Help....138east and her friends

[knarf]

Hi !!:)

This is Frank..you help me bunches when I booked at Hampton Inn on Staten Island( but will cancel that shortly). I was going to drive to NYC from Northwest PA and was maybe going to do some sightseeing in NYC before we went to the hotel. Well, major changes had to be made. I will now fly into JFK on 5/7/11 and arrive about 8:30 AM, go to the hotel drop luggage and then go into midtown Manhattan for the day of sightseeing. Then go back to the "hotel" and on Sunday about noon go to the Brooklyn Pier for our cruise. I constantly read these "boards" about ideas of where to stay. My thoughts and please make suggestions, find a place in Queens around the Queens Mid-town tunnel area, so it will be a short ride into mid-town Manhattan. And still not be "too" far from Red Hook. I'd rather, I think, be closer to Manhattan( not in Brooklyn for example,so that I can get into town as soon as I can for our sightseeing, and then in the morning when I won't be rushed for time, I can get to the Brooklyn Pier. I hope that all makes a little sense. I really have no "druthers"as to where we stay. I have seen where you have recommended folks to Hotwire( where they were able to get rooms for under $150). I have never used Hotwire or Priceline, but with your guidance, I would try( help from Betterbidding too) So in advance, I am thanking you.

Frank

[BlueHerons]

Hi !!:)

This is Frank..you help me bunches when I booked at Hampton Inn on Staten Island( but will cancel that shortly). I was going to drive to NYC from Northwest PA and was maybe going to do some sightseeing in NYC before we went to the hotel. Well, major changes had to be made. I will now fly into JFK on 5/7/11 and arrive about 8:30 AM, go to the hotel drop luggage and then go into midtown Manhattan for the day of sightseeing. Then go back to the "hotel" and on Sunday about noon go to the Brooklyn Pier for our cruise. I constantly read these "boards" about ideas of where to stay. My thoughts and please make suggestions, find a place in Queens around the Queens Mid-town tunnel area, so it will be a short ride into mid-town Manhattan. And still not be "too" far from Red Hook. I'd rather, I think, be closer to Manhattan( not in Brooklyn for example,so that I can get into town as soon as I can for our sightseeing, and then in the morning when I won't be rushed for time, I can get to the Brooklyn Pier. I hope that all makes a little sense. I really have no "druthers"as to where we stay. I have seen where you have recommended folks to Hotwire( where they were able to get rooms for under $150). I have never used Hotwire or Price line, but with your guidance, I would try( help from Betterbidding too) So in advance, I am thanking you.

Frank

 

Frank, are you opposed to staying in Manhattan? Downtown in the Financial District would be much more convenient for Midtown sightseeing and to get to your port the next day in Brooklyn.

 

Your budget and time of year is completely conducive to your stay.

 

FD hotels are usually much cheaper on the weekends.

 

I just did a quick check on hotwire and found three hotels for less than $150 in Manhattan for your dates.

[greatam]

Just a couple of options:

 

The hotels around JFK SUCK!! They all have contracts with the housing authorities of NY for welfare, emergency housing. So they are not particularly well maintained, there are very often kids running wild in the halls and the lobbies of both the Sheraton and Radisson (now the Doubletree) have been filled with boxes, bags and junk of people escaping their situations.

 

I had a very pleasant experience in January. Went to NYC on business and met a friend who flew up from NC. She had never been to NYC but wanted to see it. She absolutely, positively WOULD NOT pay more than $125 per night for a hotel. And I wasn't staying in one of the dumps in Manhattan that you can get for $125.00. So we compromised and it worked out very well. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza by LaGuardia. Booked it on Quikbook for about $100 per night. The Crowne has a shuttle TO the train station. We just had to let the front desk know 1/2 hour in advance. #7 train direct into Times Square-30 minutes. Getting back to the hotel, we had to transfer from the train to the bus which let us off across the street from the hotel. Easy transfer at Flushing station, an area filled with people. Cheap, fast transportation. Faster than driving in-it took about 40 minutes on Sunday when I drove into Manhattan.

 

Good hotel-good transport options. And about 30 minutes from the Brooklyn cruise port.

 

You also have the Brooklyn Marriott and lots of hotels in LI City. I personally will not stay in Long Island City except at one hotel-the Ravel on the East River (but I may be prejudiced as we do business with the hotel and deliver food products to them weekly). More expensive but a shuttle to and from the train station at all hours plus great views and decent food. The area is pretty well abandoned in the evening and most of the other hotels in the area (chain hotels) do not have continuous shuttle service.

 

Just food for thought.

[138east]

Hi Frank! Your plans have changed quite a bit. Realistically you may have to commit to a noncancellable reservation.

 

The most interesting thing I am seeing for 5/7 is the World Center Hotel by the World Trade Center on Kayak.com - booking.com is offering it at $143 ($168 incl taxes). Folks on tripadvisor liked the hotel but did not like the restaurant, commented on the small rooms, and commented on the high standard of cleanliness. It is apparently like Club Quarters - not a full service hotel with automated checkin. The location would be excellent for you - you could get the fixed cab rate from JFK to Manhattan and you would be very close to the Brooklyn terminal. Getting to midtown would be as fast as getting there from Long Island City. You would also be able to wander around lower Manhattan the morning you sail.

[knarf]

Hi 138 east and greatam and blueherons,

Thank you so much for the info. I will check out the World Center Hotel.

I do not have any problems staying in Manhattan.

A year or so ago , when in NYC for the first time, we walked around Times Square area , I remember also going by Bryant Park(sp), walked to Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station(?) and all over the place. We did not get up near Central Park area at all. We also did the Ellis Island tour along with the Statue Of Liberty trip. It was just wonderful going up in the Crown. Is the Crown closed down again ? If we book the World Center Hotel , I like the idea of walking around that area again on Sunday morning. We did not get to the South??? area down near Battery Park. I think I would also like to tour the WW2 ship that is docked in Manhattan.

Thanks again for the help. If you hear of any other good deals of places to stay, I am all ears !!

Frank

[BlueHerons]

Frank, this website is an excellent resource for downtown Manhattan.

 

www.DowtownNY.com