I am a local and have been to the Westin on numerous occasions for brunch/dinner at their wonderful restaurant Fire & Oak. They have a great brunch and the Mac and Cheese is a "must have."
This was my first time as a guest in the hotel. The feel of the lobby is very welcoming and the staff was extremely friendly. I reserved a King room, which was very roomy and clean. The bathroom was lovely and their bath and shampoo products were very good. My only issue was that the room was a bit chilly. I turned up the heat but it became cold again at some point in the middle of the night. Hopefully, it was just a glitch that just happened in my room.
The Westin is a half-block to two other wonderful restaurants and Newport Mall is just a short walk from there. In addition, there are numerous other restaurants and nightlife in downtown Jersey City. It is also walking distance to the PATH train to New York and the light rail to the waterfront at Exchange Place or the nightlife in Hoboken.
Overall, the Westin Jersey City is a great place to stay if you want to avoid NYC prices and a great location if you don't feel like traveling into the city.