<p>Any suggestions for hotels near Columbia University? Doesn't have to be 5 star, but I can be somewhat picky :-) Thanks.</p>
<p>i was wondering the same thing, b/c i am going to New York. I am also quite picky, so anything 4 stars and above would be great.</p>
<p>(sorry for piggy-backing off of your thread, ColumbiaMom).</p>
<p>This seems to be a helpful link from the Columbia University website. <a href="http://www.campustravel.com/university/columbia/%5B/url%5D">http://www.campustravel.com/university/columbia/</a></p>
<p>It is getting increasingly harder to find an affordable uptown hotel. Most "popularly priced" properties are midtown or in the Time Square area, which is okay but not very neighborhood-y. </p>
<p>My son's been staying at the The Riverside Tower Hotel which was recommended by a Barnard friend. He says it's clean and friendly and transportation is good.
<a href="http://www.riversidetowerhotel.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.riversidetowerhotel.com/</a></p>
<p>If your budget allows, my favorite upper Eastside hotel is the Surrey, on Madison and 76th. </p>
<p>I've also heard good reports on the following (also from our Barnard connection), but don't have personal experience at either.</p>
<p>On the Avenue Hotel
[<a href="http://www.ontheave-nyc.com/main.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.ontheave-nyc.com/main.htm</a>
The Lucerne
<a href="http://www.newyorkhotel.com/lucerne/lucerne.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.newyorkhotel.com/lucerne/lucerne.htm</a></p>
<p>The Lucerne on W 81st is in a great location. I would check fodors chat board for more insight.</p>
<p>There really isn't anything right on the Columbia campus. On the Upper West Side and some blocks away are The Lucerne (79th and Amsterdam) and The Excelsior (West 81st - across from The Museum of Natural History). You can often get good deals at these hotels - check their websites. Neither hotel is the Ritz but they are very nice and are in good locations....the rooms are sort of high-end Best Western in style. There are some very good restaurants in the neighborhood. Aix, Ouest and Cesca are wonderful places to eat. Nice Matin is a favorite and very reasonably priced. If you want to grab a bite rather than sit down to a full dinner there are many sandwich shops and bistros just off of the Columbia campus.</p>
<p>For a truly deluxe hotel I think that you will need to go to the UES or Midtown. There are none, to my knowledge, on the UWS.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.thelucernehotel.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.thelucernehotel.com/</a>
<a href="http://www.excelsiorhotelny.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.excelsiorhotelny.com/</a></p>
<p>thanks for the info.</p>
<p>You can also try Bed & Breakfast companies. I've stayed in several apartments through these agencies in NYC. If you do a search on Google, you'll come up with some of them. </p>
<p>NYC hotels have gotten incredibly expensive. And anything that's cheap -- beware, because it could be really crappy or in a rough neighborhood. Another option if you're trying to save money is staying in New Jersey near a PATH station.</p>
<p>Holiday Inn off off of 57th-8th has an internet rate...couple of subway stops away.</p>
<p>We stayed at On the Ave last Fall and it's a great location -- very accessible by subway to Columbia in one direction and to Lincoln Center, Broadway theaters, etc.in the other. Down the block from Zabar's. Near restaurants that line Amsterdam and Columbus.</p>
<p>It was clean, good beds, friendly, but nothing special beyond the handy location. Although it's considered a moderate price hotel for NYC, it was not cheap, in spite of booking it off of a discount hotel site. There was an article shortly after we got back in the NYT talking about how the price of NYC hotels has skyrocketed in the last year or two.</p>
<p>There's a Sheraton in Weehawken(?) right on the waterfront, with water taxi to Manhattan. Very nice. Not horrendously expensive either.</p>
<p>If you're 'somewhat picky', chances are you should be looking in midtown, in the Times Square-ish area. The UWS really has no even mildly upscale hotels. I know that there are several which are adequate but when you stated the 'somewhat picky' idea, I can't see you being happy with those. There are many, many in the midtown area, of varying prices, which would suit anyone who is at all picky. :) If you are willing to give your price range, I'd be happy to suggest a few. We stay at the Renaissance on 7th Ave. most of our visits to the city. There's a subway stop right outside the entrance and you can get anywhere in the city very quickly, either by subway or by cab. My D goes to NYU so I have the same issue as you do , only in the opposite direction. There's very little in the NYU area which suits those of us who are picky.</p>
<p>You guys are awesome. Thanks for all of the recommendations!</p>
<p>I went to New York a couple weeks ago and stayed at a great hotel just below the park... it was called "Park Central." the room was great, very large for what we paid. It was at 57th and 7th, I believe, right along the Subway (the broadway lines, but you can take that into the UWS i believe). Anyways it was crazy cheap, and my friend told me that it was because it is a newer hotel and they are trying to build a clientele.</p>
<p>Good call on this one. But it's been around for some 20 years or more; I stayed there in the 1980's.</p>
<p>Park Central is old but has undergone renovation........not "new". I have no idea what rate you paid but hotels.com always has listings. A place I frequently stay is The Hudson but you could see what deals Ian Schrager Hotels if offering....I have never had a bad experience.</p>
<p>I recommend the Lucerne or Excelsior too as I've been to both of 'em. Actually, when the Excelsior was booked they recommended the Lucerne to me! I was just up there this past winter and loved the Lucerne. It's reasonably priced, located somewhat near Columbia, and has excellent access to the 1 train.</p>
<p>No, not the Park Central! NO NO NO!</p>
<p>Maybe they've improved but when we stayed there 5 years ago, there were cockroaches everywhere.</p>
<p>The UWS Holiday Inn is cheaper and a LOT cleaner.</p>
<p>hehehe.........so true so true.</p>
<p>A friend who checked out the Park Central last week to house some college students for an upcoming event in NYC gave it her seal of approval. She's very picky about accommodations (even for students) and was highly impressed by the high level of customer service. Park Central is a large hotel; however, it's well-located.</p>