Hotwire Hotel: LGA Hotel 10/13 advice

[melber]

Hi everyone,

I'd love advice from some Hotwire experts. I've been lurking the boards for a while, but got a call from Dad today to tell me about this site (via the Detroit Free Press) and asked me to post something for him. So this one's for you, Dad.

For the first time ever, my brother, his girlfriend, and my parents are taking a vacation to the NE to visit myself (Boston) and my sister (DC). They found cheap tickets into La Guardia, will be renting a car and driving to Boston, then DC, then back to NY for one day of sightseeing in the big apple before heading back to the Midwest. They're cramming a lot into a 7-day trip, but it's a pretty big deal since it's my baby brother's 21st bday AND the first vacation my parents have taken in 20 years. We've got most of the trip planned out, but need some guidance on a NY hotel.

They need a hotel for ONE night (10/13). They are planning on driving from DC to NYC the morning of 10/13, dropping off their luggage, sightseeing, then taking off on a 10 am flight on 10/14. They're looking for a single room (2 double beds) for under $200...so i understand our best bet would be hotwire over priceline (due to the occupancy). Would it make sense for them to stay near LGA and cab/subway it into the city for sightseeing and not have to worry about traffic back to the airport? Or is it too much of a pain to get from the LGA area to any touristy destinations (the must see for them is the John Lennon memorial)? They really don't plan on spending much time in the hotel. They just want to cram as much of the city in as possible, since it will probably be another 20 years before a repeat trip.

Any guidance would be AWESOME.

Thanks!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

The LGA area is 'do-able' but much less convenient than staying in the city itself and you lose most/all of the 'nyc vibe' which is part of what makes nyc special.

What is the minimum star rating they're seeking for their $200/nite?

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[melber]

I think they'd be fine with a 2*. They really aren't planning on spending much time in the hotel itself. As long as the neighbor isn't scary and the hotel room can sleep 4 people, they'll be happy.

Any suggestions? They never travel and I really don't know NY well enough to suggest areas to look for or steer clear of.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[thereuare]

As long as the neighbor isn't scary...

How easily are they scared :) Seriously... the areas are not outright bad, but many people not used to a 'city environment' can be somewhat intimidated by NYC, and especially the outlying areas (there will likely be a lot of grafiti on buidlings and such and the area doesn't really give one a a 'warm and fuzzy feeling', imo)

They essentially have three options:

1) if budget is a primary concern, since they have a car (not recommend if they don't have a vehicle), they can stay by Newark Airport or Elizabeth. Then when they want to head to the city they can get in the car and drive to a PATH station (where they'll have to pay for parking). This area is generally very inexpensive and they should be able to get a hotel for under $100/nite. (i'd estimate commute time to NYC by the time they have in the car to the time they arrived in Manhattan to be ~1 hour or so). One things to keep in mind is what time their flight leaves on Tuesday as traffic getting across Manhattan can be awful if they're going anytime between morning rush hour and evening rush hour.

2) Jersey City has what appears to be the Hyatt on the Hudson for ~$225/nite for two beds. This is a great hotel built on a pier in the Hudson River and all rooms have a view of NYC. As well, there is a PATH train at the door of the hotel which will have them to Downtown Manhattan in less than 10 minutes. Keep in mind the same "getting to LGA on Tuesday" as mentioned above applies, as well, they'll have to pay for parking in Jersey City.

3) stay close to LGA... as impliled above i'm not a big fan of the area, but it may ultimately be convenient for them given their flight out on Tuesday and just a one nite stay. However, hotel deals here are generally not that great... you'll still save money vs. a convenitonal booking, but it won't be anything you're bragging about to friends.

Let us know your thoughts regarding the above and we'll take it from there.