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Priceline Hotel: 3* Newark (Jersey City) Hyatt Regency


shoeless
By shoeless,
in

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I'll be driving to NYC for Memorial Day weekend and was considering these two areas. I've never used Priceline and have found this board very helpful, but I don't see any posts regarding hotels in the N. Bergen/Union City area even though that region is on Priceline. I stayed in Weehawken a few years ago (not using Priceline) and found the bus ride into the Pt. Auth. station to be very convenient.

So I'll try to keep it short. Anyone care to comment on the following:

1. How does NB/UC compare to JC in terms of neighborhood, surroundings, public transport to NYC?

2. What hotels does Priceline offer in NB/UC? I have a good idea about JC from other posts.

3. Do most hotels in these regions charge for parking, and if so, what can I expect to pay? One of the things keeping me from pursuing a NYC hotel is getting a great rate on a room then paying $40/night for parking. OTOH, if I'm going to pay $20 in Jersey anyway, then I'll reconsider NYC.

Thanks

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Welcome to BetterBidding!

I live in between these two zones and out of the two of them you definately want to stay in Jersey City.

Expect parking to cost you just under $20 (i think the DoubleTree is $10) but you may have luck parking on the street during a holiday weekend (but if you have a nice car you may not want to park on the street).

So parking is a bit cheaper, as will most likely be the cost of the hotel room.

If you'd like help with a bidding strategy please list the exact dates of your stay.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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Thanks for the reply.

My specfiics are:

Date: 5/28 - 5/31 (3 nights), Is it too early to bid for these dates?

Location: Jersey City (or maybe NYC midtown East/West)

Hotel Rating: 3 star minimum (maybe 4* for NYC, seems like their ratings are a bit skewed)

Price Range: ~$60/night for Jersey, ~$100/night for NYC

Other: Driving up from MD, so parking will be required. Prefer to leave car in parking lot for duration of stay, so easy access to public transportation into NYC is desirable. Will be spending most of the time in NYC midtown/Wall Street areas. There will be 3 of us (2 adults, 1 child) so I'm trying to figure out if the money I save by staying in Jersey will be negated by 3 roundtrip PATH tickets x 3 days.

So if NYC Hotel + Parking = Jersey Hotel + Parking + Path, then I'll stay in NYC. Somehow I think the Jersey option will be the cheaper.

As a side note, I wanted to compliment you on your site. You obviously put a lot of time and effort into it.

Thanks.

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Thank you very much for the compliment on the site. A lot of time and effort does go into it, but hearing that others like and benefit from it makes it all worthwhile.

Now back to your bid :) ....

I would first try 3* in Jersey City at $32, if rejected wait 72 hours and try again at $35 (or if you don't enjoy the bidding process and aren't concerned about $3/nite, you can just start with $35). If you're accepted at these levels i think it's a 'no-brainer' and will certainly much cheaper than staying in NYC.

I think this is the obvious first step in your bidding and we'll cover the next option as we move along (no sense as getting into it if it won't be necessary). If your plans are firm i don't think it's too early to bid this and i would start bidding now. Keep us updated and let us know how it goes.

Of course, feel free to ask any questions that you may have.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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  • 3 weeks later...

After much delay, I fianally decided to try bidding NYC (MTE, MTW & CPS) to no avail. For various reasons (it's only money :) ), I thought I'd try NY first and maybe fall back to Jersey later. After reading a few of the threads in the NY area I adopted the following approach:

bid MTE @ $85, rejected

added MTW @ $97, rejected

added UM/CPS @ $100, rejected

dates were 5/28 - 5/31 (Memorial Day wknd)

Luckily I have a few mo's. to get something and do have a cancellable backup plan. I guess now I'll just wait the 3 days and try again...

If I'm successful, I'll start a new thread in the NY area.

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If you're successful please just continue this thread and i'll adjust the title and move to the appropriate category.

