My travel schedule is M-F on multi-week assignments. Currently I travel back home every weekend but am thinking of staying back few weekends in summer and enjoy NY a little bit.

My current stays are at Ren Times Sq and I can bill my work related lodging cost but can't do so for the weekend. So I have to justify my cost of stay to be less (or equal) than travel expense back home which generally runs between $330-$400. In this budget there is no way to stay at Ren TS or Marriott Marquis over the weekend. So, I'll have to switch back n forth between properties on weekend(s) between nice one and cheap ones.

I can't really think of any other way to manage this... and there probably aren't many ways to work around it. But I am wondering if you guys have any thoughts here??

NYC is a huge, very diverse city - and although never cheap, there are certainly areas that are far less costly than TSq, and still are nice. The Marriott in Brooklyn (for example) is often very reasonable on the weekend, and would offer a different perspective of the city.

And remember, there really isn't a huge advantage to staying in a full service property on the weekend, as the CL is not open.

Were I you I would be looking at
1) a Res Inn so I would get free breakfast, and have a fridge for snacks, drinks, light meals, etc
2) Marriott Reward specials each week (they come out on Mon -Tue)
3) learn the rules of LNF BRG and search away...I saved $185 per night last time around!

Finally, if it is just a weekend now and then? Talk to the Front Desk. To keep you full rate weekday visit, they may be willing to cut you a pretty good deal on a weekend or two. Probably not much more than occasionally, as these hotels stay full 7 days a a week - but it cannot hurt to ask.

Take a tour of the various neighborhoods. Downtown has very good weekend rates. Eastside and Brooklyn can as well as can the Carlton.

I was thinking of moving my bags Downtown or Eastside on weekends.

I'd rather stay in Manhattan. Parks, rooftop bars, museums, broadway...

As for checking out Residence Inn, you have a valid point but it doesn't serve me any benefit. If I was on planning to be here for more than 3months, I'd ask the client to give me a corporate apartment. But they'd rather keep me in a hotel and pay for it. Go figure.

LNF will be gold in these weekend situations. I am not a very good price hunter (besides the top 8-10 sites like kayak/priceline), I can't find other resources. If you have a suggestion or two, I'll appreciate something in PM.

#1) Parks, rooftop bars, and museums are found in every Borough, including Brooklyn. And no one loves the theatre more than I - but you can't go every night. There is so much more to NYC than Manhattan, and you have an opportunity to see it all.

#2)Why doesn't Residence Inn "serve you any benefit"? Free brekkie is a pretty good bennie in NYC. And if you don't eat breakfast, grab fruit, water, yogurt whatever for later. RI is a great option for the weekend in your circumstances.

#3) No one is a "good price hunter" when they start. You have to work at it - including reading the threads on this board talking about LNF. Someone just started a thread for newbies ... Asking me for a PM shows you haven't read it, because my recommendations are on there.

And finally, your company is giving you one of the biggest perks of all time...3 months in NY, expenses paid at a great hotel, AND you get to keep the points? There is NO part I would need to go figure...and I certainly wouldn't be wishing for a corporate apartment!

Depending on how many weekends you are planning on staying, there may be some benefit to booking straight through in one hotel, getting a lower rate and avoiding the tax after 30 days. Have you talked to the GM at the Ren? If you say you want to book straight through for a long period, they can usually give you a better rate.

If I wasn't on a long term stay, I used to often switch between hotels during the week and on weekends. If you were going back to the same hotel, then you could leave most your stuff there in storage, and just take a small bag to make the transit easier.

In your search, also think about including the Courtyard Jersey City Newport. It can be a convenient location, just beside the PATH into Manhattan.

Enjoy New York.

Have you been doing this assignment long? Is it ongoing?

By my calculations you are earning about 35000 points per weekly 4-day stay assuming you are Plat and using MRP Visa. If you aren't using the Visa, then you are only earning about 26000 points per week. So really the week stay for your company and $400 in expenses you can use yield almost 3 free nights at the Courtyard New York Manhattan/Fifth Avenue. 1 with points earned that week and 2 with allowable expenses plus $132.55 of your own money plus meals.

If this is an ongoing assignment then you earn between 1.25 and 1.5 million points per year.

Yes, I have a few thoughts... pay and get reimbursed for one or two nights, and use points for the other one or two nights. 1) With weekend rates pay for two nights, about $532.55 at Courtyard New York Manhattan/Fifth Avenue (including taxes) and use points for one night. Get reimbursed $400, yielding a net cost of $132.55 plus meals for the weekend. Pretty cheap for a weekend in NYC by any standards. 2) With weekend rates pay for one night and avoid moving, about $300.70 for Marriott Marque including taxes for Sunday nights (about the same for the Ren) and use points for Friday and Saturday nights. Expense hotel and some meals and get reimbursed $400.

Above estimates are based on rates for July weekends that may be canceled. If you are OK with non-refundable ADP rates then you can save more.

1. I want to give NYC some more time. Nothing against Brooklyn.
2. RI is great for weekend, if it can fit in the budget. Right next to Bryant Park...
3. Will read.

Corporate apt has an advantage of not having to worry about weekends. Ofcourse the cost is points.

Not using MRP Visa. Company wants me to use corporate AMEX for their kickbacks... and I am little worried about violating this rule. So my points are ~20k-25k/weekly. Ofcourse, I can live with incurring a small cost but I am trying to eliminate that completely (points or out of pocket cash).

I can only find expensive boutique hotels in Upper West (like Empire). Downtown is much too expensive even on weekends... didn't see that coming.

Have you talked to the group sales manager at the hotel (rather than the FD), and/or are you on a corporate rate or just a BAR for the work week ? If you are staying this often and regularly, then you should have a talk with them about a special rate including a discount on the weekends.

Have you considered diversifying your points/status and looking at other chains ?

Cheers.

For this purpose any brand/chain under $200. Brooklyn Marriott doesn't seem that from downtown and its right off redline... if I can get something there, Ill consider it for sure.

So far the only choices are Four Points and Best Western in midtown area, for under $200 (plus tax ofcourse).

You might want to add to the company that the cost of a trip home is more than just the flight. Don't forget 2 round trips of ground transportation to the airport. (One on each end...) That could easily be half the cost of the flight.

Also, check hotwire. Checking for 2 weeks from now, for example, there are plenty of decent looking choices for less than $125/night.

Actually thats a great point. I didnt account for it because generally I use public transport to save company money rather than cabs (which would easily be $50-60) each way.

Again... I have to book work week travel through AMEX. Not sure about the weekend travel/ lodging. If I can, Hotwire, it would be great. Even Marriott is running some promotions right now.

PM sent, although I too would be checking with the Ren to see if they can cut you a deal to stay there thru the weekend.

While you're talking to them about getting you a decent room consistently, I'd also talk to them about getting a better rate on the weekend. My guess is they'd rather keep you than lose you to another property.

PS - If you find cheap rates on 3rd party websites, remember that booking through them won't get you the points. You need to book through Marriott. Note, this is different than using 3rd party website rates for LNF comparisons.

Cheers.

Well compared to the Marriott advertised rate, my AMEX booked rate is always lower. I think its a rate negotiated by the entire brand so I get the same rate (or less than 5% difference) between all their TS properties!! Ofcourse, I pickup my choice of Ren everytime I can. So I am getting a better rate than then advertised website rate for the work days (works against my favor since I get lesser points).

Btw, I noticed a promo for advanced bookings which is beating my corporate rate on Marriott Brooklyn Bridge and Downtown. But not much luck otherwise.