Is it worth staying outside Manhattan when visiting NYC?

SharpshooterTom

Hi all,

I will be visiting New York on my own for 12 nights in february and I have a bit of a dilemma in wondering whether its worth staying in Manhattan or not. I'm currently looking at hotel called the Quality Inn in Woodside Queens, which will cost me £600 (700 euros). It has a booking.com rating of 7.3 and looks relatively decent.

http://www.booking.com/hotel/us/quality-inn-woodside.en.html

Its located near a subway station on the Flushing line and takes 20 minutes to get into times square.

However I'm wondering its worth paying extra to stay in Manhattan, I have found a hotels around £900-£1000 (1050-1150 euros) for the same number of nights in around 30th & 32nd street, with strong reviews from booking.com and tripadvisor.

I've never been to New York so I don't know whether or not its safe to take subways at midnight on the flushing line into Queens neighbourhood at that time. Given that its a bit of pain in the arse as well constantly being 20 mins+ away from my hotel for 12 nights, and that its going to be freezing that time of the year, would it be worth it to get accomodation and paying the £300-£400 extra to stay in Manhattan?

I will pay extra if it improves the quality of my time there significantly.

Ponster

If I was visiting Manhattan for 12 days I don't think I'd spend more than 7 or 8 in Manhattan itself so getting a hotel outside of Manhattan would make sense to me.

I think that you may be under the impression that if you are in Manhattan then you're going to be close to everything while in reality you'll end up taking the subway a lot. If you were to travel to the WTC from your hotel on 34th street it'll take you about 20 minutes. The same trip from your hotel in Queens will take 35 minutes. This really isn't much of a difference that would impact your holidays IMO.

I've never been to New York so I don't know whether or not its safe to take subways at midnight on the flushing line into Queens neighborhood at that time.

You shouldn't have any problems regarding safety.

Given that its a bit of pain in the arse as well constantly being 20 mins+ away from my hotel for 12 nights.

Depending on what you do and where you are even if you stay in Manhattan you will probably find yourself heading to different areas each night and not staying around midtown. You may always be 20+ minutes from your hotel each night unless you love drinking in Irish bars

Over 12 nights you'll be saving 30 quid a day on your hotel but it'll cost you 4 quid for a return trip to and from Queens. I think that I could find lots of uses for that money
If you were only staying for 5 nights then I'd say to stay in Manhattan but 12 is a lot IMHO and you may find that some days you'll not bother going into Manhattan and will instead explore Queens or Brooklyn.

whitey1

I would say it all depends.If you were just over the river in Brooklyn or Queens and could use the subway to get into town it could work out great. Manhattan is big and it can be cumbersome to get around especially at rush hour. eg many parts of Brooklyn would be much closer to Battery Park/Wall St (southern tip of Manhattan) than much of Manhattan and many parts of Midtown (think Times Sq) would be closer to Queens than to Battery Park


On the other hand, if you were an hour outisde the city it wouldnt be worth it

Go on the Tripadvisor forum and pose the question.....people who are in the know will set you right

SharpshooterTom

Thanks for the responses guys.

Also a quick question does anyone know whether its better to fly into Newark or into JFK, is there a difference in terms of customs etc? From Dublin Aer Lingus fly into JFK and United Airlines (from Dublin) fly into Newark, both for the same price. I guess its just much of a muchness really?

ProudDUB

If you are on a direct flight from Ireland, you will pre clear Customs & Immigration in Ireland before you leave. There are 2-3 Aer Lingus flights that don't pre clear in Ireland, but that is due to end this autumn.

Ponster

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

Also a quick question does anyone know whether its better to fly into Newark or into JFK, is there a difference in terms of customs etc?