Based upon current rates, which are a little higher than usual likely due to the holiday weekend (which isn't usually that crowded in NYC), i think it will currently take a little more than you are currently bidding. A bidding strategy for one date doesn't necessarily make for a suggested bidding for another date... current rates and availability need to be taken into consideration.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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OK, I'll keep it here. I'm going to try again tomorrow (Sat.). I should have mentioned that my previous bids were on 4* using price ranges that seemed to work for others. Maybe a bad assumption for a holiday weekend.

I'll try going up to around $120 at 4* and see what happens. If that doesn't work, then maybe I'll go to 3* at my original price range (up to $100).

Any recommendations on a 3* strategy for midtown? From previous posts it seems like most folks have had good luck on 4* right around $100 for MTE/MTW.

Thanks

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Woohoo...another success story! I ended up going full circle on this and decided to go back to the Jersey City stay, hoping to get all 3 nights for about the same price as a single in Midtown. I bid $37, Jersey City 3* and was accepted on my first attempt. Got the Jersey City Hyatt, which is what I was hoping for. I may have been able to save a few bucks by starting at $33 or so and working my way up, but since I've been talking about this since 3/1, I just went for what has worked for others.

This is my first use of Priceline and I'm sold. Thanks BetterBidding & theruare for all the help/advice/patience.

One quick question: Priceline says the room will accomodate up to 2 adults. Do you think the Hyatt will give me any grief about having a child (10 yr.) stay with us?

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Congratulations on your win!!

This hotel is only about 1 1/2 years old and is a great NYC alternative.

I don't think they will give you a hassle about a 10 year old, but no sense in all 3 of you walking up to the check-in desk together. Most hotels are usually 'ok' about kids but i think they try to avoid 4 adults (or more!). You can call them now to put in a request for a room with 2 beds, but keep in mind it is just a request.

I live very close to this hotel, so if you need any help/suggestions about the area or where to go just let me know.

Here are 2 links that will likely be of interest:

PATH System Map

PATH Timetable

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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Thanks for the links. It does raise a few questions though, and since you're a local, I'll ask for your advice if you don't mind.

My two main destinations for the weekend will be midtown area and Liberty Island. From the PATH map, it looks like I need to change trains at Pavonia to get from Exchange Place to midtown. And after 7:30pm I need to change at Grove Street instead. Am I reading this correctly? Just want to know what to expect.

I also noticed the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail on the PATH map. Is that operational? If so, would it be easier or quicker to take this from Exchange Place to Pavonia instead of changing trains on PATH? Is walking from Exchange to Pavonia or Grove St. an option? Hard to tell from the map how far it is or what the neighborhood is like.

One last question...if the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail is operational on weekends, can I take it to Liberty Park, then take the ferry from there to Liberty Island? If not I guess I can either walk/taxi to Liberty Park, or PATH to WTC and ferry from Battery Park. What do you recommend?

Thanks again for all your help.

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You're a good map reader! But here's the inside scoop (aka-advice)....

During the day trains run frequently and transfering at Pavonia/Newport is fine, but late at nite I wouldn't want to make the tranfer as the trip is a bit longer (stops at Hoboken first) and then you have to wait again for the train you're tranfering to. A much better option (IMO) is to take the NYC subway to the downtown PATH train and take the PATH (the Red line on the map) to Exchange Place. Taking the PATH to downtown and then the NYC subway to midtown is also an option during the day... especially if you have (or plan to get) an unlimited metrocard.

No sense in taking the lightrail to the PATH as it adds an extra $1.50 onto your commute and won't save any time. If you're a 'walker' you can walk to other PATH stations from Exchange Place but i wouldn't do it at nite as the areas in between won't be 'active' with people.

The light rail is now running from Bayonne to Hoboken , which includes the area you're refering to. Here is a link to the LIGHT RAIL. Fare is $1.50 but besides buying a ticket from a machine you have to validate it on the other side of the machine... don't forget to validate your ticket!! Ticket collection is on a 'spot check' basis which means that occaisionally they'll have somebody on the train checking for tickets... if you don't have one (or have a ticket but didn't validate it) it's a $90 fine.

