Brooklyn Sheraton thought?

[maxamuus]

We are looking for a hotel in Brooklyn before our cruise in May. I see the Marriott gets lots of positive reviews but they want 260 for a night there. The Sheraton is only a couple blocks away and new and they want like 140 a night.

 

Anyone stayed at the Brooklyn Sheraton and your thoughts?

 

PS. We are thinking of going into Manhattan to bum around for the day before the cruise is it fairly easy from downtown Brooklyn? Seems like the subway runs right thru it.

[138east]

There are some new hotels in Brooklyn near the pier. Here are threads that discuss them. They could be another less expensive option.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1383720

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1377990

[maxamuus]

I am actually booked at the La Quinta. We have stayed at a few of their hotels and they have been quite nice, i just read on Trip Advisor that someone said that area the La Quinta is in isnt a "safe" area.

 

We wanted to take the subway to Manhattan and not have to worry about being jacked. :eek:

[138east]

Read the New Yorkers comments about the areas by the new hotels. I've lived in Brooklyn and many places look much worse than they really are. My husband and I stayed at the Sleep Inn on 49th St. between 2nd and 3rd by I278. Lousy looking area, but very nice hotel (actually had a view of the SOL) and free on street overnight parking for 2 cars. We used to live 6 avenues from there and felt comfortable with the area, but I don't recommend the hotel for visitors. We also had cars and did not walk in the area. The key is how close to the subway it is.

[mking8288]

We loved the La Quainta's traveling in Canada - this new one on 3rd. Avenue built on a vacant land lot is surrounded mostly by commercial buildings & warehouses, with mixed use retail & residential low-rise (mostly) buildings further up along 4th Avenue and eastward toward 5th Avenue - in what I would consider the southern tip of Park Slope section of Brooklyn (with lots of small boutique shops & family restaurants, bars, etc.) It's fine to walk around during the daylight hours - especially in the summer months (but, only if you aren't sightseeing Times Square, Wall Street, Seaports or sailing the Staten Island Ferry for a closeup view of the Statue of Liberty ....)

 

There's a Staple store near 4th Avenue - just one long block away (more like 2 city blocks) and a Pep Boy (automative) store - where you can pickup bottled water. No retail drug store chains nearby or major supermarket for sodas or sports drinks, etc. - just mom-n-pop deli & bodegas (no 7-11's) No yellow taxi on the street to hail but plenty of local car services and recommended if you wanted to go to nearby places - closest subway station at Union Street is about 4 blocks away, walkable and use common, street-smart, sense if you are coming back late in the evening as there aren't many people walking on the streets toward 3rd. Avenue once you come up from the underground station.

 

Do a Google Map search for the hotel address and switch to Street View and it will give you a good virtual look at the surroundings. It's a short ride to the Brooklyn Pier on local streets and no traffic jams to worry about. La Quinta are famous for their hearty full breakfat buffet and it should be good enough until you board the ship after checking in. And, ordering pizza delivery from nearby places would be an option for the evening if one just wanted to relax & get rested up. There should be on-street parking overnight but some of the side streets/blocks prohibit overnight parking (midnight to 6 am, to restrict trucks from parking & sleeping in their cabs) - BUT, do not leave any valuables inside including GPS's. Check the posted parking signs carefully as they can be very confusing for out-of-towners driving in NY, resulting in a tow & expensive fine (not to mention the possibility of wrecking one's vacation and/or cruise)

 

We have offices in this area and I'm 100% comfortable getting around, but for out-of-towners wondering at night, it can be less than assuring - but these new hotels are nicely priced, capturing their market niche and good for those willing to accept the trade-off. Use the money saved for not paying a sky-high hotel bill and set aside a little extra for one or two quick & short car service/taxi ride to/from nearby places instead of walking those few city blocks.

[smeyer418]

I live in the area by La Quinta. Its an ok area during the day and evening. Late at night after 10 its pretty deserted which isn't good in any place in NY really. but I would not feel really unsafe walking down Union Street to third from the subway except during the wee morning hours - which I would take a cab from Manhattan anyway.

