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PAX Unplugged Airport Hotels Option

tmcddoddtmcddodd Registered User new member
in PAX Unplugged
FYI. I just booked a room at the Sheraton Suites Hotel for $118 per night before taxes. Tripadvisor has a link under Special Offer from hotel that includes breakfast. This offer is cheaper than the free breakfast offer that you see when you go directly to their site. So best to go through the Tripadvisor link. This rate is nonrefundable if canceled.
There is a train at the airport that goes directly to downtown right near the convention center. Most hotels in the area have free shuttles to/from the airport.
I had a previous reservation at the airport Microtel at $81 per night but canceled for the suites. I am not too picky about my rooms but I see that the Sheraton Suites were just (at least partially) renovated and I decided to splurge!
Just wanted to throw out another affordable sleeping option. This will be my first solo trip and I am not a city person so this will be good for me trying to do "big girl" stuff!

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    KaladinKaladin Western NYRegistered User regular
    I stayed at the Microtel last summer, it's a pretty good place for the price. We're going to be there for PAX too.

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    SchmulkiSchmulki Registered User regular
    At a quick glance, that looks like a few minute walk + a 25 min train ride to the convention center.

    If you're looking that distance away already, just realize that NJ is an option. Anything along the PATCO line is about the same distance, about $3 per train ride, and Jefferson station (where you come into for most trains in that area) is about 2 blocks from the 8th and Market PATCO station. If you can find a hotel along that train line, you might get more bang for your buck and be the same distance away.

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    chellerschellers New HampshireRegistered User regular
    I was looking at a red roof inn that was a 30min drive to the convention center but was only $65/night, but I ended up with an Airbnb in the city. The hotels across from the convention center are no doubt the most convenient, but not worth the price. I wish they picked another affordable city, like San Antonio has been.

    A caution with NJ... It looks like there's a $10 toll either into or out of Philly. That made it less worth it for me.

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    ArcSynArcSyn Registered User regular
    chellers wrote: »
    I was looking at a red roof inn that was a 30min drive to the convention center but was only $65/night, but I ended up with an Airbnb in the city. The hotels across from the convention center are no doubt the most convenient, but not worth the price. I wish they picked another affordable city, like San Antonio has been.

    A caution with NJ... It looks like there's a $10 toll either into or out of Philly. That made it less worth it for me.

    The bridges are $5 to exit NJ, no toll going in.

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    SchmulkiSchmulki Registered User regular
    Unless you have a large group of people crammed into 1 car, you really should use PATCO if you're staying in NJ so you avoid the tolls and parking. If you have a large group, the train ticket can eventually even out the tolls, gas, and parking, but it takes quite a few people.

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    ArcSynArcSyn Registered User regular
    Yeah, friend and I plan to park in NJ and ride across to avoid 3 days of tolls and parking.

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    Mark BMark B Registered User regular
    Tara--thanks for posting this and sorry for delay in me getting over here from BGG!

    I live in Philadelphia and there there are a few things to know about Septa and passes that might help as you think about hotels. It's a bit complicated in terms of how the fares work.

    The bottom , the cheapest option is to walk to the Eastwick station from your hotel and pre-pay for as many of the rides as you can (you will have to pay cash for you first ride because there is no way to pre-purchase a ticket from Eastwick to downtown at the airport ) ($5.25 - $6.00 per ride, it is closer than the airport to downtown, so the fares are cheaper).

    If you're hotel is closer to the airport or you think you might use the train more than twice a day or if you think you might use any buses, subways or trolleys in Philadelphia, the cheapest option is to buy a one-day pass from the conductor on the train ($13 each day--cheaper than the pre-paid $6.75 each way)

    The machines at the airport sell tickets from the Airport to Downtown ($6.75). You can also pay cash on the train ($7.00). You can also buy a day pass from the conductor on the train for $13 (you do not get the actual physical pass, but a receipt that pays for your ride downtown. Then you turn in this receipt at the ticket counter downtown in order to get your pass.) The pass works all day with all trolleys, buses and subways, and it also works with the Airport train (no other trains)!

    As others have pointed out, PATCO is another good option, but if you are flying to Philadelphia, the cheapest way to get to your hotel, no matter where it is, is by using SEPTA.

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    BigDumbHippyBigDumbHippy Registered User regular
    edited October 2017
    philly has lots of Airbnb options, especially in chinatown, but beware that chinatown is full of bars and restaurants so they can be quite noisy.
    The public transportation options get real limited after midnight.

    I take the patco to work from NJ and that is 24hrs so if you can get a hotel near the patco line.

    toll from NJ is $5, There is no toll to enter NJ

    The airport is not very close to the convention center

    There is a lot of parking but expect like $30+ a day depending on where you park

    BigDumbHippy on
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