Survival Guide - New York City - page 474

ability; in fact, most hotels have a booking algorithm in place that spits out a price quote
relative to the number of rooms already booked on the same night. The busier the evening,
the higher the price.
› If you're looking to find the best room rates, flexibility is key - weekdays are often
cheaper and you'll generally find that accommodations in winter months have smaller
price tags. If you are visiting over a weekend, try the business hotels in the Financial Dis-
trict, which tend to empty out when the work week ends.
› If you don't have your heart set on a particular property, check out discount juggernauts
like Expedia ( www.expedia.com ) , Orbitz ( www.orbitz.com ) and Priceline ( www.priceline.com ) .
› If you do have an inkling of where you'd like to stay, it's best to start at your desired
hotel's website as it'll often include deals and package rates.
› Also worth checking out are the slew of members-only websites, such as Jetsetter
( www.jetsetter.com ) , that offer discounted rates and 'flash sales' for their devotees.
› These days, finding a place to sleep is hardly restricted to the traditional spectrum of
lodging. Websites like Airbnb ( www.airbnb.com ) are providing a truly unique - and not to
mention economical - alternative to the wallet-busting glitz and glam by offering locals
the opportunity to rent out their apartments while they're out of town or lease a space (be
it a bedroom or pull-out couch) in their home.
Useful Websites
› Lonely Planet ( www.lonelyplanet.com ) Lots of accommodation reviews and online booking.
› Playbill ( www.playbill.com ) It may seem counter-intuitive to join the Playbill Club, but
members get select rates on a variety of Manhattan hotels.
› Kayak ( www.kayak.com ) Simple all-purpose search engine.