I'm not aware of any differences but it may depend on where you're staying (Manhattan or Queens). If you can get a good deal of one over the other then I'd go with the cheapest.

whitey1

I may be wrong, but I think Newark is much more convenient to Manhattan via public transport than is Kennedy. I think you could realisyically "train" it from Newark, but it would be very cumbersome from Kennedy

Amirani

whitey1 wrote: »

I may be wrong, but I think Newark is much more convenient to Manhattan via public transport than is Kennedy. I think you could realisyically "train" it from Newark, but it would be very cumbersome from Kennedy

Yeah, Newark is handier to Manhattan. JFK is far easier for Queens though.

whitey1

alternatively, check out the Y. its a hostel ( or rather series of hostels) with single rooms, but shared bathrooms. Its been a long time, but I stayed at the one in Midtown and it was great. We could walk to everything.


Its not like a hostel in Ireland or Australia-they run a tight ship-no screwing around tolerated. Older clientelle, often European.

http://www.ymcanyc.org/


You could also check out their rating on tripadvisor. Most of the bad ratings are due to the rude staff....its NYC.....what do you expect

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60763-d113325-Reviews-or10-The_Vanderbilt_YMCA-New_York_City_New_York.html#REVIEWS

they also have fridges in their rooms, so they must have some type if kitchen facility.

To be perfectly honest....if youre taking advantage of everything NYC has to offer and are using your room as a place to sleep and safely store your bags-I would stay here.

Ponster

whitey1 wrote: »

but it would be very cumbersome from Kennedy

About an hour or so. But JFK has a fixed cab fare to Manhattan ($55 I think) if it's your first time to the US then getting a cab to the airport makes things a lot less stressful for the traveler.

The Backwards Man

I ail ways stay in jersey city when visiting new york, much cheaper accomodation and easy access to manhattan.

whitey1

Ponster wrote: »

About an hour or so. But JFK has a fixed cab fare to Manhattan ($55 I think) if it's your first time to the US then getting a cab to the airport makes things a lot less stressful for the traveler.

good info...I didnt know that. I had heard of people getting ripped off who didnt know any better.

Ponster

whitey1 wrote: »

good info...I didnt know that. I had heard of people getting ripped off who didnt know any better.

It should really be dffiucult to get ripped off. The 'cab manager' at the airport asks you where you're going and if you say Manhattan hands you a slip of papers with the 'rules' explained. The only thing you have to pay on top of the $52 fare is tip and any tolls (depending on the route that you've requested).

Ponster

Thomas, you need to speak with this guy who has already stayed in the hotel that you're thinking of going to.

Rasmus

I would pay the extra for convenience myself - that is a lot of travel on the subway and 20 mins is a best case scenario to get to Times Square - then you have to add on another 20/30 mins to get elsewhere, factoring in train changes etc.
Plus, out where that hotel is, you only have one train option, the 7, which is grand if you live there and are commuting but I expect you will be doing a bit of touristing and won't be keeping to the schedule of the express trains. Furthermore, if there are any service changes you are looking at a transfer bus or going to a subway a bit further afield.
Saying that, it is really nice to be outside of Manhattan, but I'd choose something closer to a better selection of public transport or something a little closer in.

InTheTrees

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

Also a quick question does anyone know whether its better to fly into Newark or into JFK

Newark (If you're staying in Manhattan) And there's a really easy shuttle in to Times Square, leaves every 15mins and takes about 20 minutes.

FISMA

whitey1 wrote: »

I may be wrong, but I think Newark is much more convenient to Manhattan via public transport than is Kennedy. I think you could realisyically "train" it from Newark, but it would be very cumbersome from Kennedy

I believe there is the sky train that takes you from Times Square right to Kennedy.

Newark is great as you can hop on the New Jersey Turnpike, head north, and be in NYC rather fast. The NJTP runs fast. The routes that serve Kennedy are often a parking lot.

Depending on the time of day, getting from JFK to Manhattan, could be a night mare.

Newark is handy as once you hit the NJTP, you can take I95 to the George Washington Bridge, for uptown, jump on Rt 3 to get to the Lincoln Tunnel, (more mid-town), or find your way to the Holland Tunnel for down town.

You could also stay in NJ, however, I do not think you are going to save that much money. The problem is the traffic, not the distance. At least if you have a place in NYC, you can stop by the room, take a nap, have a shower, and then head back out again. You probably would not do that if you were out of town.

Where did you find your prices? Have you checked out orbitz.com or hotwire.com?

The online posted prices for hotels is really just their first offer. If you look around there should be lots of deals to be had.

InTheTrees

Its just my touristy opinion but staying outside Manhattan would be similar to visiting Dublin and staying in a hotel by the airport. Yes, its cheaper and yes you can get to the city centre easily enough, but why not budget just a little more and be in the centre of things?

FISMA

OP - see if you can find a nice hotel in Hoboken NJ. Hoboken is right by the Lincoln Tunnel and there are trains called the PATH (Port Authority Trans Hudson) that go directly from Hoboken to World Trade.

It's a good town with a decent night life. If you found a nice hotel there, it would be a quick ride into WTC, lower Manhattan.

Find a large chain hotel, some of the cheaper places would be more like the no-tell motel...

emeraldstar

FISMA wrote: »

OP - see if you can find a nice hotel in Hoboken NJ. Hoboken is right by the Lincoln Tunnel and there are trains called the PATH (Port Authority Trans Hudson) that go directly from Hoboken to World Trade.

It's a good town with a decent night life. If you found a nice hotel there, it would be a quick ride into WTC, lower Manhattan.

Find a large chain hotel, some of the cheaper places would be more like the no-tell motel...

While Hobo is lovely - the Manhattan skyline views are breathtaking - it's a pain having to pay for both PATH and Subway travel. If you stay in NY you'll only need the Subway and I find it far better value to just buy an unlimited MetroCard for the week or however long.

Plus if you intend on going out in the city at night the PATH gets so infrequent after a certain time of night, even at weekends, that it is *the* biggest pain in the ass trying to get home. And the cost of a taxi ride NY to NJ is extortionate.

Rascasse

As you are travelling on your own, have you considered airbnb.com? Basically you can rent someone's spare room (or whole apartment). The misses is over often and prefers this now. I know she's stayed at this girls place before. Right in the middle of one of the 'hip' parts of Manhattan and was around $100 a night (she used to pay around $250/$300 per night for a decent hotel).

Just check the reviews (make sure there are lots).

clairefontaine

Sky train takes you from JFK to penn station for $7.

Newark or JFK....I'd pick the cheaper flight. Much of a muchness.

whitey1

Ive stayd everywhere from the Ritz Carlton to the Y hostel and everything in between. Problem im seeing (new job and lots of trips to NYC) is that the only affordble hotels in Manhattan are complete $hitholes. Personally speaking, give me a nice spot in Brooklyn or Queens-one or 2 stops out of Manhattan on the subway over staying in a dump in Manhattan.

The Backwards Man

emeraldstar wrote: »

While Hobo is lovely - the Manhattan skyline views are breathtaking - it's a pain having to pay for both PATH and Subway travel. If you stay in NY you'll only need the Subway and I find it far better value to just buy an unlimited MetroCard for the week or however long.

Plus if you intend on going out in the city at night the PATH gets so infrequent after a certain time of night, even at weekends, that it is *the* biggest pain in the ass trying to get home. And the cost of a taxi ride NY to NJ is extortionate.

If you buy a pay per ride Metrocard you can use it on PATH as well. PATH trains run every 35 minutes overnight, and for those of us who are used to public transport being non-existent at that time, it's plenty.:pac:

emeraldstar

The Backwards Man wrote: »

If you buy a pay per ride Metrocard you can use it on PATH as well. PATH trains run every 35 minutes overnight, and for those of us who are used to public transport being non-existent at that time, it's plenty.:pac:

I know that but, for me, it's more cost-effective to get an unlimited card, and you can't use an unlimited MetroCard on PATH.

It's just that when you've already taken a Subway train simply to get to the PATH station, then you have to sit in the station for - at the very least - half an hour, in the most oppressive heat, then it really, really is a pain in the hole. When you're exhausted at night you want the quickest, most straightforward (i.e. least changes!) route home. Or at least I do

I'd much rather just deal with the Subway.

SHOVELLER

Pay extra to stay in Manhattan. Staying in Woodside would be like staying here in that it is suffocatingly Irish and I presume you want a holiday away from that!

