Hotels convenient to Amtrak

[zephyr17]

In Toronto, I have taken to staying at the Delta on recent trips. It is expensive but is almost as convienent to the station as the Royal York (you just go out the back of the concourse instead of the front of the station). I do it because I will inevitably be taking a fairly early train, either the 8:20 am Maple Leaf or the 9:55 am Canadian. It is a Marriott and the rooms are large, modern and comfortable. I used to stay at the Strathcona, which was quite a bit cheaper, just across from the Royal York, but it has gone out of business.

As to Vancouver there is nothing close to Pacific Central Station, or at least nothing you'd want to stay at. Anything in downtown Vancouver is pretty accessible from the station by Skytrain or Skytrain plus buses (Waterfront station, the end of the line in downtown Vancouver is just a 7 minute ride from Main Street/Science World by Pacific Central). Vancouver's prices vary widely by time of year. In the off season, it looks like prices generally drop close to arrival dates in Vancouver. I am planning to hold off on my Vancouver reservation this year until a week or so out for my late October/early November trip this year instead of booking now. You ought to be able to get into a decent hotel for around $200 CAD that time of year if you head towards the south end of downtown away from the waterfront and don't insist on a Marriott or Hilton. I found the Best Western Chateau Granville to be perfectly acceptable, although it can get dodgy reviews because Granville Ave can get rowdy on weekends. As to Marriotts, I like the Pinnacle. It had great rooms and is an easy, flat (Vancouver is a bit hilly) walk from the Skytrain at Waterfront Station. It can be really pricey, although you may be able to get it for a bit over $300 CAD that time of year. I plan to.

In Seattle, you cannot beat the location of the Embassy Suites, just across the street from King Street Station. From what I hear, $300 is probably about right for anything decent in downtown Seattle, I don't price it myself because I live in the area.

Prices are in CAD for Canadian hotels on the hotels' own websites. They are usually in USD on deals on sites like Priceline or Hotwire.

 

[basketmaker]

Not hotel specific but it does involve a place to place your head. There is a very nice campground at a federal park in Greenbelt, MD just outside of DC.

https://www.nps.gov/gree/planyourvisit/campground.htm
We took the kids there when they are almost but not quire sullen teens and spent a few nights there. The park is near-ish a park-n-ride Metro lot so we jumped on the subway and did all the museums for free and never had to deal with finding parking. The park is not walkable to the subway station but there could/should be bus lines at the park entrance so it would be possible to get around without a car. Getting camping equipment on Amtrak and then taxi to the campground might be a problem but not impossible. This was about 14 years ago.

There is another campground that is convenient to DC. That is Cherry Hill Park Campground in College Park, MD. Stayed there when it first opened and was very pleased. There is a bus stop in the park right in front of the office with service to the Greenbelt Park 'n Ride where the Green Line MARC train services right into the middle of DC. Very easy transportation. As I said I stayed there quite awhile ago and enjoyed it. These day I cannot say what it is like or safety/security via public transit.

 

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

There is another campground that is convenient to DC. That is Cherry Hill Park Campground in College Park, MD. Stayed there when it first opened and was very pleased. There is a bus stop in the park right in front of the office with service to the Greenbelt Park 'n Ride where the Green Line MARC train services right into the middle of DC. Very easy transportation. As I said I stayed there quite awhile ago and enjoyed it. These day I cannot say what it is like or safety/security via public transit.

Is this a private campground or a public park? That would be a nice location. How are the costs for MARC vs Metro that close to downtown DC?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Looks like I picked a Good Time to stop taking Amtrak Sleeper Trips and staying @ Nice Hotels!

Indeed. I feel bad for people who are at the age when they're just starting their travel experiences and will either need to save up double what we paid or take half as many trips as we did. I guess it's true that you never know what you have until it's gone.

 

[flitcraft]

Indeed. I feel bad for people who are at the age when they're just starting their travel experiences and will either need to save up double what we paid or take half as many trips as we did. I guess it's true that you never know what you have until it's gone.

So true. Though house prices now versus then probably make train travel look like a bargain.

 

[jiml]

In Toronto, I have taken to staying at the Delta on recent trips. It is expensive but is almost as convienent to the station as the Royal York (you just go out the back of the concourse instead of the front of the station). I do it because I will inevitably be taking a fairly early train, either the 8:20 am Maple Leaf or the 9:55 am Canadian. It is a Marriott and the rooms are large, modern and comfortable. I used to stay at the Strathcona, which was quite a bit cheaper, just across from the Royal York, but it has gone out of business.

