new york,ny

[bpettis]

arriving in new york on a summer time vacation for a day by amtrak and leaving next day also by amtrak. need to find some options for hotels close to penn station? how far from train station to hotels should you be? someone mentioned traffic might be a problem?

 

[AlanB]

I'd recommend checking out the Hotel Pennsylvania, which is directly across the street from Penn Station. The rooms aren't the largest around, but then many hotel rooms in NY are on the small side.

But it's location next to Penn Station, for a one night stay, can't be beat. Plus you can often find rooms in the $100 area, sometimes even under, if you book via Expedia or other similar service. But be sure to check the hotel's site too, as I've seen them offer better deals there on occasion.

Ps. More than one railfan has stayed at this hotel, especially considering its RR history.

 

[MrFSS]

I agree with Alan. I just stayed there a few weeks ago and while the single room was small it had all the amenities. Lindy's has a sandwich shop right off the lobby - great corned beef and pastrami. Hotel is right across the street from the main Penn Station entrance. If your wife is with you, a short walk to Macy's. 10-15 minute walk to Times Square.

 

[AlanB]

10-15 minute walk to Times Square.

Or one stop on the subway.

 

[PRR 60]

One caution about the Hotel Pennsylvania. The reputation of the hotel is more than a bit spotty.

Recent comments at TripAdvisor range from “Great Hotel” to “Horrible”. The price is certainly good for New York (that can be both a plus and a minus: sometimes cheap means cheap), but the Pennsylvania is a big, old hotel that, despite some renovations, is still a big, old hotel. If you expect the Waldorf, you will be disappointed. Maybe if you expect a Holiday Inn, you will still be disappointed. But if you are willing to accept what a reasonably low priced hotel in Manhattan will offer, then you should be OK.

 

[Midland Valley]

There is a nice Hampton Inn about one block away from Penn. Might be a little $; but then it is downtown NY city.

 

[MrFSS]

But if you are willing to accept what a reasonably low priced hotel in Manhattan will offer, then you should be OK.

Well - I've only stayed there one night, but my room was as good as a Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn, etc. Clean, newly decorated, high speed internet, nice shower, etc.

I guess there are good and bad stays anywhere you go.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Well, I am a new "convert" ,so to speak, to the Hotel Pennsylvania. For many many years I had stayed at another hotel in Times Square.

It can be a little gringy, but usually you can get a good price. For my first stay I booked it on an online service at $89 per night.

Let me say this about it: though old and creeky, at no time have I felt unsafe in it or in the immediate area.

FWIW I was there during the Great N.E. power blackout of August 14, 2003. It is was one of the few hotels in which one could access one's room, if you did not mind climbing 13 floors in the dark. The little gizmos into which you insert your card to enter the rooms was actually working! That must have been one of the few electronc devises in the whole city that worked.

The next day, I was in the Times Square area and saw my old hotel, and it looked like its people had spent the night on the street.

Glad I was in the Hotel Penn. Stayed there now two visits in a row. I had no complaints with my old hotel, the Paramount on 46th Street. Just changed over to the Penn because I was going to meet with Alan and do some train riding and it seemed more convenient.

Turned out to be a smart move for more reasons than that. The room was hot and stuffy but being such an old building, you could open the windows, a blessing in disguise.

The Glen Miller Orchestra first played "Chattanooga Choo Choo" (I am from Chattanooga, for those newer board members who do not know) in its ballroom, so that is is part of the history Alan referred to earlier.

Guess that ballroom was one of the places we had to find our way through the dark in August 2003. It was probably more fun when GLenn Miler was there.

 

[PRR 60]

The Glen Miller Orchestra first  played "Chattanooga Choo Choo" (I am from Chattanooga, for those  newer board members who do not know) in its ballroom, so that is is part of the history Alan  referred to earlier.
Guess that ballroom was one of the places we had to find our way through the dark in August 2003. It was probably more fun when GLenn Miler was there.

Not to mention that the Glen Miller hit, "Pennsylvania 6-5000" was and still is the phone number for the Hotel Pennsylvania.

 

[AlanB]

The Glen Miller Orchestra first  played "Chattanooga Choo Choo" (I am from Chattanooga, for those  newer board members who do not know) in its ballroom, so that is is part of the history Alan  referred to earlier.
Guess that ballroom was one of the places we had to find our way through the dark in August 2003. It was probably more fun when GLenn Miler was there.

Not to mention that the Glen Miller hit, "Pennsylvania 6-5000" was and still is the phone number for the Hotel Pennsylvania.

If you dial the 212 area code number, you'll even hear a snippet of the song. The toll free number however doesn't play the song.

 

[Steve4031]

If you are there on a weekend night, check out the business hotels like Marriott and Hilton. Sometimes they have rates that would be competitive to the Hotel Pennsylvania, and much better rooms too. Note that breakfast is often included. The Financial district, where some of these hotels are located, is a 15 minute subway ride or about a 10 dollar cab ride away. New York is a world class city, and if possible, you should stay a little longer than one night.

 

[Amtrak OBS Employee]

Amtrak puts us up in Hotel Penn. They usually locate us up on the 9th or 10th floors. Our rooms are decent, nothing fancy, but usually clean. I have not been to the other floors of the hotel, but I figure these two floors are all ok. If you wanna pay a higher hotel price, then the Southgate Tower over on the corner of 7th and 32nd may be a good choice. Considerably higher price per room, but more amenities, nicer, and still close to Penn Station (right across the street darn near). Amtrak used to put us up there, and it was really nice!!! OBS..

 

[Guest_Gingee]

We are booked at the Travel Inn, Manhatten when we go to NYC. I don't think it is far from the train. We will be spending two nights there before a cruise and two after. I have read really good reviews on it.

 

[AlanB]

We are booked at the Travel Inn, Manhatten when we go to NYC. I don't think it is far from the train. We will be spending two nights there before a cruise and two after. I have read really good reviews on it.

Unless there is more than 1 Travel Inn in NYC, then it is 14 blocks (or streets) north and 2 Avenues (1 Avenue = 2 streets in distance) west from Penn Station. However, it's probably very convienent to where your ship is leaving from.

At least from the pictures, it does however look like a nice hotel. I would however be careful about walking around that neighborhood late at night. It's not the worst, but it's certainly not the best either

 

[Guest_Gingee]

The Travel Inn is right across from a police station. Within a 10-15 walk to Times Square.

 

[AlanB]

The Travel Inn is right across from a police station. Within a 10-15 walk to Times Square.

Times Square should be less than 10 minutes from 42nd Street & 10th Ave., unless you walk very slow. Certainly not 15 minutes though.

 

[Guest_Gingee]

Well I was guestimating(sp?) on the distance.