Priceline Hotel: Please help a NYC-newbie ;) Dec. 09 - 12

[JoTrav]

The forum has given me wonderful tips so often for my travel and now i'm coming to New York and need your help again, please :) Ironically, i have chosen the beautiful (but expensive) christmas time :o

My travel plans are as follows:

Arrival from Europe in JFK at 09 December and onward flight (again JFK) on 12 December to Portland.

In between, I want to go shopping and catch a little bit of the special NYC-feeling :)

Originally, I wanted to stay at JFK (also because of the departure on Friday), but thereuare has discouraged this idea :) Now I have chosen the "The Pod Hotel" with a rate of $159 per night or the "Comfort Inn" ((NY239) 133-43 37th Avenue, Flushing, NY, U.S., 11354) (read very good reviews) with a (AAA) rate of $122.38. I had the wish to overnight at "Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson", but the rate in this period is very high. Please notice that i will have no car on this days and need a place that i can reach easily by train/underground.

What do you think of my hotel selection, you have better suggestions or do you think that with Priceline i can found a better deal?

Thanks to everybody who will have any tip for me (and sorry because of my bad English :D )...

[thereuare]

I assume that rate at The Pod is for a "shared bath" and you're ok with that?

[JoTrav]

Yes, that rate at The Pod is for a "shared bath".

Of course I prefer a private bathroom, but I've heard that the bathrooms are very clean there!?

Just want to get the best for my money (who does not? :o ) and the $160/night is the limit which I would like to spend. Now i'm asking if i can get a better deal (at xmas-time)? What do you think? Should i take the risk and give priceline a try (any chances to get "Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson" for this price?) or take The Pod (or another hotel) and know what i'll get?! :)

Thank you very much for your time, thereuare :) :)

[thereuare]

It depends what is important to you...

The Pod gives you a good location but a shared bath... the Comfort Inn is outside of Manhattan and a <considerably> worse location, but gives you your own bathroom.

Historically this is a very expensive time in NYC so i'm not too optimistic of you getting something else for $160/nite during this timeframe, but a LOT can change between now and then, especially with the state of the economy here in the US, so i would make sure whatever you book is cancellable to at least give you the opportunity to try to better this deal as your dates draw nearer.

If you decide to go with The Pod please use our Quikbook link (fully refundable) or our Comfort Inn link if you go that route.

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

Let us know whatever you decide to do for this stay and keep us updated on your progress.

[JoTrav]

Ok, i've booked "The Pod" now for three nights ... its a good feeling to have a backup plan and not to stay in NYC without a hotel :)

Of course i've used the Quikbook link :o Quikbook is really a good tip - thank you! I have the opportunity to cancel "The Pod" for free and now i can check if i can find a better deal until December.

What do you mean about the location of the Comfort Inn? Ok, its a long way from hotel to Manhattan but i read you can use line 7 (station is just around the corner) and the surrounding area seems to be secure. Many nice(?) Chinese restaurants are there... is that really so bad? :)

Thanks again for your help and of course i keep you updated on my progress.

[thereuare]

Staying in Flushing is nothing like staying directly in Manhattan and Flushing doesn't give you a 'warm and fuzzy' feeling, imo.

[dahammer]

lets just leave it at WARM....after all, your dates of travel are in December :) The Comfort Inn, Flushing is 30 minutes away by subway, that's one hour per day of your valuable vacation time on the train.

[JoTrav]

Again i've to say: thank you very much for all the nice and helpful comments to my trip.

I'm very sorry but unfortunately I had to cancel my trip because of a friend that i wanted to visit for two weeks after the days in NYC.

Fortunately i only made the booking at "The Pod" via Quikbook, so there was no problem with canceling the reservation for free (special thanks to thereuare!).

Now i've booked a new flight to NYC for one week at the last days in May (05/22 - 05/29) (without the intention to visit a friend after this week :) ) ... hope it will work this time.