[smeyer418]

We loved the La Quainta's traveling in Canada - this new one on 3rd. Avenue built on a vacant land lot is surrounded mostly by commercial buildings & warehouses, with mixed use retail & residential low-rise (mostly) buildings further up along 4th Avenue and eastward toward 5th Avenue - in what I would consider the southern tip of Park Slope section of Brooklyn (with lots of small boutique shops & family restaurants, bars, etc.) It's fine to walk around during the daylight hours - especially in the summer months (but, only if you aren't sightseeing Times Square, Wall Street, Seaports or sailing the Staten Island Ferry for a closeup view of the Statue of Liberty ....)

 

There's a Staple store near 4th Avenue - just one long block away (more like 2 city blocks) and a Pep Boy (automative) store - where you can pickup bottled water. No retail drug store chains nearby or major supermarket for sodas or sports drinks, etc. - just mom-n-pop deli & bodegas (no 7-11's) No yellow taxi on the street to hail but plenty of local car services and recommended if you wanted to go to nearby places - closest subway station at Union Street is about 4 blocks away, walkable and use common, street-smart, sense if you are coming back late in the evening as there aren't many people walking on the streets toward 3rd. Avenue once you come up from the underground station.

 

Do a Google Map search for the hotel address and switch to Street View and it will give you a good virtual look at the surroundings. It's a short ride to the Brooklyn Pier on local streets and no traffic jams to worry about. La Quinta are famous for their hearty full breakfat buffet and it should be good enough until you board the ship after checking in. And, ordering pizza delivery from nearby places would be an option for the evening if one just wanted to relax & get rested up. There should be on-street parking overnight but some of the side streets/blocks prohibit overnight parking (midnight to 6 am, to restrict trucks from parking & sleeping in their cabs) - BUT, do not leave any valuables inside including GPS's. Check the posted parking signs carefully as they can be very confusing for out-of-towners driving in NY, resulting in a tow & expensive fine (not to mention the possibility of wrecking one's vacation and/or cruise)

 

We have offices in this area and I'm 100% comfortable getting around, but for out-of-towners wondering at night, it can be less than assuring - but these new hotels are nicely priced, capturing their market niche and good for those willing to accept the trade-off. Use the money saved for not paying a sky-high hotel bill and set aside a little extra for one or two quick & short car service/taxi ride to/from nearby places instead of walking those few city blocks.

 

There are two major supermarkets within a mile by car. A key food on fifth avenue and st marks and a pathmark at Hamilton and 12th streets. Both have lots for parking(a rarity in NYC). There is a liquor store attached to the Pathmark. The Fairway a little farther is worth the trip just to have a cup of coffee in the snark bar aside NY harbor....

[Love the beach]

The LaQuinta is on 3rd Ave and 13th St which is quite a hike to Union St! The subway runs along 4th Ave which is one long block away and the stop is at 9th St which is a very busy station with both the F train and the R train. The Pathmark Supermarket is on 12th St just below 2nd Ave--one long block going the opposite way. 13th St going towards 4th Ave to the subway is a residential block---going the opposite way towards 2nd Ave is industrial. I also live close by and have never felt unsafe during the day or early eve when going shopping at Pathmark.

[maxamuus]

Thanks for the replies from the locals. I think i might keep the La Quinta after all.

[maxamuus]

Locals - Does that Pathmark sell wine and/or Champagne?

[GTJ]

Wine is not sold in grocery stores. You need to go to a liquor store to buy wine.

[njhorseman]

Wine is not sold in grocery stores. You need to go to a liquor store to buy wine.

 

Per post #7, there's a liquor store attached to the Pathmark, so yes, they will have wine for sale there.

[GTJ]

There appears to be some confusion over where wine may be sold in New York. Section 79(3) of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law reads, in relevant part, as follows:

 

"No licensee under this section [relating to the sale of wine at retail for consumption off the premises] shall be engaged in any other business in the premises licensed."

 

Thus, any retail store selling wine cannot sell groceries (and vice versa). If an owner of a grocery store were to obtain a license to sell wine, it would be limited to a single location, and the licensed premises would have to be separate from the rest of the store, with a separate entrance. See, e.g., New York State Law Revision Commission Preliminary Report on the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law and its Administration at 37. There have been proposals to change the law, but as it is right now, you cannot buy wine in a grocery store in New York.

