited/comfortable about coming to NYC now that I know that I won't be saying in a hostel. So overall I think that the nicer hotels provide an overall better experience/stay even though they are only a place to crash. My wife feels the same.

Yes this is something that I have wanted to do since i was in school (and more so over the past few years)... not so much just NYC but America itself, with Las Vegas being the no.1 place in the world I have wanted to visit. I don't gamble but I love nightlife/just being able to stroll and look at things/attractions throughout the night.... whether Vegas is like this or not I will find out (it definitely looks like it on all the movies... hahaha). Plus I do MMA here is Australia so am hoping I can see the A UFC event while I'm there as Vegas is it's home.

In saying that we would definitely plan on doing all this again for sure... but when this happens is anyones guess... could be a while.

I am 29 my wife is 25.

I totally understand what you are saying about the vibe/convenience of staying in Manhattan, but then the value of staying in jersey seems to be so much better with nicer hotels to boot and no "change day". So it's catch 22. I think a split maybe they way to go if we can find something suitable so we get a feel of staying both in Manhattan and outside Manhattan. At least this way we will know what we preferred for when we do end up returning.

What do you think?

[thereuare]

I think you'll like Vegas... it has what you're looking for! However, not sure if you have booked that stay yet or not, but just make sure you're directly on the main part strip.

Yes, i'd agree the 4* on HOTWIRE is likely the Westin or the Hyatt, but i wouldn't make a call between the two, as either could be possible. However, it really doesn't make a difference, imo, since both hotels are great and would suit your needs of easy transport into Manhattan.

Given your age (young, able, and capable of carrying a suitcase on the PATH to a different hotel in Manhattan) i would favor splitting the bid, gives you the best of both worlds, as well as a good value for each stay. One aspect of staying outside of the city that i didn't mention above is that you get to see the city from this side... an incredible view!

So the question now is whether you want to take the above on HOTWIRE for the first two nites, bid on PRICELINE for these nites first which would then give you a 'firm' budget knowing know exactly how much you can pay for the remaining nites in Manhattan (taking the savings from these two nites and applying them to the remaining nites in Manhattan)... or whether you'd like to try securing Manhattan first, knowing that 'worst case scnario' for Jersey City is ~$115/nite (via HOTWIRE... maybe do a little better via PRICELINE)

Feel free to ask any questions you have and/or let us know how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly.

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

[todds]

Hey Guys,

Ended up getting the Westin (wife didn't want to do the swap over day, no matter what I said).

Got it for $95 a night (which I expected going on what others have obtained around that time). Used the suggested PRICELINE links also :)

I'm not really sure what to think though.... I was praying we would get the Hyatt as it was going through, just for the sake of the views (does the Westin have any views of the Hudson River/NYC??) and it appears to look a lot nicer (and transportation is easier also it would appear). So I hope I haven't made a mistake.

The reason I ask about the views are because I have brought it up on google street a few times and going on that it has a great big building right in front of it (across the road) that would seem to obscure the view of the Hudson river & NYC all together unless you were on a few of the top floors. I know google street view can be deceiving at time though.

Price was still great though and I was getting to the point where the more I looked/researched the more I was just getting confused.

Thanks A heap guys. all your inputs were very much appreciated.

Just so you know previous bid of $92 was rejected.

[thereuare]

Congratualtions on your success!

There are buildings between the NYC Skyline and the Westin, although there may be 'corridor views' (between buidings) in some rooms, but you're not going to get the unobstructed skyline views that much of the Hyatt has. With this said, the Westn is a fine choice...although it's a 3 minute walk to the station instead of right at the door, the PATH train closest to the Westin makes it easier to get to Midtown which is where you'll likely be heading the majority of the time. As well, the Westin is attached to a large mall (if you need to walk around and people watch) as well as closer to a strip or restaurants/shops (Seattle's Best Coffee, a few take-out restaurants, 3-4 sitdown restaurants, and a sports pub)

As far as which 'nicer', again, i dont' think you can go wrong with either... i've been in the Hyatt a few times and it is a very nice property. On the otherhand, the Westin (which i haven't been in yet) is brand new, only 2-3 months old, and has a few extra 'conveniences' of restaurants, stores, shops, etc nearby. For a view, you can simply walk across the street to the "newport apartment" areas (ie- behind the Courtyard by Marriott) and stroll along the water. As well, there is a "Long Slip Pedestrian Bridge" which will connect Hoboken to the Nesport Jersey City area which is supposed to be completed by this summer (i'll believe it when i see it), but if open, would also provide you another PATH to walk along the river (and from your talks above what you like/don't like, i think Hoboken would be worth a visit for you, and the restaurants/bars are much more affordable than the city too)

Any other questions about the area feel free to ask.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and using our PRICLINE link to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay.

[todds]

Yeah i'm sure the Westin will be fine & at the end of the day the price is also excellent. Total ended up coming to $750 AUD for the 5 nights and the area itself looks nice when you bring it up on google street view (although it looks as if the photos was taken while it was getting built). It came in a bit cheaper than what we had booked the Ravel at, and definitely looks like a nicer area.

Really looking forward to the entire trip and seeing Las Vegas & NYC.

Thanks so much again guys. Really appreciate the help & time given to give me options I wouldn't have known about without this board.