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

[Jenga]

Hope springs eternal :)

Do we know of any hotels on the MetroNorth line that are walkable (or a free shuttle) from the train station? I have a research trip in NYC 3/18 to 3/23. I don't mind a long ride into the city but also don't really want to stay in NJ (with no offense to our NJ-based travel gurus!). I used to live in the area and nothing is coming to mind -- but my unsuccessful forays on PRICELINE (using BB link, of course) have me concerned about price. HOTWIRE suggests under $200 downtown for the weekend, but midweek is going to be tough.

Anything on any of the MetroNorth lines into the city 1-1/2 hours or less would be fine.

I don't think this has been asked here before. If I missed an earlier post, my apologies.

P.S. -- Actually now this would just be for 3/18-3/21. Grabbbed a good deal for the weekend at Gild Hall on PRICELINE (BB link). Will go post that on the other board.

[thereuare]

Do you mean hotels in Westerchester, Upstate NY, and/or Connecticut?

[Jenga]

Sorry not to be more specific. Yes to all. Harlem Line, Hudson Line, or New Haven line, under 2 hours out (so Poughkeepsie and New Haven would be too far, but I was wondering about closer-in stations on any of the lines coming into Grand Central). I know this is a wide swath, but since I don't think there are many (if any) hotels super close to the train stations, I thought I'd give it a shot just to see if something obvious flashed into anyone's mind.

[dahammer]

the Marriott in Stamford, CT is within walking distance of the train station. Others include Hyatt in Greenwich, which has a shuttle, but you may want to confirm with the hotel that this service is offered to and from the Greenwich train station. While your stay begins mid week, weekend rates here are a bargain at around $119, a big drop from the $300 mid week rates. In Rye, NY the Courtyard is less than a mile from the Rye station, it appears walkable. The Rye Hilton is a bit further away but also has a shuttle, but again, you need to confirm this with the hotel. Rates are highest in this area Monday to Wednesday and drop a little on Thursday-Sunday. When bidding in this area, you can't really target a specific property, so maybe HOTWIRE is a better option as the amenities can offer more insight as to the id of the hotel. You also may save some $$ if you split your bid: mid-week/week-end.

[thereuare]

This Hotwire New Haven thread comes to mind... the hotel hasn't been identified, but i do remember researching and if correct the Premiere Suites may be a good option for you.

Also, since you'll now already be in the city at the end of your stay anyway, i would consider NJ as well. I would certainly rather commute 15 minutes by PATH or 25 minutes by bus than 90 minutes by train.

[Jenga]

Thanks, all! I'll be in the area a lot over the next year, so these are all terrific tips.

thereuare: I decided you were about the PATH (it's been a long time since I lived in NYC; takes a while to wrap one's head around JC as a desirable place to stay!).

Got a decent deal on JC Hyatt Regency on the Hudson via BB's PRICELINE link. Will go post on the NJ board now.

Many thanks, as always! :)

[Jenga]

I used the Better Bidding PRICELINE box

3* Newark/Jersey City. Bid $90: rejected

Added 2.5*, same nabe, raised bid to $95: accepted (and "upgraded to 3*" per Priceline's wording).

2 nights @ $95

Subtotal: $190.00

Taxes and Service Fees: $39.87

Total Charges: $229.87

This was the hotel I was hoping for, so I'm happy with the result overall. (Hotwire listed what looked to me like the same hotel for $179, so maybe $95 isn't bad!)

Now off to find one more hotel in NYC for my first night (3/18). If I'd been thinking NJ all along I would have flown into EWR, but with a super late flight into LGA and an equally early mtg the next morning, I didn't want to schlep to NJ.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your win!

Glad to hear of your success... this is a very nice deal for this property and extremely easy access to Downtown Manhattan.

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

Enjoy (this leg of) your stay.