The Doubletree is located on Washington Boulevard, close to the Westin, the Courtyard Marriott, and the Newport Centre Mall. You can walk to the Hudson River, which has a lengthy promenade where you can admire the New York City skyline views. (However, many of the restaurants and shops along the promenade close on weekends.) The Exchange Place PATH station near the riverfront does not operate on weekends (at least through the end of 2014), although the Grove Street PATH Station is open a few blocks away. The water taxi, Little Lady Ferry, and the Paulus Hook ferry provide boat transportation to Manhattan.
The Doubletree offers two parking options: self-parking for $25 per night, or valet parking for $30 per night. Both options offer in-and-out privileges. We chose to self-park in the garage adjacent to the hotel (attached to the Monaco residential building). Maneuvering around the seven-story garage was tight. The valet parking spots are located on the street level in an exposed parking lot on the hotel property. The Doubletree offers guests complimentary shuttle service within a one-mile radius of the hotel, but the service has limited operating hours on weekends.
The hotel footprint is compact, although it rises thirteen stories. The front desk, valet stand, and ATM machine are located in the small lobby, and an Enterprise car rental desk is on-site (business hours on weekdays and Saturday mornings). A dispenser with flavored water is near the front desk, adjacent to a display that sells tins of the famous Doubletree chocolate chip cookies. A small seating area is adjacent to the lobby. Off the lounge area is the hotel restaurant and bar, Harsimus Cove, and a small business center (that contains two computers and a printer). A pantry that sells drinks, snacks, and toiletry items is located next to the front desk. The fitness center is small, with two treadmills, one elliptical machine, and one weight bench. The tiny room is interior facing, and thus dark as well as crowded. Bathrooms are located on the lobby level. Outdoors, two picnic tables are positioned beneath an awning adjacent to the valet parking lot. The hotel contains two guest elevators and one service elevator.
The Doubletree has thirteen floors, with the top floor called the “penthouse”. A small sign in the elevators stated that Floors 11 and 12 are reserved for Hilton HHonors members. However, we are Diamond members, but the clerk did not place us on those floors. The front desk clerk assigned us to room 809, which was located in the center of the floor near the elevator bank. The clerk said that our room had a partial city view, and it did, if you craned your neck. (As you might guess, it is preferable for your room to be located on the highest floor available for the best city view. Ideally, request one of the two corner rooms that overlook Washington Boulevard and enjoy full city views. If you are located below floor six, you may not have any view because of the position of nearby buildings and residences.
Our room had three parts. The living room area contained a pull-out sofa bed, a small round glass-and-metal side table, a console that held a flat-screen TV, and a large desk and chair. Gold and Diamond-level HHonors members receive complimentary Internet usage. The living area also contained a closet with mirrored sliding doors that held an electronic safe (although it did not possess charging capability), one luggage rack, an iron and ironing board, and an extra pillow and blanket. The heating / cooling control was located in the living area, but the actual unit was located in the bedroom area. Therefore, we found it difficult to set the temperature cool enough in the living room without freezing in the bedroom. We heard some hallway noise when we sat in the living area, particularly the dinging of the elevator bells and the din of conversation from guests waiting for the elevators.
A hallway connected the living area to the bedroom area. The hallway contained a bar / vanity that held the microwave, coffee maker, and small refrigerator (which was larger than a dorm-size cube). The bathroom was located off the hallway, and it was larger than normal by hotel-room standards. (It would have easily fit a wheelchair, although the shower was not roll-in style, because our room was not accessible.) The bathroom contained a bathtub / shower combination, toilet, and single-sink vanity. The hotel offers Crabtree & Evelyn Citron products (including shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, and two bars of soap). The hair dryer hung in a bag on the back of the bathroom door. The bathroom contained a wooden trash can that contained two plastic removable sections for recyclables and other trash. (The living area contained a similar receptacle.)
The bedroom area contained a king-size bed abutted by two nightstands, and a dresser that held a second flat-screen TV. Although our room was not a true suite because you cannot close a door to separate the living room from the bedroom, each room had its own television, and the overall layout was spaced for maximum privacy.
Although the Doubletree gave us complimentary HHonors coupons to enjoy the buffet breakfast in their restaurant, we chose to try a local restaurant instead. We ate brunch at Battello, which is located across the street from the hotel on the Newport Yacht Club Pier. Other nearby restaurants include the Westin and Dorian’s, in addition to the restaurants inside the Newport Centre Mall. A few blocks away, other dining options are available. A strip mall shopping center behind the hotel contains a Shop Rite grocery store and a Bed Bath and Beyond store.
Although we have no plans to visit Jersey City again (we normally stay across the river in Manhattan), if we did return, we would stay at the Doubletree again because it is located near shops and restaurants, offers easily accessible parking, and features over-sized rooms.
