I'm headed to NYC in early April; any suggestions on inexpensive lodging?

[Decatur Guy]

After a five-year hiatus, I'm going back to NYC, where I used to go every year.

 

I'll be spending part of the trip staying with a friend way up in upper Manhattan. But I plan on seeing an escort on my last day of the trip, and I want to get my own room for the last day or two. Two or three days is enough for a Manhattanite to have someone underfoot anyway. I've already told my friends I would stay an extra day or two and just play tourist by myself.

 

I'll be doing some research online for less expensive rooms on this thing I call "The Google," but any first-hand experiences from recent NYC visitors or second-hand knowledge from NYC residents is appreciated.

[adriano46]

Try googling fo rooms on EXPEDIA or HOTWIRE but know that at this distance, the cheap rooms may not yet be posted.

 

One thing -- be very wary of some of the newly posted boutique hotels in the Midtown West area -- rooms are tiny (amazingly uncomfortable), and inviting an escort is a bit embarassing, but they are reasonable at about $129 a night, which in Manhatten is a steal. (The place I found awful was GEM)

[dfw2sfo]

The Jane Hotel is hip and has inexpensive singles (former sailors quarters) and some other rooms.

[Bosguy]

Try sniqueaway.com They offer extremely good rates on top hotels. I have used them twice for Kimpton properties in Chicago and DC The hotels are top notch and Kimpton can't begin to touch their rates Only thing is, you pay as you reserve and no cancellation.

 

I don't travel much any more and am very picky and am totally satisfied with the program.

 

PM me for further info

 

Boston Bill

[Decatur Guy]

Try googling fo rooms on EXPEDIA or HOTWIRE but know that at this distance, the cheap rooms may not yet be posted.

 

One thing -- be very wary of some of the newly posted boutique hotels in the Midtown West area -- rooms are tiny (amazingly uncomfortable), and inviting an escort is a bit embarassing, but they are reasonable at about $129 a night, which in Manhatten is a steal. (The place I found awful was GEM)

 

I'm actually OK w. a tiny room because I'll be seeing the escort at his place.

[Decatur Guy]

Thanks for the tips so far, and I'll be responding more.

[adriano46]

If you only need a room for yourself, then just check out what's available and see what works in terms of convenience for travel (eg to your escort's place). I have stayed in small places, and Windham on W 38th (??) is a great place, clean, quiet and convenient and often has attractive mid-week rates.

[dfw2sfo]

Gem

 

If you don't mind a small room then the Gem in Chelsea is a good choice actually. I've stayed there before I lived here and then I sent a number of people from my job there and all were happy.

 

Btw, the Jane is about $125 a night for the small rooms with shared baths. Other rooms there are somewhat more expensive but still cheaper than most.

[adriano46]

I should say too that the GEM in Chelsea is much better and more conveniently located than the one on W 36th or whereever it was... it is over on 11th Ave and so far from the beaten track. Room I had smelled with cigarette smoke (though they claimed no smoking), and the room definately needed cleaning.

 

90% of the room space was taken up by an enormous (and comfortable) bed, but the air-conditioning/heating was not working properly, the closet was more a box and hard to reach given the bed, and the desk was so close to the foot of the bed, you could not really sit in the desk chair -- unless you weighed 110 and had a size 29" waist (which I do not). Plus, daily cleaning staff was very noisy and somewhat intrusive; and although I was there for 2 nights -- first day they would not leave me alone to rest, even with "do not disturb" sign out (Thankfully, when I did have a "guest" in the room for 2 hours, they left me alone!!!)

 

One positive note was the room was cheap as I got it at the last minute.

[leigh.bess.toad]

DG -- first I think inexpensive lodging and New York may be mutually exclusive terms. But I would also second Bill's recommendation of looking at sniqueaway.com. It is run by Tripadvisor. They run deals that last a week on various properties around the world (the one this week on a place Bali had me drooling). I've gotten some good deals there. The properties are only top notch places. I know quite a few of the guys coming to the DC Luncheon next week are staying at the Palomar (a Kimpton) and got the rooms for $99/night. They have a sale right now for The Muse in NY (another Kimpton) and in a few days they will have one for Gild Hall (a Thompson hotel). They normally have 2-4 different hotels with sales that start each day and run for a week and you can normally book 2-4 months out. It may not be of use to you in the trip to NY but I certainly think it's worth following in case something piques your interest for a vacation. I'm going to the Williamsburg Lodge with my bf next month (for Valentine's Day, of course) through sniqueaway. And they do have a sale on the Homestead in Hot Springs, VA coming up in a few days that I will look at.

