NYC and LI trip seeking most economical hotel
April 25, 2018 11:36 AM Subscribe
SO and I are driving to NY to visit friends in both LI (Huntington) and Manhattan. We are looking for a hotel outside of Manhattan and taking a train into the city on 3 or 4 days. Just need safe parking and a basic level of room, like Super-8 or at most La Quinta. Not interested in AirBnB.
A few places we've found on LI are reasonable, but peak fares on LIRR could add $50+ to the total daily cost.
Places in Queens near a subway seem to be a bit more expensive and we'd need to use a parking garage, so it maybe it's a wash, or location would make for a better value.
Right now I'm mainly looking at places in Flushing and Jamacia.
Any hotels you recommend?
Any other places to consider?
(Bronx seemed to either have more expensive ones or the cheap rates were by the hour)
A few places we've found on LI are reasonable, but peak fares on LIRR could add $50+ to the total daily cost.
Places in Queens near a subway seem to be a bit more expensive and we'd need to use a parking garage, so it maybe it's a wash, or location would make for a better value.
Right now I'm mainly looking at places in Flushing and Jamacia.
Any hotels you recommend?
Any other places to consider?
(Bronx seemed to either have more expensive ones or the cheap rates were by the hour)
Woodbury Best Western is near Huntington, and you can use Hicksville train station, which won't be as expensive as zones further east.
posted by kellyblah at 11:45 AM on April 25, 2018
posted by kellyblah at 11:45 AM on April 25, 2018
Response by poster: Staying for a week or less. Will drive to Huntington.
posted by Sophont at 11:48 AM on April 25, 2018
posted by Sophont at 11:48 AM on April 25, 2018
Assuming these trips are consecutive (that is, a few days in Manhattan followed by a few on LI), you really don't need to stay in LI for the NYC section. If so, I recommend the Country Inn & Suites in Elizabeth, NJ. Their rates are comparable to La Quinta, and they offer a free shuttle to nearby Newark airport, from which you can take a train into Penn Station for $12.50. Parking is $10 per night, and a big breakfast is included. But it will be a bit of a pain, though doable, if you want to stay out later than 1 AM.
posted by ubiquity at 12:16 PM on April 25, 2018
posted by ubiquity at 12:16 PM on April 25, 2018
I'm afraid I don't have a specific hotel to recommend, but don't forget to look close to the PATH (which connects the NYC subway system to NJ). It runs 24/7 so should accommodate any style of visit. The PATH lines have largely gentrified but you still might do better there than in/around NYC proper.
posted by praemunire at 1:14 PM on April 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by praemunire at 1:14 PM on April 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
Have a look at the Hotel Vetiver in Long Island City. It's inexpensive (for NYC), and a very short walk to the 7 and N trains, or a still short but slightly longer walk to the R train; all three lines will get you to the city in about 15 to 20 minutes. It's very easy to find street parking around the hotel. Caveats: the area around the hotel has very little recommend it (although it's safe) except the subway and a bar or two nearby; also, I've heard it can sometimes be noisy overnight.
posted by holborne at 2:15 PM on April 25, 2018
posted by holborne at 2:15 PM on April 25, 2018
which connects the NYC subway system to NJ
PATH is a separate system, meaning that PATH-MTA transfers are not free. Additionally, time-based MTA passes are not valid on PATH (though it doesn't sound like a 7-day pass is worth it for the OP). If one's sightseeing plans require the subway, paying the double fare would quickly add up. (Of course, the same is true if you're using LIRR and the MTA.)
I can't tell if you're planning on staying in NYC for part of your trip and then going to LI or if the LI days are mixed with the NYC days. If it's the former, it may be worth parking the car somewhere other than where you're staying--there are neighborhoods where you could find street parking (though this is hard unless someone tells you where to look), some MetroNorth and NJ Transit stations allow overnight parking (maybe also LIRR stations, I don't know), long term parking at JFK or LGA, etc.
posted by hoyland at 3:55 PM on April 25, 2018
PATH is a separate system, meaning that PATH-MTA transfers are not free. Additionally, time-based MTA passes are not valid on PATH (though it doesn't sound like a 7-day pass is worth it for the OP). If one's sightseeing plans require the subway, paying the double fare would quickly add up. (Of course, the same is true if you're using LIRR and the MTA.)
I can't tell if you're planning on staying in NYC for part of your trip and then going to LI or if the LI days are mixed with the NYC days. If it's the former, it may be worth parking the car somewhere other than where you're staying--there are neighborhoods where you could find street parking (though this is hard unless someone tells you where to look), some MetroNorth and NJ Transit stations allow overnight parking (maybe also LIRR stations, I don't know), long term parking at JFK or LGA, etc.
posted by hoyland at 3:55 PM on April 25, 2018
A PATH fare is $2.75 one way regardless of distance (and, depending on where OP goes in the city, e.g., WTC/Staten Island Ferry/Statue of Liberty might even allow the OP to bypass the MTA altogether some days). It's the cheapest possible means of non-self-powered transport I'm aware of in and out of the five boroughs. If OP's budget can't handle $5.50 per person per day for the commute to and from their hotel on top of their other transportation expenses, they're going to have a hard time with NYC generally.