As to Vancouver there is nothing close to Pacific Central Station, or at least nothing you'd want to stay at. Anything in downtown Vancouver is pretty accessible from the station by Skytrain or Skytrain plus buses (Waterfront station, the end of the line in downtown Vancouver is just a 7 minute ride from Main Street/Science World by Pacific Central). Vancouver's prices vary widely by time of year. In the off season, it looks like prices generally drop close to arrival dates in Vancouver. I am planning to hold off on my Vancouver reservation this year until a week or so out for my late October/early November trip this year instead of booking now. You ought to be able to get into a decent hotel for around $200 CAD that time of year if you head towards the south end of downtown away from the waterfront and don't insist on a Marriott or Hilton. I found the Best Western Chateau Granville to be perfectly acceptable, although it can get dodgy reviews because Granville Ave can get rowdy on weekends. As to Marriotts, I like the Pinnacle. It had great rooms and is an easy, flat (Vancouver is a bit hilly) walk from the Skytrain at Waterfront Station. It can be really pricey, although you may be able to get it for a bit over $300 CAD that time of year. I plan to.

In Seattle, you cannot beat the location of the Embassy Suites, just across the street from King Street Station. From what I hear, $300 is probably about right for anything decent in downtown Seattle, I don't price it myself because I live in the area.

Prices are in CAD for Canadian hotels on the hotels' own websites. They are usually in USD on deals on sites like Priceline or Hotwire.

I'll second most everything above, particularly the Delta in Toronto if you have Marriott points or one of their FNAs to burn. They also offer decent senior packages if you qualify (which I suspect you do). It's where I stay for a concert or sporting event. Other than prestige, the Royal York offers only tiny rooms and even tinier bathrooms at inflated prices in their basic rooms. Fairmont members can get special offers there however. The Intercontinental (IHG group) is also connected to Union Station on the west side and is a decent hotel that occasionally offers affordable prices.

Definitely agree about the ES in Seattle and the Renaissance (a Marriott) is also a short taxi ride from the Seattle station.

I know someone who stayed recently at the BW on Granville and while the hotel was fine they described the area as "scuzzy". Vancouver has an issue with both homeless and out-in-the-open drug use, so a hotel in one of your preferred chains might be worth the taxi/Uber fee.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I'll second most everything above, particularly the Delta in Toronto if you have Marriott points or one of their FNAs to burn. They also offer decent senior packages if you qualify (which I suspect you do). It's where I stay for a concert or sporting event. Other than prestige, the Royal York offers only tiny rooms and even tinier bathrooms at inflated prices in their basic rooms. Fairmont members can get special offers there however. The Intercontinental (IHG group) is also connected to Union Station on the west side and is a decent hotel that occasionally offers affordable prices.

Definitely agree about the ES in Seattle and the Renaissance (a Marriott) is also a short taxi ride from the Seattle station.

I know someone who stayed recently at the BW on Granville and while the hotel was fine they described the area as "scuzzy". Vancouver has an issue with both homeless and out-in-the-open drug use, so a hotel in one of your preferred chains might be worth the taxi/Uber fee.

Sorry to hear this about one of my Favorite Cities,( Vancouver) but not Suprised!

 

[zephyr17]

I'll second most everything above, particularly the Delta in Toronto if you have Marriott points or one of their FNAs to burn. They also offer decent senior packages if you qualify (which I suspect you do). It's where I stay for a concert or sporting event. Other than prestige, the Royal York offers only tiny rooms and even tinier bathrooms at inflated prices in their basic rooms. Fairmont members can get special offers there however. The Intercontinental (IHG group) is also connected to Union Station on the west side and is a decent hotel that occasionally offers affordable prices.

Definitely agree about the ES in Seattle and the Renaissance (a Marriott) is also a short taxi ride from the Seattle station.

I know someone who stayed recently at the BW on Granville and while the hotel was fine they described the area as "scuzzy". Vancouver has an issue with both homeless and out-in-the-open drug use, so a hotel in one of your preferred chains might be worth the taxi/Uber fee.

Yeah, the south end of Granville is a bit scuzzy, but it really isn't that bad. The real problem is there are a lot of bars catering to a young crowd on Granville and it can get quite rowdy (drinking age in BC is 19). You really are not going to avoid the scattered homeless and/or nodding junkies almost anywhere in downtown Vancouver, and the southern end of Granville really isn't significantly worse than anywhere else, IMHO. They're also around the Sheraton Wall Centre on Burrard and the Marriott Residence Inn on Hornby (I've stayed in both), so a name brand doesn't insulate you. I will say they tend to thin out on the north end as you get north of Georgia and I didn't run into many at all near the Pinnacle. The worst area is East Hastings, where they are really concentrated. That's between Pacific Central Station and downtown, and is one of the reasons I say to forget staying close to the station. I really wouldn't venture much east of Homer on foot, particularly on Hastings itself. There are getting to be a lot of trendy bars and restaurants in Gastown, but the area still is really sketchy.

Personally, I feel pretty safe anywhere on Granville until about 11 or so. You just have to step around the occasional junkie or ignore a panhandler, but you kind of have to do that in much of Vancouver. East Hastings, not so much.