[raulgmanzo]

Check out "Kayak.com". They don't sell rooms but it scans most of the other websites, compares prices and lists the prices, hotels, locations etc. Then when you go to book the actual room kayak sends you to whichever website it is which sometimes is the actual hotels website.

 

Though rooms in NYC are often outrageous that is not always the case. There are times when one can get very nice (even large) rooms for $100. Of course other time that same room costs $500.

 

Raul

http://rentboy.com/raulgmanzo

http://daddysreviews.com/review/raul_g_chicago

 

After a five-year hiatus, I'm going back to NYC, where I used to go every year.

 

I'll be spending part of the trip staying with a friend way up in upper Manhattan. But I plan on seeing an escort on my last day of the trip, and I want to get my own room for the last day or two. Two or three days is enough for a Manhattanite to have someone underfoot anyway. I've already told my friends I would stay an extra day or two and just play tourist by myself.

 

I'll be doing some research online for less expensive rooms on this thing I call "The Google," but any first-hand experiences from recent NYC visitors or second-hand knowledge from NYC residents is appreciated.

[+ FreshFluff]

DG -- first I think inexpensive lodging and New York may be mutually exclusive terms.

 

I have to agree. But I've heard good things about Priceline, though the main problem there is that you can't check reviews on the hotel before you purchase. Your best bet would be to try the "boring" business or residential areas like Murray Hill (east 30s) and the lower east 40s. Try to negotiate with the reservations people. There are also some lower-end hotels near Times Square, but the level of sevice at these places is pretty poor.

 

One other issue with April is that it's the start of the high season, especially since many schools have spring break around that time. You may get better rates in January or February.

[+ Charlie]

I always used to recommend Incentra Village House on 8th Ave at Jane St in the West Village, and it's still where I try to stay if I can get a room there, but it is no longer as much of a bargain as it used to be. The last time I stayed there it was $169/night. It's a very friendly gay-owned establishment, and some of the staff has been there for a quarter century. One of the reasons I like it is because the rooms have kitchens, so I can save money by eating in, which is important in a city where it is hard to find a decent breakfast for less than $20.

[Irtwo]

Use Priceline, but check out biddingfortravel.com first. For Priceline, it tells you the prices others got on Priceline, what hotels you'll get, reviews, and ways to bid to get the best deal.

[Decatur Guy]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far guys. I'd like to hear from anyone else too.

[jjkrkwood]

Sorry DG, i only live here, have never booked a room, or even scouted out pricing.... A little homework on your part and I am sure you will come up with some cost effective accommodations. There are some great guest houses in the Chelsea area which are less costly that hotels...

[+ Axiom2001]

For most of my hotel stays during the past year, I have used http://www.booking.com. Many of the properties allow you to reserve with a day or two to cancel if you have to. But you must keep abreast

of the dates for cancellation. You pay upon leaving the premises; you also choose the type of room, your price range, etc. I've been more than pleased. Don't know specifically about the New York

City properties, but I've booked lots of hotels through them for San Francisco; I even got a superb property in October of 2011 in Paraty, Brazil.

 

I thank you for this thread because I'll be looking for a place to lay my head and to lie with escorts during the spring of this year in NYC or in September when I'm in the "Big Apple" awaiting to

travel to Eastern Europe.

[+ WilliamM]

I always used to recommend Incentra Village House on 8th Ave at Jane St in the West Village, and it's still where I try to stay if I can get a room there, but it is no longer as much of a bargain as it used to be. The last time I stayed there it was $169/night. It's a very friendly gay-owned establishment, and some of the staff has been there for a quarter century. One of the reasons I like it is because the rooms have kitchens, so I can save money by eating in, which is important in a city where it is hard to find a decent breakfast for less than $20.

 

I stayed at the Incentra Village House in October for the first time in several years. It's a great neighborbood, often a prime location for filming movies because it looks like everyone's ideal vision of the West Village. I was shocked that essentially the same people were there from my first visit more then seventeen years ago. Yes, it's more complicated now because there's a minimum stay on weekends. But if you can work with it, I highly recommend it as opposed to the Times Square hotels.