NYC - Luxury On A Budget
Sep 6, 2005, 3:35 am
#16
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: PHL (and sometimes BKK)
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[QUOTE=moss_trevor]
So what you are saying is that if I found a hotel that fits this description for that rate it would be a bargain and therefore not budget. In that case I stand corrected. The only reason I posted on here is that I got the distinct impression that those on the luxury hotel forum tend to be people that don't pay for their own room very often due to travel being for work and not pleasure.
it's usually the other way around.... pay for the room on vacation, company puts them in 3* most of the time.
most companies don't shell out $600 rooms at the Penninsula in HK very often unless you're some sorta VIP.
Originally Posted by edgewood
So what you are saying is that if I found a hotel that fits this description for that rate it would be a bargain and therefore not budget. In that case I stand corrected. The only reason I posted on here is that I got the distinct impression that those on the luxury hotel forum tend to be people that don't pay for their own room very often due to travel being for work and not pleasure.
most companies don't shell out $600 rooms at the Penninsula in HK very often unless you're some sorta VIP.
Sep 6, 2005, 3:46 am
#17
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Yiron, Israel
Programs: Bates Motel Plat
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[QUOTE=moss_trevor]
So what you are saying is that if I found a hotel that fits this description for that rate it would be a bargain and therefore not budget. In that case I stand corrected. The only reason I posted on here is that I got the distinct impression that those on the luxury hotel forum tend to be people that don't pay for their own room very often due to travel being for work and not pleasure.
Something can be a bargain and be budget (such as a hostel which is cutting its prices in half for the summer) but being a bargain does not, in itself, make it budget travel.
The idea of this forum is to discuss ongoing travel opportunities that allow students, young marrieds, retirees, and middle class families who truly like to see other lands how to do it without spending big money. For the purposes of this one forum only, the cheapest is the best and $250 a night for a hotel is far from the cheapest, even in New York.
One of the things that makes FlyerTalk so great is that there are plenty of forums aimed at getting you discounts as well as build your points and miles while you travel either in comfort or, better, luxury. It is not a good idea for this forum to detract from that by having the same kinds of questions posed here.
It will only hurt the other forums and make Budget Travel so large as to be meaningless.
Originally Posted by edgewood
So what you are saying is that if I found a hotel that fits this description for that rate it would be a bargain and therefore not budget. In that case I stand corrected. The only reason I posted on here is that I got the distinct impression that those on the luxury hotel forum tend to be people that don't pay for their own room very often due to travel being for work and not pleasure.
The idea of this forum is to discuss ongoing travel opportunities that allow students, young marrieds, retirees, and middle class families who truly like to see other lands how to do it without spending big money. For the purposes of this one forum only, the cheapest is the best and $250 a night for a hotel is far from the cheapest, even in New York.
One of the things that makes FlyerTalk so great is that there are plenty of forums aimed at getting you discounts as well as build your points and miles while you travel either in comfort or, better, luxury. It is not a good idea for this forum to detract from that by having the same kinds of questions posed here.
It will only hurt the other forums and make Budget Travel so large as to be meaningless.
Sep 8, 2005, 3:05 pm
#19
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: NWA, UA Silver. Hilton Diamond
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try a club quarters. even though they are a "exclusive" hotel, they do sell there rooms on expedia and the like. my mom and i went to NYC and paid 59 for a suite. granted it was because my company has a membership, but i remember looking at prices on those sites and they werent too far off.
mitch
mitch
Sep 9, 2005, 5:44 am
#20
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Posts: 1,884
You're doing this all backwards.
There are four ways of getting cheap nice hotels in new york (though doing it at holiday time is difficult)
1. Priceline or hotwire: The experts at this are at www.biddingfortravel.com or www.betterbidding.com but you'd end up spending considerably less than $250 if hotels are available. biddingfortravel reports that some 4 star new york hotels can be had for $120. (Note that priceline stays aren't cancellable and the $120 figure is the bid price and there are about $15 in fees, but that's still a lot less than $250)
2. The discount sites: www.placestostay.com
www.hotres.com
www.quickbook.com
are three alternatives.