Oh, OP, my eye skipped over this at first: do not take a hotel room by the hour in the Bronx. Please. Just take my advice on this one.
posted by praemunire at 4:34 PM on April 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
Oh, OP, my eye skipped over this at first: do not take a hotel room by the hour in the Bronx. Please. Just take my advice on this one.
posted by praemunire at 4:34 PM on April 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
Bronx seemed to either have more expensive ones or the cheap rates were by the hour
OMG no no no. Those are prostitute pads.
If you want to say any place decent, you might have to increase your projected hotel budget. Some of the hotels by JFK are not too expensive, but it will be a LONG commute to anywhere, which is why they're not too expensive. Huntington is pretty far out on Long Island (it's in Suffolk County, which is literally 3 full counties east of Manhattan!), so yes it will be a sizeable commute to the city. Flushing is a pretty lengthy commute by mass transit to Manhattan and ridiculously crazy to Huntington. It's kind of a difficult combo, accessible to both Huntington and Manhattan and not too expensive... Kellyblah's suggestion of Woodbury Best Western might actually be your best bet. And Huntington does have some nice things to do/visit, e.g. Vanderbilt Museum, Huntington Lighthouse, some nice parks, so being closer to Huntington might work for you.
I cannot second the suggestions of staying in New Jersey -- while it's a good idea if most of your visit will be NYC, NJ to Huntington is going across 4 or 5 counties, a horrible commute by car (think 2 1/2 to 3 hours in horrid traffic!!), and far worse by mass transit (also at least 3 separate fares). Wouldn't be appealing to me, for sure.
posted by RRgal at 6:00 PM on April 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
OMG no no no. Those are prostitute pads.
If you want to say any place decent, you might have to increase your projected hotel budget. Some of the hotels by JFK are not too expensive, but it will be a LONG commute to anywhere, which is why they're not too expensive. Huntington is pretty far out on Long Island (it's in Suffolk County, which is literally 3 full counties east of Manhattan!), so yes it will be a sizeable commute to the city. Flushing is a pretty lengthy commute by mass transit to Manhattan and ridiculously crazy to Huntington. It's kind of a difficult combo, accessible to both Huntington and Manhattan and not too expensive... Kellyblah's suggestion of Woodbury Best Western might actually be your best bet. And Huntington does have some nice things to do/visit, e.g. Vanderbilt Museum, Huntington Lighthouse, some nice parks, so being closer to Huntington might work for you.
I cannot second the suggestions of staying in New Jersey -- while it's a good idea if most of your visit will be NYC, NJ to Huntington is going across 4 or 5 counties, a horrible commute by car (think 2 1/2 to 3 hours in horrid traffic!!), and far worse by mass transit (also at least 3 separate fares). Wouldn't be appealing to me, for sure.
posted by RRgal at 6:00 PM on April 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
Can you stay out near Huntington for a bit then leave your car with your friends and switch to a hotel more convenient to the city for the rest of the trip?
posted by yeahlikethat at 8:05 PM on April 25, 2018
posted by yeahlikethat at 8:05 PM on April 25, 2018
I cannot second the suggestions of staying in New Jersey
Um yes, I third this non-second. This is already going to be a lot of commuting, adding New Jersey or the Bronx into the mix will be a nightmare. You should really only be focusing on staying near your destinations. I don't understand your plan well enough to recommend anything in particular but I've planned a lot of NY-metro-area-spanning short trips (am from Long Island, have family in Huntington) so I can help more with more details.
posted by bleep at 8:12 PM on April 25, 2018
Um yes, I third this non-second. This is already going to be a lot of commuting, adding New Jersey or the Bronx into the mix will be a nightmare. You should really only be focusing on staying near your destinations. I don't understand your plan well enough to recommend anything in particular but I've planned a lot of NY-metro-area-spanning short trips (am from Long Island, have family in Huntington) so I can help more with more details.
posted by bleep at 8:12 PM on April 25, 2018
Response by poster: Just had to threadsit to reassure people that I did know the nature of the hourly hotels when I wrote that, and we were not considering them.
Plans are up in the air, could be one day in LI, two in NYC and back to LI then day at the botanical gardens.
Cost and time of driving would kill any savings staying in NJ.
Queens near a subway station seems to be the best compromise. There is a Manhasset hotel near a station, but I don't see it as being worth loosing spoons in Penn station.
posted by Sophont at 9:12 PM on April 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
Plans are up in the air, could be one day in LI, two in NYC and back to LI then day at the botanical gardens.
Cost and time of driving would kill any savings staying in NJ.
Queens near a subway station seems to be the best compromise. There is a Manhasset hotel near a station, but I don't see it as being worth loosing spoons in Penn station.
posted by Sophont at 9:12 PM on April 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
The YMCA is cheap, clean, has private rooms and multiple locations to choose from.
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 3:13 PM on April 26, 2018
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 3:13 PM on April 26, 2018
Response by poster: We ended up in the Travel Lodge Manhasset. It was a 12minute walk to lirr train.
posted by Sophont at 1:56 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by Sophont at 1:56 PM on May 25, 2018
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posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 11:42 AM on April 25, 2018