New York City

Where to stay
Oct 2–4, 2026

Event: Saturday, October 3, 2026 — Circle Line cruise departing Pier 83, W 42nd St & 12th Ave, Manhattan Boarding: 5:00 PM · Departure: 5:30 PM Coverage: Long Island City and Astoria (Queens), Midtown (Manhattan)

Boarding schedule

Boarding begins at 5:00 PM. The vessel departs at 5:30 PM and cannot accommodate late arrivals. Recommended travel allowance: 60 minutes from Long Island City and Midtown West; 75 minutes from Queensbridge, Dutch Kills, Astoria, and Midtown East.

Map

⚓ Pier 83 — the event departure point.
✈ LGA & JFK — the arrival airports.
⌂ C&D — Connie & Dave's home base at Court Square.
Tap any pin, or any hotel header in the list, to zoom the map to that hotel and the pier with every transit option drawn in its route colors — dashed black is walking. Selecting a different hotel replaces the routes.
Walking figures assume a relaxed pace with traffic lights, padded so guests run early.

Filter by nightly price range or neighborhood — your selections update both the map pins and the hotel rankings below.

Showing all 30 hotels. Ranges are property-specific estimates for the Oct 2–4 peak weekend — typically above ordinary-week rates — grouped by each estimate's midpoint.

Hotels, ranked

1

Hyatt Place Long Island City

$210–260est. Oct 2–4 / night
Queens · Court Sq
7E Court Sq 0.3 mi · 7–9-min walk · 4.3★ (958) · ~45–50 min to pier

Access AValue AQuality B+Area B

Free hot breakfast; larger-than-average rooms; two independent subway lines to the venue.

Standard-issue interiors; no notable amenities beyond the basics.

Guests praise the breakfast variety, room size, parking, and staff flexibility; recurring complaints are dim room lighting and occasional housekeeping or HVAC misses.

Active construction sites are common in the LIC core; busy by day, quiet after ~10 PM. Nearest transit 0.3 mi (Court Sq) and 0.25 mi (Queens Plaza).

Travel to venue

Route 1 · 7 via Hudson Yards: walk 0.3 mi to Court Sq → 7 to 34 St–Hudson Yards → walk 0.7 mi (15–19 min). ~45–50 min.

Route 2 · E via Port Authority: Court Sq → E to 42 St–Port Authority → walk 0.7 mi west on W 42nd. ~45–50 min.

Bus option: none competitive from the LIC core — the trains win door-to-door.

Rideshare: Uber/Lyft est. $28–45, 15–30 min Saturday traffic. Live directions ↗

Check datesGoogle reviews
2

Pod Times Square

$170–220est. Oct 2–4 / night
Manhattan · W 42nd & 9th
Walk0.55 mi · 13–16 min to the pier · 4.1★ (3,237)

Access AValue AQuality BArea B−

Lowest reliable price point in Midtown West; compact, clean, modern rooms; no venue-day transit required.

Rooms are very small; larger travelers or heavy packers should book up a category.

Guests praise the value, spotless bathrooms, and friendly staff; the recurring complaints are tight quarters and a short shower curtain that floods the floor.

Adjacent to Port Authority Bus Terminal — convenient, but the immediate block is gritty late at night. Pier walk 0.55 mi; nearest subways 0.2 mi.

Travel to venue

Route 1 · Walk: west on W 42nd St the whole way — 0.55 mi, 13–16 min; cross 12th Ave at the light. No transit needed.

Bus option: M42 crosstown on W 42nd ends at 12th Ave by the pier — same street, useful in rain; allow 10–15 min.

Rideshare: Uber/Lyft est. $12–18, 8–15 min. Live directions ↗

Check datesGoogle reviews
3

Courtyard Long Island City

$220–270est. Oct 2–4 / night
Queens · Queensboro Plaza
7NW Queensboro Plaza 0.2 mi · 4–6-min walk · 4.2★ (1,250) · ~45–50 min to pier

Access AValue B+Quality B+Area B

Beside the largest transit junction in the coverage area — six usable lines within a short walk; consistent brand standard; upper floors face the skyline.

Elevated train noise reaches some rooms; request a high floor.

Guests praise cleanliness, skyline views, and the transit position; the dominant complaint is train rumble for light sleepers.

Sits directly under the elevated 7/N/W structure — periodic train noise is inherent. Nearest platforms 0.2 mi; Queens Plaza (E·M·R) ~0.1 mi.