 

[MARC Rider]

I know someone who stayed recently at the BW on Granville and while the hotel was fine they described the area as "scuzzy". Vancouver has an issue with both homeless and out-in-the-open drug use, so a hotel in one of your preferred chains might be worth the taxi/Uber fee.

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, I traveled to San Francisco semi-frequently, and usually stayed in hotels located in the area just west of Union Square, which borders on the Tenderloin district, so you had these fancy hotels on streets leaded with homeless people. It was a little unsettling, but the panhandlers were pretty laid-back, and I was never bothered by them. On the basis of my experience for work trips, I booked my family in the Beresford Arms on Post and Jones for a three-night stay during a 1999 vacation trip. The first night we checked in, we looked out of our second floor window and saw a bunch of police cars converge on a building on the other side of Jones St. The officers had some sort of really loud speaker system, and we heard stuff, like, "he is armed and dangerous," and "put down your gun and come out with your hands up." That was a little startling, but the rest of our stay there was pretty uneventful. I think some people aren't used to the gritty side of American cities, see some homeless people, and think the place is unsafe.

 

[Shanson]

Is this a private campground or a public park? That would be a nice location. How are the costs for MARC vs Metro that close to downtown DC?

Nice private campground last time we stayed there.

 

[basketmaker]

Is this a private campground or a public park? That would be a nice location. How are the costs for MARC vs Metro that close to downtown DC?

I do believe it is private with full hook-ups. As for MARC vs Metro that I can't tell ya. It was back in the late 90's when I was there. And I am out in Denver.

 

[BlackDiamond]

I think some people aren't used to the gritty side of American cities, see some homeless people, and think the place is unsafe.

Not just North American cities. Last year in both London and Dublin we noticed a significant number of homeless and panhandlers, something I don't recall years before. Although we never felt unsafe in either place

 

[Rambling Robert]

Decades have passed since my travel in Nova Scotia where are i both camped and stayed at bed and breakfasts. I still don’t know whether I would be happy at a Airbnb. Again years ago I stayed at a hostel and it was very cheap and old mansion with fantastic night views of Vancouver city.

During the pandemic, I did travel on AMTRAK and found that the hotels where fairly priced. Now everything seems to have increased a lot. I like to stay at nice places, but I also like good value.

I have upcoming trips out of Boston to Buffalo, another one, to Nova Scotia then from Halifax, the ViaRail “Ocean“ - maybe to Montreal. Next year Bangladesh and Norway, which will be quite a contrast.

I am wondering if clearing cookies for regularly on my Google searches might be a good idea because sometimes when I don’t clear the cookies, it seems that I’m locked into the same price for a night stay at a hotel. Has anybody experienced this?

For example, I was searching for rental car and rates for Enteprise were $120 for a compact where is my brother searched in the same area and he was getting rates of about $70. I was told by Enteprise that I should book the rental early and prices will comedown. So I booked the $130 rate two months before that my trip and prices never came down

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I am wondering if clearing cookies for regularly on my Google searches might be a good idea because sometimes when I don’t clear the cookies, it seems that I’m locked into the same price for a night stay at a hotel. Has anybody experienced this?

The only time clearing cookies has made a difference for me is when I'm traveling or using a VPN.

I was told by Enteprise that I should book the rental early and prices will comedown. So I booked the $130 rate two months before that my trip and prices never came down

Nobody answering the inbound line is going to know how prices will change in the future.

 

[Stremba]

I am looking at a trip in August to NYC. I checked the New Yorker for my date, based on prior posts, but the rate is $323 per night. I found TRYP by Wyndham nearby for $168 and the Hampton Inn Madison Square Garden (a bit farther away but still walkable) for $178. Hampton Inns usually are pretty decent, so I might just do that, but does anyone know anything about TRYP by Wyndham? Thanks!

 

[Brian Battuello]

I've stayed in both the Hampton and the TRYP, and they are both fine by NYC standards. Rooms are smaller than you might be used to, and there is a good chance that you might end up on a low floor with a scenic view of another window. Also almost all non-super-luxury hotels in NYC have increased security that sometimes comes across as a bit unfriendly, but you get used to it.

Both of those seem like very reasonable prices for August.

 

[Stremba]

I've stayed in both the Hampton and the TRYP, and they are both fine by NYC standards. Rooms are smaller than you might be used to, and there is a good chance that you might end up on a low floor with a scenic view of another window. Also almost all non-super-luxury hotels in NYC have increased security that sometimes comes across as a bit unfriendly, but you get used to it.

Both of those seem like very reasonable prices for August.