Plus, as said, the commute will be a pain and again this is not something you want on a holiday.

Get yourself a 7 day Metrocard which at $30 is extraordinary value. You will be charged an extra dollar for buying a new one but when this expires show it when you buy the next one and you wont be charged.

Ponster

whitey1 wrote: »

Give me a nice spot in Brooklyn or Queens-one or 2 stops out of Manhattan on the subway over staying in a dump in Manhattan.

Brooklyn, around Atlantic/Jay Street station, and you'll only be 2 stops from Manhattan with direct access by subway to Chinatown, Downtown (Wall street, WTC), East Village, Grenwich, Bryant Park (Empire State) and Central Park.

SharpshooterTom

Ok guys appreciate all the posts so far, I've decided I'm going to be staying at the Ramada NY Eastside hotel. I thought it would be worth paying £300 extra for 12 nights Manhattan in the end instead of being in Woodside. I mean yes staying in Queens is fine but I thought it would be far handier to be based in Manhattan since thats where I'm going to be most of the time anyway. 20 mins in/20 mins out everytime, thats 40 mins a day and since its potentially going to be subzero at night I would like to located close by.

Reading the posts I'm also now deciding between Delta airlines from Dublin who fly to JFK or United who fly to Newark.

I know its easier to get to Manhattan from Newark because of Penn station, but that still leaves me a 15 minute+ walk at least with heavy luggage to Ramada eastside hotel. So I'm thinking on this ocassion of just using a taxi.

And its cheaper to do so from JFK right?

InTheTrees

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

Ok guys appreciate all the posts so far, I've decided I'm going to be staying at the Ramada NY Eastside hotel. I thought it would be worth paying £300 extra for 12 nights Manhattan in the end instead of being in Woodside. I mean yes staying in Queens is fine but I thought it would be far handier to be based in Manhattan since thats where I'm going to be most of the time anyway. 20 mins in/20 mins out everytime, thats 40 mins a day and since its potentially going to be subzero at night I would like to located close by.

Reading the posts I'm also now deciding between Delta airlines from Dublin who fly to JFK or United who fly to Newark.

I know its easier to get to Manhattan from Newark because of Penn station, but that still leaves me a 15 minute+ walk at least with heavy luggage to Ramada eastside hotel. So I'm thinking on this ocassion of just using a taxi.

And its cheaper to do so from JFK right?

I believe there are issues with taking new Jersey cabs into new york city. There may be a set price or you may have to agree the price before. Its worth checking though because Newark is more convienient.

dee_mc

Hi OP, I'm the one another poster mentioned above as having stayed at the Quality Inn in Woodside. Woodside is a very Irish area, but the particular area of the hotel has more Hispanic and Asian people living there. It's a quiet, residential area which is handy for both airports. There are several nice restaurants in the immediate vicinity but the real plus of the location is its proximity to the subway.
For the same price in Manhattan you will probably stay in a total sh!thole (of course there are exceptions) which is why I chose this place. The choice of hotel wasn't important to me as I didn't plan on spending a lot of time in the room, but I was sick one evening during my stay and really did appreciate having a large (by NY standards) room with a clean, modern bathroom, unlimited hot water, good air con etc until I was feeling better! I recommend the hotel to everyone because it was a great experience for me as a first timer travelling alone!
Re travelling on subway alone late at night, I only did it once and found it grand, but cabs are so cheap that for peace of mind it can be worth spending a few dollars just to feel 100% safe. General rule, if you wouldn't do it at home, don't do it there either
I think someone else may have made this post but bear in mind that if you choose to stay in Manhattan you won't necessarily be any closer to the centre of things than if you stay in Queens.

SantryRed

Guys, currently staying in Manhattan until tomorrow. Have a flight from Newark, what's the best way to get there and is cheap? The hotel we are in does a shuttle service for 24 dollars each, but there's 2 of us, and we'll prob have to tip on top of that, so would prefer a cheaper way! Staying on 10th Ave. and 41st street.

Thanks.