3. The hotel sites themselves. Amazingly they sometimes offer some pretty good specials, especially at sheraton (or www.spg.com) , but hilton occasionally e-mails specials from new york (when you sign up for specials, pick new york specials in the e-mail choices. also check the www.hiltonnyc.com site
4. The credit card discounts or promotions. Currently the best of these is Hyatt's which offers you a free night for two stays at a hyatt paid with a mastercard. Do the math. Two $59 stays in boise (or wherever) is worth one night in New York. The only catch is that the new york hyatt has to have availability for the promo. But i've done it in the past. In addition to Hyatt, several other companies offer some sort of credit card discounts. You have to see if new york hotels are included but you can find the discounts by going to:
Visa
http://www.usa.visa.com/personal/dis...ng%20Discounts
Mastercard
http://www.mastercard.com/us/specialoffers/index.html
Amex
http://www.americanexpressofferzone..../Homepage.aspx
There are four ways of getting cheap nice hotels in new york (though doing it at holiday time is difficult)
1. Priceline or hotwire: The experts at this are at www.biddingfortravel.com or www.betterbidding.com but you'd end up spending considerably less than $250 if hotels are available. biddingfortravel reports that some 4 star new york hotels can be had for $120. (Note that priceline stays aren't cancellable and the $120 figure is the bid price and there are about $15 in fees, but that's still a lot less than $250)
2. The discount sites: www.placestostay.com
www.hotres.com
www.quickbook.com
are three alternatives.
3. The hotel sites themselves. Amazingly they sometimes offer some pretty good specials, especially at sheraton (or www.spg.com) , but hilton occasionally e-mails specials from new york (when you sign up for specials, pick new york specials in the e-mail choices. also check the www.hiltonnyc.com site
4. The credit card discounts or promotions. Currently the best of these is Hyatt's which offers you a free night for two stays at a hyatt paid with a mastercard. Do the math. Two $59 stays in boise (or wherever) is worth one night in New York. The only catch is that the new york hyatt has to have availability for the promo. But i've done it in the past. In addition to Hyatt, several other companies offer some sort of credit card discounts. You have to see if new york hotels are included but you can find the discounts by going to:
Visa
http://www.usa.visa.com/personal/dis...ng%20Discounts
Mastercard
http://www.mastercard.com/us/specialoffers/index.html
Amex
http://www.americanexpressofferzone..../Homepage.aspx
Last edited by MrAOK; Sep 9, 2005 at 6:00 am
Sep 9, 2005, 2:00 pm
#21
Join Date: Nov 2003
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We have sublet the last two times in NYC with great results. We exchange a lot of emails and phone calls before any money changes hands. We have had much luck in other cities as well.
Easter week of 2004 we had a studio in the West Village on Grove Street between Bleecker and Bedford. It belonged to an NYU professor and we paid $500 for the week, just two of us. It's one of the most picturesque streets in the Village, subway nearby. Found on craigslist.
Fourth of July this year, four of us sublet a brownstone in Park Slope for $1000 for the week. The rate has gone up to $1100 for that particular sublet, but it's still a deal. It was in a word, spectacular. Two blocks to the subway, five stops from Times Square.
We feel we are really maximizing our lodging dollars by going the sublet route, and are able to stay in areas in which it is impossible or nearly so to find affordable hotels. We are able to save a tremendous amount of money by not eating in tourist trap or hotel restaurants as well.
Easter week of 2004 we had a studio in the West Village on Grove Street between Bleecker and Bedford. It belonged to an NYU professor and we paid $500 for the week, just two of us. It's one of the most picturesque streets in the Village, subway nearby. Found on craigslist.
Fourth of July this year, four of us sublet a brownstone in Park Slope for $1000 for the week. The rate has gone up to $1100 for that particular sublet, but it's still a deal. It was in a word, spectacular. Two blocks to the subway, five stops from Times Square.
We feel we are really maximizing our lodging dollars by going the sublet route, and are able to stay in areas in which it is impossible or nearly so to find affordable hotels. We are able to save a tremendous amount of money by not eating in tourist trap or hotel restaurants as well.