Hilton HHonors - Best Hilton Property for US Open (Tennis)?

Ok, I need help from the NYC folks...I am planning a quick 2-day trip to Flushing Meadows on August 30 - September 1 to watch some tennis at the US Open (okay, I'm going to watch Maria Sharapova, guilty as charged). Which Hilton property gives me the best access to the tennis center and the city/subway/airports? It looks like I'll be flying into JFK, and the JFK Hampton is just as many miles as the DT Times Square, but does it give me easy access to the center? How about Manhattan? In fact, the only property with a reward less than 40k/night is the EWR Hilton (35k/night). I would consider staying there except for the fact that I would have to trapse across the world to watch the tennis.

Well unless you're renting a car, getting from the JFK Hampton to Flushing Meadows would be a real chore, unless you want to take a cab. In fact, it would be easier getting from the Hilton Newark Penn Station (not to be confused with the EWR Hilton) to Flushing Meadows. From Newark it's a short ride on New Jersey Transit into Penn Station NY, then grab an LIRR train to Flushing Meadows.

The same would work from the EWR Hilton, except that you'd first have to take the hotel's shuttle to the airport, then get on the Airtrain to the EWR train station, where you'd catch a NJT train. That however would add about 7 bucks to the costs, since they charge a premium to ride the airtrain.

The best hotel IMHO would be the D-Tree in Times Square. From there it's a simple matter of catching a #7 Train to Flushing. The #7 originates at Times Square and it's about a 40 to 45 minute ride to Flushing Meadows.

The new D-Tree Metropolitan on Lex is probably the next best choice. From there you can catch either the E or the V train at 53rd & Lex. Take that to 74th St. / Roosevelt Ave and transfer to the #7 upstairs. It's a free transfer.

Of course just about any of the other Manhattan based hotels offers the ability to catch one subway that will lead to the #7 train.

There is also a Hampton Inn not far from Penn Station, so you could consider that too if the points are less than the better hotels. Again from Penn you can catch the LIRR to Flushing Meadows, but be careful there is only a limited schedule that stops at that station.

DT Times Square. We take the train to the Mets.

Thanks for the comments! It appears that the DT Times Square is the best place on the island, regardless of what one is doing. I was considering the Waldorf (same point level), but I don't like their no shorts policy! It will be August, for crying out loud! ;)

When the DT Metropolitan was the Loews Summit, it used to serve as the headquarters hotel for the USTA and for the Open itself. With new hotels having opened in Queens since then, I'm not sure if they still have the tournament HQ in Manhattan.

Thanks for the comments! It appears that the DT Times Square is the best place on the island, regardless of what one is doing. I was considering the Waldorf (same point level), but I don't like their no shorts policy! It will be August, for crying out loud! ;)

I'd also have first thought of the Waldorf, but any hotel these weeks is likely to be filled with players & coaches. We stayed at the W across the road, and found it a very convenient location, along with many of the coaches.

Surely players & their coaches would wear shorts at some time on the property :)

PS. The Blake supporters were MAD! ^

Wife and I are planning a trip to the U.S. Open. Will the Hilton Garden Inn Secaucus work OK? We will have a car but will take mass transit to the Open. Thanks.

Wife and I are planning a trip to the U.S. Open. Will the Hilton Garden Inn Secaucus work OK? We will have a car but will take mass transit to the Open. Thanks.

I think there might be a shuttle that is associated with this hotel that could give you a ride to the Secaucus train station. From there its a 10 min train ride to Penn Station. Walk across to the LIRR side of Penn Station and take the LIRR train right to Shea/Flushing Meadows and you're there. You can avoid the traffic and parking altogether.

I would do the DT Manhattan. I've stayed there quite a few times when I want a "weekend in the city." Rooms are great and the Sunday brunch (free for Gold and up) is worth the trip alone!

Marcia