******** PARKING *******
We highly recommend NOT bringing a car. It's very easy to get around, both to NYC and within NJ. A one-way bus ticket to midtown Manhattan costs $3.50 and will take no more than half an hour from our door. Buses run 24 hours a day. We do not provide onsite parking, and it can be tough to find parking in this area. Driving to NYC involves paying a hefty toll at Lincoln Tunnel, battling terrible traffic in the tunnel and midtown Manhattan, and ultimately performing mission impossible of finding parking in the city. Leave your car at home if possible! :)
If you do bring a vehicle, you'll need to find street parking. Our property is in the town of North Bergen right on the border with Guttenberg, so you might end up parking in either of these two towns. The northern half of our street is in North Bergen and the southern half is in Guttenberg.
1. To park in GUTTENBERG:
- Overnight (11pm-7am) parking permits cost $5 and can be purchased outside the police station at 6808 Park Ave
- During the day, depending on your spot you may need to purchase permits that cost $0.25 per half hour. Carefully READ THE SIGN at each spot and pay attention to *street cleaning* hours (typically Mondays and Thursdays)
2. To park in NORTH BERGEN:
* You have the option of paying online or at a physical machine
1. To pay online, please search for "North Bergen Parking Authority" and follow the instructions there to apply for a daily parking permit, which costs $10 per 24 hours.
2. Alternatively, you can go to a physical pay station at 75th St & Blvd E to purchase a paper permit and display it on your car's dashboard:
Parking enforcement can be quite ferocious in this area. However, a little research & preparation before you leave for your trip will go a long way and save you a lot of headache and money :) Make sure your vehicle is parked within a designated spot marked by white (not yellow) lines
******** CHECK-IN/OUT *******
- Checkin starts at 4pm and checkout is before 11am. Do you need an early checkin or late checkout? Please inquire beforehand to confirm whether that's a possibility. There's a fee of $20 per HALF HOUR for either early checkin or late checkout if you confirm with us and pay beforehand. If you arrive before 4pm unannounced the door will be locked and you won't be able to enter. If you stay past 11am without permission, you'll be charged a penalty of $40 per HALF HOUR. Please understand that we frequently have same-day turnovers and have to stick to the timeline. Even on days when we don't have a same-day checkin, our cleaners are scheduled to clean the unit after a checkout and they have the 11am-4pm window to get the unit ready. On any given day, our house is one of several they have to manage so they may arrive here right at 11am. Please do not overstay your checkout and make them wait outside while you scramble to pack up. If you know you're going to need a late checkout or if you plan on going out and staying late the night before (thus risk oversleeping the next morning), it's best to pre-arrange a late checkout (to the extent possible) in order to make everyone's life easier and to save money.
******** SAFETY *******
- For your safety and ours, and as disclosed in the listing, we have security cameras in the front of the house as well as in the hallway and staircase. They're all in shared public spaces, never in a private unit. We do not monitor them 24/7 but it does record footage of activity at the front door. If you feel uncomfortable with this, you may look for another property that better suits your needs
******** OCCUPANCY *******
- No extra people beyond the number stated in your reservation will be admitted. This number applies to children. If you show up with more people or unauthorized pets they'll be asked to vacate/be removed
******** HOUSE RULES *******
- Quiet hours are 10pm-7am and are strictly enforced. We ask you to please come and go quietly whenever you enter or exit the front door and ascend/descend the stairs, especially if late at night. Please be respectful of your downstairs neighbors. They'd truly appreciate it if you could hold your conversation until you're outside the house or inside your unit, not on the stairs.
- Please flush NOTHING BUT TOILET PAPER down the toilet. Given the modern look, you may not realize this house is over 110 years old. Please help us protect its plumbing. ***Feminine products, wipes (INCLUDING wipes that say "flushable"), paper towels, tissues, etc must go inside the BIN.*** If you flush anything that's not toilet paper, it can cause a clog and you'll be responsible for the repair.
