Priceline Hotel: Stay in NJ, Play in NYC- 1st time visitor! HELP!

[MellyButton]

Looking for some help on my first trip to NYC the weekend of 11/5-11/8.

Hotels in NYC are horrendously expensive; it seems the logical thing to do is to stay in NJ and commute in to NYC via public transportation.

Which bidding zones on Priceline for NJ are the best for me?

1.Driving to New Jersey- prefer a hotel with free or inexpensive parking ($30 or less per day)

2. Safe location, obviously

3. Proximity to PATH or other public transportation

4. Ease of location; that is, as a 1st time visitor to NJ & NY, a location that is easy to find and get around (I do have a GPS)

I appreciate anyone's help. I am just not sure where to select in NJ; right now, I am assuming Jersey City/Hoboken area- is that correct?

what are the chances I can get a nice hotel around $100/night?

How far away from the Hudson river can I get and still be close to PATH or a park & ride? I guess the hotels get cheaper the further away from the Hudson I get, correct?

thanks!!!

[thereuare]

What star rating are you seeking?

Are you OK if transportation isn't walkable from the hotel but you need to drive 5-10 minute to a Park N Ride and take the bus from there?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[MellyButton]

Looking for 3* or higher; possibly a 2.5* if the location is safe. I would like to spend between $85-120/night, ideally.

If I had to drive to a Park N Ride, that's no problem- as long as the park N ride location is safe. Also- I have only read about PATH a little bit- if I do Park N Ride and take PATH in- is there a time restraint on when I need to be back? Or, can my car sit at the P&R lot late at night? Not thinking too crazy late- but maybe midnightish. Just wondering if the park n ride lots close at a certain time.

THANKS!! :)

[thereuare]

The Park N Ride is for the bus into the city... not the PATH.

Based upon current rates your budget will not likely be enough for Jersey City, which leaves (Secaucus-North Bergen) and (Meadowlands-Rutherford) as the next best zones. Commuting into the city from these areas would be by bus, and while many of the hotels are near the bus stops (more so true for Secaucus/North Bergen then it is for Meadowland/Rutherford), there are others which are not, and at these properties you would need to get to the Park N Ride to catch the bus.

The busses near the hotel probably stop running sometime after midnite... perhaps a little later on the weekend, and the Park N Ride might be a little later then that. Actually, here is the Park N Ride Scheulde for which the last bus appears to be 1am Mon-Sat and 12:35am on Sundays.

Based upon the above let us know your thoughts and we'll take it from there.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.