If you’re willing to use Hotwire, which requires you to commit to and pay for a hotel before they identify the exact hotel, you can do quite well. For example, I see highly rated properties in Manhattan during the first week of December for the low $200s (although taxes and the Hotwire fees push the prices into the mid- to high $200s). My technique is to conduct a search but then filter the results to show only “Hot Rate” deals and only properties with a minimum recommendation of 90%. You can then use the map to see listings in particular neighborhoods. I use this technique frequently with excellent results.