To get to Liberty Island take the ferry from Liberty State Park (check schedule to make sure it still runs as i haven't been there in quite some time!)... do not go from Battery Park unless you enjoy spending your day waiting on lines! The ferry from Liberty State Park is a well kept secret and there is likely to be no line vs. at least an hour wait from NYC. If you're a 'walker' you can easily walk from the Liberty Park light rail stop to the ferry, but the ferry 'dock' is still quite a distance from where the train stop. The Park will be East (towards the water) from the Light Rail stop and don't venture in other directions as the surrounding local area is not that great.

If i left anything out our you have other questions feel free to ask. This is part of what this site is about... getting advice from locals; the stuff you won't read about in a guidebook (like avoiding the Battery Park ferry to Liberty Island)!

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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  • 5 weeks later...

Thanks for the tip! It seems so obvious to take the PATH Red line to WTC then jump onto NYC subway, don't know why I didn't think of it. It's a much better alternative than waiting for multiple PATH transfers.

The reason I'm resurrecting this thread is because some friends of mine now want to tag along for this trip (5/28 - 5/31) and really want to be in the Hyatt with us. I've tried bidding it again for them, but have been unsuccessful.

On 4/28 I bid $37 for 3* Jersey City (which previously worked for me) but was rejected;

waited 3 days til 5/1 and bid $47, 3* Jersey City and was rejected again.

I'm planning on continuing this approach for the next few bids (til next week?) and then I'm open to other suggestions that will hopefully get them into a hotel nearby (e.g. Doubletree).

Any suggestions/strategies are welcome. Thanks.

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The problem you're facing is that currently the hotel is sold-out for the nite of the 29th (but of course they'll find some space for if you're willing to stay all 3 nites!)

I think you'd have success individually bidding the nite of the 30th, and you may have success bidding the nite of the 28th, but the nite of the 29th is going to be very tough and may be the nite preventing this bid from being accpeted. Unfortunately it's a nite in the middle of the stay or otherwise your friend could have booked 2 nites and stayed at a different hotel for the first or last nite... but the way it's set-up splitting the bid would involve changing hotels every day. As well, if the middle nite was available on its own conventionally you could book that one nite conventionally and save money by getting the first and last nite thru Priceline... but as it shows sold-out you won't be able to even do that.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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Thanks for the info, you are always so helpful!

My friends were at our house over the weekend and they decided they'd rather just get into a hotel close by for the duration rather than checking in and out of the Hyatt. So here's what we did:

bid 3* Jersey City, $52 (still hoping for the Hyatt or possibly Doubletree) - rejected

added 2.5* and bid $55 - Accepted at the Courtyard Marriott. - maybe a little high, but they were really starting to worry about getting a hotel and it was worth the extra few bucks to be done with it.

They are happy with this result and I think it will work out OK for everyone. It looks like they're near the next PATH stop (Pavonia) although it will involve changing trains if they want to go to WTC via PATH. What would you recommend for their commute into NYC; take PATH via Hoboken, PATH to WTC via Grove street transfer, or light rail to Exchange Place and PATH to WTC from there (obviously most expensive option)?

I suspect we'll be spending most of our time in the Midtown area, so we may just end up meeting in NYC somewhere each morning. Cell phones make that pretty easy to do anymore.

Thanks again for all your help.

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Please post their Courtyard bid as a new post so that others who just scan the 'wins' will see it.

As far as meeting your friends, it's about a 10+ minute walk between the two properties, so if you're able enough you could just meet at one hotel one day, the other hotel the next day.

It's also very common when meeting others on the train to say: "I'll be in the first (or last) car of the train so stand on that part of the platform. If you see us get on the train, if not, we'll get off and wait on the platform for you to show."