Travel to venue

Route 1 · 7 via Hudson Yards: walk 0.2 mi to Queensboro Plaza → 7 → 34 St–Hudson Yards → walk 0.7 mi (15–19 min). ~45–50 min.

Route 2 · E via Port Authority: Queens Plaza → E → 42 St–Port Authority → walk 0.7 mi. ~45–50 min.

Route 3 · N/W via Times Sq: Queensboro Plaza → N/W → Times Sq → walk 0.9 mi (19–23 min). ~50–55 min.

Bus option: none competitive — the trains win door-to-door.

Rideshare: Uber/Lyft est. $28–45, 15–30 min. Live directions ↗

Check datesGoogle reviews
4

Arlo Midtown

$250–320est. Oct 2–4 / night
Manhattan · W 38th & 9th
Walk0.7 mi · 15–19 min to the pier · 4.4★ (1,985)

Access AValue BQuality A−Area B+

Recent construction with rooftop bar and café; some rooms have balconies and river views; quiet-for-Midtown block.

Compact rooms; peak-week rates can run well above the estimate.

Guests praise the views, upgrades, service, and safe-feeling surroundings; complaints center on room size and price spikes.

Garment-district block — quiet at night with few storefronts on 38th itself. Pier walk 0.7 mi; trains at Port Authority 0.3 mi.

Travel to venue

Route 1 · Walk: north on 9th Ave to W 42nd, then west — 0.7 mi, 15–19 min. No transit needed.

Bus option: M42 crosstown from W 42nd to 12th Ave replaces the final stretch; allow 10–15 min.

Rideshare: Uber/Lyft est. $12–20, 8–15 min. Live directions ↗

Check datesGoogle reviews
5

Aloft Long Island City

$230–280est. Oct 2–4 / night
Queens · Queens Plaza
7NW QBP & E Queens Plaza 0.2 mi · 4–6-min walk · 4.2★ (1,361) · ~45–50 min to pier

Access AValue BQuality B+Area B

Rooftop bar with Manhattan views; two station complexes within a five-minute walk; comfortable beds per reviews.

Compact rooms; breakfast not included.

Guests praise the beds, rooftop view, staff, and the garage across the street; complaints cite small dark windows, thin in-room amenities, and hallway noise.

Bridge-approach traffic audible on some sides; LIC construction zones nearby. Nearest stations 0.2 mi (Queens Plaza / QBP).

Travel to venue

Route 1 · 7 via Hudson Yards: walk 0.2 mi to Queensboro Plaza → 7 → 34 St–Hudson Yards → walk 0.7 mi (15–19 min). ~45–50 min.

Route 2 · E via Port Authority: Queens Plaza → E → Port Authority → walk 0.7 mi. ~45–50 min.

Route 3 · N/W via Times Sq: QBP → N/W → Times Sq → walk 0.9 mi (19–23 min). ~50–55 min.

Bus option: none competitive — the trains win door-to-door.

Rideshare: Uber/Lyft est. $28–45, 15–30 min. Live directions ↗

Check datesGoogle reviews

Booking notes

Timing and cost
  • Early October is peak season for NYC hotels; Saturday inventory sells first and rates trend upward toward the date. A free-cancellation rate booked early locks the price at no risk.
  • New York Comic Con runs Oct 8–11, 2026 at the Javits Center (34th–38th St at 11th Ave — inside this hotel zone, ~250,000 attendees). It does not overlap the Oct 2–4 weekend, but it keeps early-October rates elevated citywide, and anyone extending their stay past Wednesday Oct 7 will compete directly with convention demand — the west-side hotels near Javits sell out first.
  • When the direct rate matches the booking sites, book direct — modifications and check-in are simpler.
  • Add approximately 15% tax plus small nightly city fees to any listed rate; noted amenity fees are additional.

Travel
  • LaGuardia (LGA) is the closer airport: 10–20 minutes by cab to the Queens properties, 25–35 to the Manhattan ones, and the free Q70-SBS bus links LGA to the 7/E trains at Roosevelt Av. JFK also works: roughly 45–60+ minutes by cab depending on traffic, or AirTrain + E train (~60–75 minutes to this zone). A car is unnecessary for this trip.
  • Subway and bus fares are the same tap-to-pay OMNY system (~$2.90 with any contactless card or phone); bus↔subway transfers are free within two hours.
  • Check weekend subway advisories at mta.info before travel — none affecting these routes are announced for Oct 2–4 as of July 2026 — and every Queens and Midtown East listing documents a second travel option in its panel.