Park and Cruise Hotels Bayonne NJ?

[NurseBPS]

We are looking for a decent hotel that offers Park and Cruise for May 20th. We have 4 adults and 1 child. Budget is flexible, preferably with restaurant on site or something very close by. Has anyone stayed at the country inn and suites Newark airport? Also, do most park and cruise hotels charge you for transfer to the port?

 

Thanks for any help!!

[138east]

Quick reply - more later. Country inns is fine, but they charge for port transfer. Look at Hampton Inn and possibly Hilton Gardens on Staten Island. Rooms for 5 are tough. Other hotels offering park and cruise are more "fringe" properties that we don't recommend. Cape Liberty is very much a DIY port without the park/cruise packages you would find in Florida.

[NurseBPS]

Thanks Carol!! Checking into these hotels now!

[138east]

Where are you coming from in Virginia? DC area or further south? Basically I'm asking how long a trip is it for you to Cape Liberty.

 

I also see that you will be traveling with an infant. That entirely changes what I would recommend for you. I recently agonized over a similar accommodations issue for a family wedding in NYC where I needed a room for me, DH, DS, DD and 6 mo old DGD. I researched properties for 5 in the area and found that the Marriott brand hotels were really the only ones that consistently offered these rooms. We ended up staying at the Courtyard in Jersey City because DD and DS could have separate beds and we could afford to lodge our two cars as well without breaking the bank.

 

Anyway, to keep your trip with an infant sane for everyone, you should consider paying the money and parking at the port. If you do this, there is no reason to stay in an airport hotel or on Staten Island. Look at the Courtyard in Cranbury/Jamesburg NJ at exit 8A on the NJ turnpike. I have stayed there several times and the hotel is right at the exit. From there it's a 45 minute drive to Cape Liberty, all on the turnpike. No need to mess with the confusing roads at the airport or explore Staten Island.

 

My mother lived in this area and I did this trip to Cape Liberty many times, often on a weekday morning. If you leave around 9:45, you should be at the port entrance by 10:30 with little hassle. You can go at the baby's pace - no need to deal with shuttles running on someone else's schedule. Best if all, when you come back, you grab your car and hit the road home.

 

With the baby, keep it simple and keep it under your control as much as possible.

Edited January 15, 2015 by 138east

[NurseBPS]

we are coming from the richmond area. I called and checked out the hilton you suggested yesterday and for 229 we can do the park stay cruise deal that includes the shuttle and leaving our car for 10 nights. Basically we would be paying 30 bucks for the room when you look at what it costs to park at the port. my DD won't need a bed so a standard room should work just fine as we will just be using her pack and play or she will sleep in the bed with us that one night.

 

we did look at the hotel in cranbury but my MIL is worried about parking at the port (safety of vehicles, traffic, construction?). I would like to be able to leave as soon as we get back so i think we will talk with her more about that option. thanks so much for your input as we are not at all familiar with the area!

[138east]

We talk about park/sleeps in this all the time on this forum. IMO the port is probably the safest place to park. The area looks like a dump, but in reality the parking is two miles out on a peninsula with one road - difficult and unappealing to access by random people. As a port area it is subject to enhanced security scrutiny.

 

Currently there is no construction accessing the port from NJ. The turnpike is 6 lanes. Three lanes are cars only. After rush hour the traffic is usually fine and you don't have to dodge big scary trucks.

Edited January 15, 2015 by 138east