Where to stay in Park Slope to get a feel for the nbhood

Hi,

We're planning to move to Park Slope this fall from overseas. I lived in Brooklyn in the 1990s, my family and kids haven't. My wife and I are planning a trip to NYC this summer and would like to know of a hotel/bed & breakfast in Park Slope where we can stay for about 5-7 days and get a feel for the neighberhood while looking at apartments, schools, etc.

There aren't really any hotels in Park Slope proper (do NOT believe whatever marketing you read on Hotel le Bleu - it overlooks a U-Haul and a Staples on an ugly stretch of 4th Avenue), and the B&Bs here tend to be very doily-heavy. I think your best bet may be to be flexible with your dates if at all possible and sublet; I did this when looking for apartments in London in a former life and had a very good experience, getting a much better feel for my future neighborhood than I would have had in a hotel. Doing a quick search for "slope AND week" on Craigslist's sublets page yields a couple of possibilities:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/sub/1755735792.html
http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/sub/1754434874.html

The Holiday Inn on Union between 3rd & 4th Aves is not bad, but the rooms are small and it would be tight for a family for a week. You'd be amazed at the difference on 4th Ave over the past 15 years, and you are so close to the subway at Union and 4th and to 5th ave there that the location is fine if you don't mind walkign up a block. I think the rooms in the Hotel Bleu are a little bigger and location is also just on the edge of the neighborhood, so I think it would be fine. Agaim you'll generally want to walk up to 5th Ave to eat/shop/hang around but its only a block. I'd google for B&Bs too though, there are several in the slope, not sure if any are good size for family though

Thanks for the advice. It's just my wife and I who are visiting soon to make way for the whole family sometime in the fall so a small room is just fine.

there's a whole list of b& bs on parkslopeparents.com.

where you actually stay is going to be quite secondary if what you want is to get the feel for the neighborhood. staying at any of the options above will be just fine. it's spending a nice amount of time on a very different 5th Avenue than what you remember (especially in the north slope), and even crossing Flatbush into Prospect Heights and the wonderful Vanderbilt Ave. which should be a treat for you. Best of luck!

You should do a search at http://www.homeaway.com/

My sister is visiting this summer and she found a great place to stay.

I also recommend that Holiday Inn on Union Street.

Look on Hotwire.com and you should be able to find well discounted rates for the Holiday Inn - I think it's the only 2 1/2 star hotel in Park Slope (you don't know what you are buying until you pay for it, but there are so few hotels in the Slope that you would likely be buying this one).

You're fine staying at any of the chain hotels around 4th and 3rd ave. While you won't be in the heart of Park Slope all you have to do is cross 4th ave and you're back in there. That's close enough for you to look at apartments, walk around the neighborhood and get to see what areas look like today to decide where you would be comfortable getting a place.

Not sure if you're looking to buy or rent, but either way it sounds like you're planning to look at some places while here. NYTimes and Streeteasy have a lot of the sales open houses listed, and that's a great way to get a feel for what different amounts get you right now.

Good luck.

Last August we stayed at LeBleu on fourth Ave and 3rd-4th St. Got to walk all over our old neighborhood. (I grew up on 12th St between 5th & 6th Aves. My wife grew up on 13th St just below 4th Ave.) We walked the whole neighborhood and enjoyed it to death. Visited our Old Church. My wife saw her Jr High right up the block from LeBleu. The hotel was fine. So what if it is next to a staples. If you eat in the roof dining room you have a view of Manhatten on one side and Park Slope on the other side. It is not cheap but what is in NY. The rooms were neat and decorated very nicely. If you can afford the tab I heartily recommend it.--Old Goat :roll: