Travel Reference
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The striking Gershwin Hotel offers both individual rooms and (cheaper) dorm-style accommodations.
New York is the city that never sleeps. At these prices, who can afford to? The city plays host to some 48 million
guests a year, and we'd be overcrowded even without them. Interested in a night at the Mandarin Oriental? An
executive suite is a mere $2,950 a month. Err, night. Even the Holiday Inn Express by the Gowanus Canal in
Brooklyn doesn't get much below $200 a night (and that's a good $50 off the overall city average). That said, there
are plenty of ways to sleep for cheap in NYC. In the pages below, we'll show you nights at a boutique-style hostel
for $35, doubles at some of the city's trendiest spots for less than $75 a person, and enough sub-$100 singles to
get you through a major blowout with your spouse.
Shared bathrooms are one way to lower the price. Sacrificing views, elevators, and frills are others. Giving up
on space is already a given; but you didn't come to New York City to hang out in your room, did you? Just be-
cause you're saving sawbucks doesn't mean you can't be in the thick of things—some of the city's best bargains
come in prime locations. Time of year is the No. 1 factor in determining the price of your lodging. If you arrive
in January or February, you'll find tons of options and be all but able to name your price. Sure, you'll be run-
ning into some weather, but you'll see an authentic New York, with folks getting back to their business after the
December holidays. Those December holidays are about the worst time to visit, cost-wise, with hotels doubling
their prices, and gouging guests the closer it gets to New Year's Eve. Summers are easier, as is the November gap
between autumn leaves and Thanksgiving crowds. If your timing is right, you'll fare better on bidding sites like
Priceline, which will release rooms at half the price of advertised “rack rates” (the prices I use in the listings be-
low). You might also consider alternatives to conventional hotel rooms, like temporarily swapping your digs for
a local's, renting an apartment, or even staying in the spare bedroom of a real, live New Yorker.
Note that price categories (“Under $150,” “Under $100,” and “Under $50”) are determined according to the
cheapest available rate and are rough guidelines. All accommodations are subject to additional city and state
taxes of 14.75%, plus a $3.50 occupancy fee per room per night.
I hate to mention it, but we're dealing with bedbugs in New York City. If you're anxious, visit
www.bedbugregistry.com/metro/nyc before you book. For more discussion on your options (from cheap to luxe ),
check out Frommer's New York City For Dummies and Frommer's New York City.
1 Lower East Side/East Village/SoHo
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