Travel Tips: Finding High Quality and Affordable Hotel Rates in New York City

Picking a hotel in New York, New York to stay at during your vacation has long meant deciding between two lose-lose situations: splurging beyond your financial zone and spending your entire vacation money in a mere few nights, or staying in a dump so that you may have enough money to do vacation type things in the city, but not anymore. Here’s why.

Name any national hotel chain in the United States. Chances are high that it has a location in Manhattan. Nearly 1,600 mid-priced rooms will open in New York City this year, and especially this coming fall. Perfect for families or couples that want to add in another vacation before Christmas. Among the new hotel contenders in New York City are Holiday Inn Express, Hilton Garden Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, Hampton Inn, Comfort Inn, Sleep Inn and Four Points by Sheraton. Often you will find more than one of the same hotels in the city. (www.yellowpages.com)

Many of these cheap and upscale hotels have wanted to enter the travel lifestyle in New York city because of the high profit. So far the hotel chains have been booming in this location, and it’s easy to see why. One reason these hotels are doing so well is because they have other locations outside the expensive areas of Times Square and the ever-so-ritzy areas of Manhattan. These hotels also do not have restaurants in or attached to the. Trust me; this is a major bonus for guests. Why dine in when you can go to tons of ethnic restaurants around the areas to get the true variety of tastes in New York?

This year, however, finds many more hotel chains coming to town. With any hotel, particularly affordable ones, new construction and add-ons is always a serious plus. Many affordable hotels are adding on pools and spas for their guests to use at their own discretion. Hampton Inn just recently debuted a hotel downtown, at the South Street Seaport. A Courtyard by Marriott opens on the Upper East Side in July, and the company also has plans for a beautiful Harlem property. Also this year, Hilton Garden Inn will unveil another hotel in the city.

Being in New York, it’s best to fit in, especially if you want the true New York City experience. Unfortunately many travelers who shack up in expensive hotels in the expensive areas miss the life of the city itself. This can be the result of the hotel which often construes its own culture instead of that of the city. When choosing a hotel, keep it simple. When you vacation the only purpose of a hotel is to have a place to sleep/

The similarities between hotels stop when it comes to rates, which are as much as 40 percent lower than the Manhattan average of $300 a night in a normal room. Most of the new hotels in the city charge between $175 and $210. While that’s higher by about $50 than their national averages it’s a fair and low price in a city where hotel rates have never seemed reasonable or perhaps even affordable.

What makes them especially fair is the impressive qualities and features. These hotels offer free Internet access and unlimited local calls and throw in a free basic breakfast. The properties that don’t have exercise rooms provide coupons and discount rates to nearby gyms in the area. Moreover, one of the most appealing and likable factors is that these are respected nationally known hotel chains and brands. In an intimidating and huge city, it can be reassuring to count on the fact that your hotel is sure to meet certain high standards no matter where they are located.