 

Other posters have suggested that there is a liquor store "attached" to a particular Pathmark grocery store. Throughout New York City there are many stores that are adjacent to other stores, but mere adjacency does not make such stores the same. The liquor store "attached" to the referenced Pathmark grocery store must be a separate store. Thus, the answer is "no," there will not be wine for sale at the Pathmark grocery store.

[njhorseman]

There appears to be some confusion over where wine may be sold in New York. Section 79(3) of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law reads, in relevant part, as follows:

 

"No licensee under this section [relating to the sale of wine at retail for consumption off the premises] shall be engaged in any other business in the premises licensed."

 

Thus, any retail store selling wine cannot sell groceries (and vice versa). If an owner of a grocery store were to obtain a license to sell wine, it would be limited to a single location, and the licensed premises would have to be separate from the rest of the store, with a separate entrance. See, e.g., New York State Law Revision Commission Preliminary Report on the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law and its Administration at 37. There have been proposals to change the law, but as it is right now, you cannot buy wine in a grocery store in New York.

 

Other posters have suggested that there is a liquor store "attached" to a particular Pathmark grocery store. Throughout New York City there are many stores that are adjacent to other stores, but mere adjacency does not make such stores the same. The liquor store "attached" to the referenced Pathmark grocery store must be a separate store. Thus, the answer is "no," there will not be wine for sale at the Pathmark grocery store.

 

We're trying to help a tourist who wants a place to buy wine near his hotel. Saying that there is a liquor store "attached" to the Pathmark is a perfectly reasonable plain language way to describe where he can buy the wine.

 

Your pedantic recitation of the technicalities of NY liquor laws is of no help to anyone, but if you want to parse sentences, a careful reading of what I wrote will reveal that I said nothing more than there will be wine for sale "there", and "there" means the liquor store attached to Pathmark.

[Love the beach]

There appears to be some confusion over where wine may be sold in New York. Section 79(3) of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law reads, in relevant part, as follows:

 

"No licensee under this section [relating to the sale of wine at retail for consumption off the premises] shall be engaged in any other business in the premises licensed."

 

Thus, any retail store selling wine cannot sell groceries (and vice versa). If an owner of a grocery store were to obtain a license to sell wine, it would be limited to a single location, and the licensed premises would have to be separate from the rest of the store, with a separate entrance. See, e.g., New York State Law Revision Commission Preliminary Report on the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law and its Administration at 37. There have been proposals to change the law, but as it is right now, you cannot buy wine in a grocery store in New York.

 

Other posters have suggested that there is a liquor store "attached" to a particular Pathmark grocery store. Throughout New York City there are many stores that are adjacent to other stores, but mere adjacency does not make such stores the same. The liquor store "attached" to the referenced Pathmark grocery store must be a separate store. Thus, the answer is "no," there will not be wine for sale at the Pathmark grocery store.

The liquor store is a separate entity within the Pathmark Mall--there are some other stores there as well--Dunkin Donuts, an Optical store and a "99 cent" type store.

[GTJ]

Your pedantic recitation of the technicalities of NY liquor laws is of no help to anyone, but if you want to parse sentences, a careful reading of what I wrote will reveal that I said nothing more than there will be wine for sale "there", and "there" means the liquor store attached to Pathmark.

 

In a majority of states, wine can be purchased in grocery stores. That is NOT true in New York, and if someone used to the laws in another state were to walk into Pathmark and expect to find wine in that grocery store, they will be disappointed. They will have to leave the grocery store and walk someplace else. That someplace else may be a liquor store that is conveniently located next door, or it may be a short distance down the block.

 

With all due respect, the use of "there" is most reasonably read as meaning the Pathmark store, not the liquor store. It is indeed true that if one were to carefully parse the sentence, "there's a liquor store attached to the Pathmark, so yes, they will have wine for sale there," and given the indefinite reference of "there" as possibly directing the reader to either noun, one might accept that "there" referred to the liquor store rather than the Pathmark. However, since the sentence also includes the answer "yes" in the response to the question, "Does that Pathmark sell wine and/or Champagne?", the clear reading of "there" is that it refers to Pathmark, not the liquor store.