Thanks for your help. We have stayed in NYC hotels on many occasions so the small room size is expected. We are not hotel snobs, so the security thing is no issue. All I’m really looking for is cleanliness. As long as the place isn’t horribly dirty, infested with roaches or bed bugs, etc., I am usually okay with it. TRYP is a little closer to Moynihan than Hampton and a little cheaper, so I am leaning toward TRYP. And yeah, I was a bit surprised to see decent looking rooms near Moynihan for under $200.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I am looking at a trip in August to NYC. I checked the New Yorker for my date, based on prior posts, but the rate is $323 per night. I found TRYP by Wyndham nearby for $168 and the Hampton Inn Madison Square Garden (a bit farther away but still walkable) for $178. Hampton Inns usually are pretty decent, so I might just do that, but does anyone know anything about TRYP by Wyndham? Thanks!

I'd Snag one of those ASAP, ( either is nice)Hotels fill up fast in New York and as you've discovered, the Prices can escalate quickly.

 

[zephyr17]

As long as the place isn’t horribly dirty, infested with roaches or bed bugs, etc., I am usually okay with it.

Well, the Hotel Pennsylvania is gone now.

I do wonder where all the roaches, bedbugs and rats that called it home are moving to though...

 

[Bob Dylan]

Well, the Hotel Pennsylvania is gone now.

I do wonder where all the roaches, bedbugs and rats that called it home are moving to though...

Penn Station!

 

[flitcraft]

Here's another idea for those looking for a hotel in Seattle convenient to King St Station: the Silver Cloud Hotel on Broadway. It's adjacent to Seattle University, and is in a neighborhood with abundant restaurants and such. The neighborhood is both safe (by big city standards) and walkable; up till recently, I worked in the area and had no hesitation wandering around even as late as nine or ten o'clock. (I wouldn't wander very late, though, here or in most urban areas; someone wise once said, "Nothing good even happens after one am!") It is a block and a half from the Seattle Streetcar Broadway and Marion stop, which will take you to King Street Station on the inbound track.

It is part of a small local chain of hotels, so no points if that matters to you. I had to find a place to stay for two nights recently when we were having some work done at the house involving noxious chemicals, and it was comfortable, clean, and pretty much the equivalent of the average chain hotel. It has a restaurant and bar on site, too. Likely less expensive than the Embassy Suites adjacent to the station, and less sketchy than some of the airport adjacent motel/hotels that you can use Link Light Rail to get to King St Station from.

 

[Stremba]

I'd Snag one of those ASAP, ( either is nice)Hotels fill up fast in New York and as you've discovered, the Prices can escalate quickly.

Thanks. I got the TRYP. The advertised rate did not include an extra $28 “resort fee” that was listed in the fine print, but even with that fee getting a room within short walking distance of Moynihan for less than $200 seems pretty good.

 

[Widfara]

In the current hotel landscape $644/3 doesn't sound all that bad if the location is ideal. The deposit thing is an emerging trend in the industry. It replaces the "pre-authorization" of usually one night's room rate to verify a credit card. It can sometimes take a couple of days for the amount to be adjusted, whether that's upward to reflect your actual "spend" or a refund of an unused amount. The change is that they are now actually charging your card which, of course, reduces your available credit - especially if the amount is significant. It's less of annoyance if one is travelling in their home country (e.g. American in the US, Canadian in Canada, etc.) since foreign transactions lose in both directions - the charge and refund rates differ - unless one has one of those now-rare cards that waive foreign exchange fees.

I have stayed at a lot of hotels for multiple days, and have (usually in cities) had an 'incidentals' (read 'damage') deposit put on my card. This is the first time I've seen a daily deposit, as if they think that in three days I could do significantly more damage.

 

[allanorn]

I can go more into this when I write the trip report, but I stayed in four hotels during my circle trip SAN-CHI and back.

• Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Worth Downtown: Probably the best hotel I've stayed in that meets price, service, and comfort... except for one glaring yet trivial issue.
• Colcord Hotel: The best hotel in Oklahoma City ... if you can afford it. Treat yourself if you're in the area.
• AC Hotel by Marriott St. Louis Central West End: Calling this "convenient" to the Amtrak station is being very generous by any standard. However - if you're okay to stay on Metrolink for a couple of stops beyond the Union Station stop (for the Hilton) and don't mind a 10-15 minute walk (or just cab/rideshare it - the #10 bus might also be a single-leg option), it's a quality hotel in a great neighborhood.
• Swissotel Chicago: The room interiors are a little dated, but Amtrak picked a good hotel for those misconnecting overnight in Chicago. I'd recommend it for something different or you're not tied to a hotel brand for loyalty; it's just not simple to get to via transit.

 

[scrollmaster]

Amtrak trip this October taking us to thru NY both coming from and returning back to Louisiana. My wife is 71 and has some physical difficulties walking. The closest hotel I can find appears to be the Fairmont. From what I can determine from Google Maps it appears not to be a long walk from the Fairmont to Metropolitan Lounge at Moynihan. Anybody have some info?