Your opinion

Which would you go with? Portland Square Hotel or Travel Inn. Please give me pros and cons for each. Thanks. This is our first trip to New York so we just don%26#39;t have a clue.

Your opinion

I can only give an opinion on the Portland Square, where I%26#39;ve stayed four times.

Pros: Brilliant location! Walking distance to theatres, Fifth Avenue, Rockefeller Centre, Central Park, Empire State Building, etc, etc - could go on and on. Very inexpensive with a choice of rooms either with private bath, or shared facilities. Very clean. In-room safes, aircon, cable TV, telephone with voicemail.

Cons: Some rooms are better than others - I prefer those in the main building, overlooking W 47th Street, not those in the annexe at the back. But I%26#39;ve always found the staff quite happy to let me look at different rooms till I%26#39;ve found one to my satisfaction!

The Travel Inn has good reviews on this site and might be worth trying, but personally I think it%26#39;s a bit out of the way being far over on the West Side of midtown.

As I said, just my opinion.

Your opinion

Thanks for your input Cindy. Very good points. We are driving from Ky and thought the Travel Inn would be great because they offer free parking....where as the Portland Square Hotel, being the better location looks good too...we just then have to figure out...do we drive to NJ and take train to the City? That%26#39;s the main dilemma...since I%26#39;ve never been, I%26#39;m just not sure.

Have never seen, let alone stayed at the Travel Inn, but the reviews on this site are almost uniformly positive for a budget hotel. I can%26#39;t emphasize enough how valuable their free parking is. Parking in NY can run upwards of $30 a day, and since you don%26#39;t really need a car once you%26#39;re in Manhattan, this is quite a bonus.

Ok Ruffian, I see you on here quite a bit so you must know the ropes. IF it were you, would you drive into NJ, take the train, stay at the Portland Square Hotel or would you just drive into NYC and stay at the Travel Inn. Both hotels give pretty good reviews...Thanks again.

I didn%26#39;t even know there was a NY hotel with free parking! What a great deal. The Travel Inn is quite far west, but there%26#39;s a crosstown bus right there that%26#39;ll get you to Times Square in about 5 minutes. Or you can walk it in 10 minutes.

I%26#39;d stay at the Travel Inn.

Sorry Ruffian..I know I ask too many questions, but why the Travel Inn? I NEED reasons.....thank you. :)

How about ... Not having to shlep your luggage -- and any purchases you may make -- on the train?

Thanks everyone, your advice is immeasurable!! I have cancelled reservations at the Portland Square Hotel and gone with the Travel Inn...mainly because of the free parking and because of the reviews...and of course, because of the knowledgeable Ruffian!! :)))

Oh great, Vanilla, put the responsibility all on me. Remember, I said I%26#39;ve never seen the place--only that it received good reviews for a budget place. My main reasons for the selection are as follows:

1) Free parking.

2) Not having to carry luggage and or packages on the train back to New Jersey.

3) Free parking.

4) Hotel is fairly convenient.

5) Free parking.

6) Not wasting time commuting to Jersey.

7) Free parking.