 

The correct answer to the question is "no." Fortunately, there are many liquor stores throughout the City of New York, and in this case, there is one very close to the grocery store. Thus, this particular questioner may have that good fortune to have a liquor store near the cited grocery store. However, these posts are read by, and used by, more than one person at a time (otherwise it would be much more efficient to write by e-mail). The implication that grocery stores may sell wine is of no help to anyone, particularly tourists from other locations where such practices are common.

 

This is not a mere formalism, as there as been extensive debate about this subject for the very reason the questioner asked it: it is easier for many people to buy wine within a grocery store, at a time when they are purchasing foodstuffs as well, than to have to make an additional stop at a separate liquor store. Former Governor Paterson proposed doing so last year. Liquor stores opposed that change in law because they viewed it as a peril to their livelihood. To simply wave this legality as something trivial, irrelevant, or unimportant would likely not be taken well by this industry.

[njhorseman]

In a majority of states, wine can be purchased in grocery stores. That is NOT true in New York, and if someone used to the laws in another state were to walk into Pathmark and expect to find wine in that grocery store, they will be disappointed. They will have to leave the grocery store and walk someplace else. That someplace else may be a liquor store that is conveniently located next door, or it may be a short distance down the block.

 

With all due respect, the use of "there" is most reasonably read as meaning the Pathmark store, not the liquor store. It is indeed true that if one were to carefully parse the sentence, "there's a liquor store attached to the Pathmark, so yes, they will have wine for sale there," and given the indefinite reference of "there" as possibly directing the reader to either noun, one might accept that "there" referred to the liquor store rather than the Pathmark. However, since the sentence also includes the answer "yes" in the response to the question, "Does that Pathmark sell wine and/or Champagne?", the clear reading of "there" is that it refers to Pathmark, not the liquor store.

 

The correct answer to the question is "no." Fortunately, there are many liquor stores throughout the City of New York, and in this case, there is one very close to the grocery store. Thus, this particular questioner may have that good fortune to have a liquor store near the cited grocery store. However, these posts are read by, and used by, more than one person at a time (otherwise it would be much more efficient to write by e-mail). The implication that grocery stores may sell wine is of no help to anyone, particularly tourists from other locations where such practices are common.

 

This is not a mere formalism, as there as been extensive debate about this subject for the very reason the questioner asked it: it is easier for many people to buy wine within a grocery store, at a time when they are purchasing foodstuffs as well, than to have to make an additional stop at a separate liquor store. Former Governor Paterson proposed doing so last year. Liquor stores opposed that change in law because they viewed it as a peril to their livelihood. To simply wave this legality as something trivial, irrelevant, or unimportant would likely not be taken well by this industry.

 

You know, the person who wrote the post about the liquor store that is "attached" to Pathmark, just happens to be a lawyer too. As he's considerably older, apparently wiser, and definitely more experienced than you, and since he understands that we're posting on an Internet forum about cruising, not writing for a legal journal, he writes in plain language that can be understood by the average person who doesn't give two hoots about the details of New York's liquor laws, but just wants to know where he can go to buy wine.

[smeyer418]

LOL I am in Israel. I understand NY liquor laws as I have done some ABC work(with another lawyer), The Pathmark and the liquor store are accessed through one entrance. Finding the liquor store itself without finding athmark is a practical impossibility so for simplicity I said they were attached. As most people understand the word they are but they are not owned by the same people....and yes they sell Champagne and other wines. some people need to get a life...IMO

[Brighton Line]

Mking is correct is his description a great post. There is a very large Keyfood on 5th Ave and Baltic St. Keyfood is a grocery store, would be a little longer walk. This keyfood caters to Park Slope so they have a huge selection of specialty beer (by the bottle) as well as a lot of natural health foods as well as your normal every day grocery store.

Heck Staples sells water like a case of 36/48 for $5 sometimes too.