I am starting to plan for a trip next year to NYC with my family. I would like to decide on the hotel now, so I can focus my point earnings with that chain to make sure I have enough for a free week. I will have my wife & 5 & 7 year old with me. We need a room with two queens, but definitely don't need anything fancy. Anything in the Holiday Inn or Comfort Inn chains would be preferable, since I already have enough points for 3 nights at each. Here is what is important to me in the order of importance.

1.) Proximity to subway & bus. We plan on doing a lot of tourist stuff & don't want to take cabs. Also don't want to make the kids have to walk too much.
2.) In an area where there is something to do without taking transportation - Times Square or Central Park areas would be great.
3.) Pool
4.) free breakfast

Thanks in advance for your input.

if you have points in PriorityClub, the Crowne Plaza Times Square would make sense. 25k/night for a free night....

if you have points in PriorityClub, the Crowne Plaza Times Square would make sense. 25k/night for a free night....

Thanks for the quick reply, but I don't think that one will work. I just tried a dummy booking & it said a max of 2 persons per room. I don't think they have rooms with 2 beds.

I know it's not Manhattan but if you have a LOT of Priority Club points you could try Candlewood Suites which is a redemption option.

The Candlewood Suites is in Jersey City, right across the Hudson RIver and convenient to teh Path Train to lower & midtown Manahttan as well as ferry service.

21 SECOND STREET
JERSEY CITY, NJ 07302

Quality Performer: Excellence

Hotel Reservations: 1 800 972 3160
Hotel Front Desk: 1-201-6592500

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/hotel/ewrjc?rpb=hotel&crUrl=/h/d/pc/1/en/hotelsearchresults

Candlewood might be able to accomodate families being a suite hotel. Plus you could use fewer Priority Points.

Note: This hotel has a tendency to fill fast with all the construction in the area plus all the corporations needing rooms.

I have NOT stayed here so I can't offer a review. Has anyone stayed here?

I stayed once in the Comfort Inn on 35th, very close to Penn Station, and it was not as bad as I expected (it was an emergency stay, due to train service disruptions that kept me from being able to go home on Amtrak as planned). There are quite a few Manhattan properties in the Choice chain--many hotels have suites or rooms with two double beds that will allow more than two occupants (I just checked). Pretty much anything in Manhattan is going to satisfy the "close to public transport" and "a neighborhood where there is something to do" requirements.

The Crown Plaza has two bed options. Call and see what they can do for you. It is a great location!

thanks a bunch everybody for the great advice. I plan on doing some more research this week. I wish comfort inn would let me book free rooms now for next summer. That is making me lean towards the Holiday Inn chain, especially if I can make the Crown Plaza work.

My biggest concern now is when does the MLB schedule come out. We definitely want to see a game at Yankee stadium & don't want to pick a week when they are on the road. Does anybody know when the schedules are released?

1.) Proximity to subway & bus. We plan on doing a lot of tourist stuff & don't want to take cabs. Also don't want to make the kids have to walk too much.
2.) In an area where there is something to do without taking transportation - Times Square or Central Park areas would be great.
3.) Pool
4.) free breakfast

If a pool is VERY important, the HI has a rooftop one which is quite nice (open from Memorial Day to Labor Day). It also would meet 3 of your criteria (I dont know about the free breakfast).

1.) Proximity to subway & bus. We plan on doing a lot of tourist stuff & don't want to take cabs. Also don't want to make the kids have to walk too much.
2.) In an area where there is something to do without taking transportation - Times Square or Central Park areas would be great.
3.) Pool
4.) free breakfast

If a pool is VERY important, the HI has a rooftop one which is quite nice (open from Memorial Day to Labor Day). It also would meet 3 of your criteria (I dont know about the free breakfast).

Thanks. I think I have it narrowed down to either this one or the Holiday Inn Express at MSG. One has a pool & the other free breakfast. I decided to stick with Holiday Inn because I can book my rooms now instead of waiting until 90 days out for the Comfort Inn. I actually am going to be coming to NY on business next month & am going to stay at the Holiday Inn on 57th to check it out. I will probably go down to check out the area around the Holiday Inn Express one evening to compare.

As soon as the Yankees schedule is released, I am going to be booking this trip.