I've alway gotten decent rates (AAA) at the Hoboken W when I used to spend 1 weekend a month in DC. They have some rooms with and extra half bath and a living room where kids can sleep. It is close to the PATH. Also check downtown Brooklyn hotels - it's a short subway ride to Manhattan.

This is when I wish OP would come back and tell us specifics about the date and if she/he is eligible for gov. rates.

Some of the far out NJ hotels people are recommending are actually MORE expensive that Gov. rates at Manhattan hotels, depending on the date. So really, there are just too many variables to answer without more specifics.

Why would you stay in Secausus? To answer the PP, because manhattan is really expensive and some people watch their pennies (and don't want to stay in a fleabag in the city to save money). Would I rather stay in the city - of course, but if you want to take your kids to NYC on a budget, NJ is a good option. I have stayed at the Hyatt Place in NJ and I think the govt rate was like $90\ night and included breakfast and free parking. Bus ride into the city is super easy and the savings allowed us to splurge on some activities in the city. With young'ish kids, by the end of a full day they were tired and we would go back to the hotel and have dinner nearby, take baths, read some books and play a little and get a good night sleep for the next day of sightseeing. This way, we saw the city with our kids without blowing our annual vacation budget and allowing us to do other trips we wanted to do. If OP had asked for the most fabulous and luxurious way to see NYC, I would not have suggested it, but she seems budget conscious and I think many people don't realize this offers a good alternative to train tix and an expensive manhattan hotel.

There are four of us, bus not an option due to age and restlessness, and train too expensive. We drove up, stayed at Marriott in downtown Brooklyn. 200 per night, parking 20 a night. Indoor pool, easy subway or cab into manhattan.

Due to the hour (we left Friday after work) the DC traffic was worse than the jersey and Brooklyn traffic, but I should caution that the BQE from the Verrazano Bridge to downtown Brooklyn is a mess and kind of terrifying if not familiar with it.

take the train in and stay in the city. no traffic, no commuting, so easy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you drive, stay at the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Suites in Weehawken, NJ. There is a ferry literally outside the hotel that takes 6 minutes to go across the river to midtown NYC and there are FREE buses at the ferry terminal that take you to a number of locations throughout the city (we took some to Midtown, Central Park and SoHo). You could get a 2 bedroom suite for much less than any NYC hotel. If you happen to be a federal employee, they have excellent government rates. The only caveat: eat dinner in the city (which you would want to do anyway) because there is not much near the hotel in terms of restaurants.

Maybe it depends on the date, but for a date I am going in July (I'm not the OP), I've found better gov. rates in NYC--at Marriotts and Hiltons.

what are better rates? there is nothing less than $250/night in Times Sq.

check out the budget trendy category - the POD hotel the jane, Yotel...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/realestate/commercial/tiny-but-luxurious-hotel-rooms-spring-up-in-new-york.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Anonymous wrote:meant to write express BUS into the city from secaucus hotels

why would anyone want to do that? she wants to see nyc not secaucus!!

We recently did a weekend trip to NYC. We decided to drive rather than take the train or bus. The cost was maybe a bit less than the bus or train for three people. We have an EZ Pass - we do a lot of NE driving - so it was smooth sailing through the tolls. We stayed at a hotel in Time Square and left the car parked in the hotel garage - $66 - and hoofed it everywhere.

Anonymous wrote:weehawken poster here - yeah, it must be the dates/luck of the draw. We went in April and got a $120/nt rate and everything else in NYC was over $200

I think summer and fall must be the among the most expensive times. I went with my son on a Sunday night in late January, and was able to get the Fairfield Inn in Chelsea, about 7 blocks from Penn Station, for $97 (not a government rate, just the standard).

I'm going in July, and the same room was I think $200-$300? Also, I was finding much better rates on Sunday and Monday nights, also on Thursday nights...but Tuesday and Wednesday nights were more expensive. For our trip this summer, we are going to see Newsies (dark on Thursdays, so we don't want to stay over on a Thursday night) and then the museums we want to see are closed on Mondays, which makes staying over on a Sunday or Monday night less attractive.

weehawken poster here - yeah, it must be the dates/luck of the draw. We went in April and got a $120/nt rate and everything else in NYC was over $200

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you drive, stay at the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Suites in Weehawken, NJ. There is a ferry literally outside the hotel that takes 6 minutes to go across the river to midtown NYC and there are FREE buses at the ferry terminal that take you to a number of locations throughout the city (we took some to Midtown, Central Park and SoHo). You could get a 2 bedroom suite for much less than any NYC hotel. If you happen to be a federal employee, they have excellent government rates. The only caveat: eat dinner in the city (which you would want to do anyway) because there is not much near the hotel in terms of restaurants.

Maybe it depends on the date, but for a date I am going in July (I'm not the OP), I've found better gov. rates in NYC--at Marriotts and Hiltons.

what are better rates? there is nothing less than $250/night in Times Sq.

Well, like I said, it might depend on the date, and I never said "in Times Squre" i said "In NYC" (as opposed to Weekhawken, NJ--though I was specifically thinking of Manhattan).


July 22
The gov./military rate for the following hotels is $216/night

SpringHill Suites New York Midtown Manhattan/Fifth Avenue
Courtyard New York Manhattan/Herald Square
New York Marriott East Side
Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel
Courtyard New York Manhattan/SoHo
Courtyard New York Manhattan/Upper East Side

plus a couple other is Brooklyn, Queens, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you drive, stay at the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Suites in Weehawken, NJ. There is a ferry literally outside the hotel that takes 6 minutes to go across the river to midtown NYC and there are FREE buses at the ferry terminal that take you to a number of locations throughout the city (we took some to Midtown, Central Park and SoHo). You could get a 2 bedroom suite for much less than any NYC hotel. If you happen to be a federal employee, they have excellent government rates. The only caveat: eat dinner in the city (which you would want to do anyway) because there is not much near the hotel in terms of restaurants.

Maybe it depends on the date, but for a date I am going in July (I'm not the OP), I've found better gov. rates in NYC--at Marriotts and Hiltons.

what are better rates? there is nothing less than $250/night in Times Sq.

Anonymous wrote:If you drive, stay at the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Suites in Weehawken, NJ. There is a ferry literally outside the hotel that takes 6 minutes to go across the river to midtown NYC and there are FREE buses at the ferry terminal that take you to a number of locations throughout the city (we took some to Midtown, Central Park and SoHo). You could get a 2 bedroom suite for much less than any NYC hotel. If you happen to be a federal employee, they have excellent government rates. The only caveat: eat dinner in the city (which you would want to do anyway) because there is not much near the hotel in terms of restaurants.

Maybe it depends on the date, but for a date I am going in July (I'm not the OP), I've found better gov. rates in NYC--at Marriotts and Hiltons.

If you drive, stay at the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Suites in Weehawken, NJ. There is a ferry literally outside the hotel that takes 6 minutes to go across the river to midtown NYC and there are FREE buses at the ferry terminal that take you to a number of locations throughout the city (we took some to Midtown, Central Park and SoHo). You could get a 2 bedroom suite for much less than any NYC hotel. If you happen to be a federal employee, they have excellent government rates. The only caveat: eat dinner in the city (which you would want to do anyway) because there is not much near the hotel in terms of restaurants.