###### FAQs #######
* Is there a train to Manhattan nearby?
- No. There's no subway in the state of NJ. The nearest PATH station is in Hoboken, 5 miles away. Buses are the easiest way to get around. No need to get put off by having to the the bus :) We guarantee it's the most scenic commuter bus ride you'll ever take. The bus stop is very close. It only costs $3.50 per ticket and can take you to Times Square in 25 minutes.
* How long does it take to get to ...... in NYC?
- It takes 6 minutes to walk to the nearest bus stop at 72nd St & Blvd E. It's right by the Dunkin at 7101 Boulevard E, Guttenberg, NJ 07093. Please look it up on the map how long it'll take to go from that bus stop to whatever destination you're trying to reach. It's a 20-25min bus ride from there directly to Port Authority/Times Square.
* Where's the bus stop and when do the buses run?
- The bus stop is at Blvd E & 72nd St, a 6-minute walk from the house. That is the exact location and the bus stop does not have a "name." Buses run 24/7 and more frequently during the day. Please review our guidebook on how to get to Manhattan as it contains detailed information and step-by-step instructions on how to get your bus tickets ahead of time. We recommend purchasing tickets before you arrive to save time.
* Can I check in early or check out late?
- No. If you need to check in before 4pm or check out after 11am, please search for another property that can accommodate your needs.
* Can I stay for a month or longer?
- No. The maximum length of stay is 27 days. This apartment has no kitchen and is not suitable for long-term stays.
* Can I get a discount?
- No. If our rates are out of your budget, please note that we use a smart algorithm that adjusts pricing based on seasonality, demand, competition, occupancy rates in the area, among other factors. You're always welcome to check back in a few days or weeks to see if the price has gone down, if the listing is still available.
* We're staying for 20 days (or another lengthy amount of time). Can we get a discount?
- No. We actually have no preference for longer term stays. Our pricing is dynamically adjusted and takes into account many factors including length of stay already.
* We're only staying 1 or 2 nights. We'll clean up after ourselves. Can we pay a lower cleaning fee?
- No. The cleaning fee applies to all reservations regardless of the length of stay. We understand it might appear unreasonable (we used to think the same before becoming hosts ourselves). We don’t clean the unit ourselves and pay a fee to a cleaning company that charges a flat rate per visit (If the unit is left in an exceptionally dirty state, a deep cleaning fee will apply and be charged to you after checkout, but it happens extremely rarely). All linens and towels must be laundered after every visit even if they were only used for one night. It’s a pass-through cost.
We hold ourselves to a high bar of cleanliness and cannot rely on a guest (you) to get the unit cleaned to a standard acceptable to us and our next guests and therefore risk a negative review from the guest after you.
The vast majority of guests, especially if they aren’t hosts or cleaners themselves, don’t realize people shed hair more than they think they do, food crumbs get scattered a lot more easily than they think they do, and dust and odors accumulate a lot quicker than they think they do ;)
The pricing you see on the booking page is the price you'd pay. Additionally, the "service fee" is paid to VRBO and we have no control over it. If the total cost is out of your budget, we wish you the best of luck finding a more suitable place for your needs :)
* Are there cafes, restaurants, grocery stores within walking distance?
- You bet! There are lots of restaurants, cafes, and shops within walking distance and we firmly believe it's wise to not have a car! :D Some local cafes you can walk to include Las Chicas Bakery on Blvd E (outdoor seating and great views of Manhattan skyline across the street), and Parker (6504 Park Ave). We don't have a grocery store the caliber of Whole Foods or Trader Joe's within walking distance (though both are a short drive away). Within walking distance we have many local bodegas where you can buy snacks, essentials, meat and produce. You won't get selections as large as you'd find at a Trader Joe's, but you should be able to find most basics you need. For a larger grocery store with more fresh produce, we have a Green Way Markets store 12-minute walk away (6411 Park Ave).
* All communication and payments must take place via VRBO. Any attempt to communicate off the platform will result in your account being reported.
