V-Flyer

Well I have used up most of my miles (which eventually posted after the website changes) for a MPM trip in Economy with VS to NYC in September. I am apartment/cat sitting when my daughter and son in law go on holiday. My plan was to book a hotel room (they live in Manhattan) on the first night so that they can get packed and ready without the additional stress of having a jet lagged mother hanging around their 1 bed apartment.

I have just looked and currently the price for a hotel room midweek in mid September for one night is more than I paid out for the flight - currently the rates seem to be around $400+. I am not looking at anything fancy (but equally not wanting a dormitory in a hostel!) Just a normal 3*+ hotel in central Manhattan. Is this normal? I have been to NYC a few times before but never paid as much as that. Have things really changed or is it that it is too early to book yet? If not, think I may be sleeping in a cat basket for the first night. I have looked on line and cannot see that there is anything major happening in NYC that weekend. Can anyone let me know if this is normal and whether prices will drop if I wait?
Thanks in advance

is there any major events on in Sept your aware of?
You could always give Priceline or hotline a try.
At the end of the day, there are a lot of beds in NYC for rent.
People say priceline is great for last minute bargains - but is always a gamble.
So may be worth waiting until closer to the day, as booking early will mean paying premium rates.
I am guessing you could even travel light if you drop stuff off at your daughters first & only take the necessities?
In which case you could even book on the day or night before, as a filled room is better than empty room.

Consider looking further out as well - somewhere like Newark, Hoboken or Jersey City may lack the glamour of Manhattan but they're just across the Hudson and are very easy, cheap & quick to get to on the PATH or NJT trains.

Definitely look a bit further out. The Trains in & out of Manhattan are not too hard to use.

Also try the usual comparison websites for a deal.

Try the pod hotel
http://thepodhotel.com/

For random date in September it is $175. Pod51 is close to Grand Central and all was clean etc. with the obvious disadvantage of it being tiny > but that should not matter much in your case I suppose. Just book a refundable room and see if something better/cheaper pops up but it is a decent fallback.

Hi Mrs B
I am having the same issues for May. Prices seem extremely high !

September is the General Assembly if the United Nations so lots of demands from the foreign delegations which puts up prices.

It's also fashion week in September too.

What date are you looking for?

Many thanks for the helpful responses so far.

tontybear wrote:September is the General Assembly if the United Nations so lots of demands from the foreign delegations which puts up prices.

It's also fashion week in September too.

What date are you looking for?

That may be reason why so high - I was looking for the 20th September which is a Weds - which is why I thought it would be easy to find something.

Blitzen wrote:Try the pod hotel
http://thepodhotel.com/

For random date in September it is $175. Pod51 is close to Grand Central and all was clean etc. with the obvious disadvantage of it being tiny > but that should not matter much in your case I suppose. Just book a refundable room and see if something better/cheaper pops up but it is a decent fallback.

Thanks Blitzen - I may look at doing that - it doesn't matter that it is tiny (as I am a mere 5ft 3" on my tiptoes) - just want a clean room, clean bed, my own bathroom and not having to share with someone I don't know!

20th is in the middle of the General Assembly.

Also there is a huge exhibition on at the Javits centre that week as well.

So yeah lots of people looking for rooms.


I'd try looking a little further out too. Brooklyn for example.

Stayed in the Pod51 after a Christmas Party and it was new/clean and as you state I wanted my own bathroom (which was surprisingly big). Wouldn't want to stay there for a week but a night was perfectly fine.