Hotwire Hotel: Need 3* outside of Manhattan. What areas to consider?

[icedancer]

Hi,

Husband has a business trip coming up and is looking for a hotel for 10/14-10/19 (5 nights) with good access to Columbia University (116th and Broadway). We're trying to figure out the best places outside of Manhattan to look. Candidates appear to be: Ft. Lee, Jersey City, and Laguardia Ariport. He will not have a car, but is willing to spend a comparable amount per day on taxis. (~$60 if necessary). Hotel budget is up to $200/night.

Any thoughts?

[thereuare]

Is the bus and/or subway an option in addition to taxis, as i don't think $60 is going to be enough from either of the two areas you commeneted above.

I'm assuming he will not have a car?

Which airport is he flying in to?

[icedancer]

He was not considering getting a car. He's adept at using the subway, but he doesn't want to get stranded at the end of a line somewhere and not be able to hail a taxi, or be stuck hailing a taxi in a not-so-great area.

He will be taking the Acela Express Train into Penn Station from Boston on 10/14 (arriving ~5pm) and will be flying out of JFK at 6:45am on 10/19.

[thereuare]

Is SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID an option... staying close to Manhattan for the first 4 days and then the last nite in the JFK area? Otherwise catching that early flight could get a little hairy (especially if staying on the NJ side, such as Ft. Lee, Jersey City, etc).

[icedancer]

I suggested this to my husband and he thought there shouldn't be much problem if he's heading there at 5am.

BTW, I was able to locate and book a backup -- $269+ tax (A Columbia U. contracted rate) for the Ameritania hotel near Times Square. It's cancellable up until 3pm the day before arrival. It's listed as 3-star in various places, but the reviews seem REALLY, REALLY mixed and there appears to have been a fire in the lobby a couple of weeks ago. Yikes!

Do you think there's any shot at doing better with something from an opaque seller, or should he just count his blessings that he found anything at all in the city that was above the level of Hostel?

[thereuare]

If he was willing to SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID i think he could probably do better (similar/better price for a similar/higher rated hotel) for some of the nites, and continue to stay directly in the city... but if he'd rather not split then i think this is, overall, a good deal for these dates.