Although a little more expensive, i highly recommend one trip to Manhattan (since it's more interesting to see the city as you approach it) on the NY Waterway Ferry. When the weather is nice it's simply a devine way to travel! (note the weekend schedule is quite different than the mid-week schedule)

For mid-day travel into mid-town they have a direct route (no stop at Hoboken) via the 'yellow line' in the lined Path System Map above. It's only at nite that the trip requires traveling thru Hoboken (but no change of trains). If going to mid-town i would probably choose to meet your friends at their hotel and just walk there (of you're not able to walk such a distance than take a cab which i imagine would only be $3-$4 anyway. Another day have your friends meet you at your hotel and travel directly to NYC via downtown. Either way the commute isn't too bad, but traveling with friends is always more fun than traveling alone (IMO).

PS- if you travel to 33rd Street via PATH, after the train departs the 23rd St station, if your back is to where the platform was keep an eye on the tunnel wall facing you for some modern day media :)

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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  • 3 weeks later...

At the risk of making this one of the longest running threads on your site, I'm going to open it back up again to ask one final question.

We'll be driving up Friday morning and will probably arrive in NJ before we can check into our room and will probably just want to park somewhere and ride PATH into NYC for a little sight-seeing prior to check-in. I'm not sure what the Hyatt (or Courtyard) policy is on using their lots before check-in and was wondering if you would suggest a safe place to park for a few hours while we're in NYC.

It did not look like the Exchange Place PATH station had a dedicated lot, but maybe some spots (I'm guessing metered) on the street around the station. Is parking available at Newport Centre Mall? I thought I could park there and take PATH from Pavonia. Another option looks like there might be a PATH parking lot at Journal Square, but it's kind of hard to tell for sure.

Any tips are welcomed. I plan on calling both the Hyatt and Courtyard (since we have folks staying in both) to see if we can just park in one of those lots.

Thanks in advance...again

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Since all the hotel lots in the area charge for parking (including while staying as a guest) i'm certain they will be more than happy to allow you to park there before check-in.

You don't want to go to Journal Square... really out of the way.

Metered parking on the street will likely be difficult to find but you can give it a shot.

Newport Mall has parking but they too charge... i think it's $3 for 2 hours and then a few extra dollars per hour after thereafter.

Just south (towards the Hyatt) of Newport there is a parking lot for a a BJ's Wholesale Club, Pep Boys, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Shop Rite supermarket. I'm sure it's 'parking for customers only' but i don't recall ever seeing a tow truck there and people often park there and go to then walk to the mall (to avoid the mall's parking fee). If you decide to do this it's at your own risk (not mine :) ) and i'd advise NOT parking near the Pep Boys (since they get more of the mall cars and are more inclined to tow) but think that you'd be 'ok' if you park closer to the Bed Bath Beyond and Shop Rite area (as the stores wouldn't know which cars belong to whose customers or employees of the other stores).

My .02

I will also add that if you will be eating dinner one nite near the hotel i HIGHLY recommend going to The Baja which is a 4 block walk from the Hyatt on Montgomery Street (117 Montgomery St). Go with your friends, order "The Baja Special" for one less person than is in your party, ask for all the shrimp grilled, and have a fun (and very filling) evening. Chips and salsa are second to none and the margaritas are also very good as they have over 100 tequillas behind the bar. The 'special' is about $23/pp and they may charge you an extra $6 or so for ordering for one less person (as a sharing charge), but there will certainly be enuff food for all of you.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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Thanks for the tips! I'm always up for some good Mexican food...

As far as parking goes, I called both the Courtyard and the Hyatt. For future reference, here's what they both offer:

Hyatt had 2 options:

1) Valet park on-premesis for $30/day (ouch), in & out priveleges.

2) Self park in a nearby (2 blocks according to the valet I spoke with) Central Parking garage, and the Hyatt will validate the ticket so that the cost is $15/day, no in & out privelege.

Courtyard parking is valet, on-premesis for $14/day, in & out privelege.

Since my friends are staying at the Courtyard, I'll plan on leaving my car there for the duration.

Thanks again for all your help & tips.

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