Cheap Hotel Needed
 

Greetings!

I am responsible for organizing the hotel for a (smallish) conference taking place in late October (23-26) 2008. We would need around 40 rooms. Because, this is high season, the rates at hotels are of course, incredibly high. We need some place that is cheap (definitely under $300/preferentially under $200) and near the 1-line.

So far, I've tried the Lucerne, Belleclaire, Hotel Pennsylvania, New Yorker, Hotel Newton, and Hotel Beacon as well as the Marriotts, Hiltons, and Best Western. The only thing I've found that might work is the Hotel Marrakech. Does anybody know anything about it?

More importantly, does anyone have any place they like to stay in NYC that isn't expensive at all? I really don't know very many hotels in NYC.

Thanks!

Some tripadvisor reviewers report bedbugs. I'd probably stay away.

You're going to have a very, very hard time finding a decent Manhattan hotel for under $200, and even $300 is tough these days.

The Millennium Broadway, Embassy Suites and Millenium Hilton are all decent hotels close to the 1 train that often have specials in the $200 range. While I highly doubt you'll get 40 rooms at $200 from any of them at any time of year, you might be able to get something in the $300 range if you call and speak with their group reservations folks. You might also try calling some of the other hotels that offer travelzoo specials in the $200 range (http://hotels.travelzoo.com/new-york-hotels/) and see what they can do for a group on your dates. But I wouldn't get your hopes up too high, and be sure you understand their group reservation policies. Many hotels will release all unbooked rooms in your block 30 days before the date of your event. There are a few that will require you to guarantee them a certain number of guests in order for them to hold rooms back for you--and if your final count falls short you'll pay for the unoccupied rooms anyway. Be very careful about those.

You might also want to consider staying outside Manhattan. The Hyatt, Courtyard and Doubletree in Jersey City, for example, are all decent and very close to PATH trains that will connect you to the 1 train.

Thanks. I know it's practically impossible to find someplace decent for those dates. I'll try calling up those places you recommended.

Unfortunately, it HAS to be in Manhattan for this. Thus, the difficulty is even greater...

Also try calling the new HI Express near Penn Station and the Hampton Inn in Chelsea. Both are very convenient to the 1 line, though I have no idea what rate they'll give you. Rack rate is $350-420 at those properties for those dates.

Do as the Village People do:

YMCA

I've had good luck booking meetings at the Algonquin, but I don't know what they would charge you for October. Their sleeping rooms and meeting space is on the smaller side, but it is a charming hotel with a good restaurant in a decent location.

Remember those from my teen travel days. Sadly most are closed now and long gone. The few left, Boston, Vancouver BC, NYC and Washington DC, for example, are scheduled eventually to be closed down as Y moves away from rsdential hotel business due to the high increases in insurance liabilities.

If the conference wasn't scheduled in the middle of the school year, you could probably have made a deal with one of the local universities to rent a block of dorm rooms.

I stayed for a night or two when I went to see one of the David Letterman anniversary shows at Radio City. Not fancy, certainly. I think I paid in the neighborhood of $30 a night about 20 years ago.

You could try the New York Helmesley at 42nd St. - close to Grand Central and they offer great deals for this type of stuff. Calll them for a quote. Though to get to the 1 you'd need to transfer.

Be careful with the Hampton Inn in Chelsea. I believe that's one of the hotels that makes you guarantee payment for rooms in group blocks (based on a friend's survey of hotels for a wedding a year ago).

Not super-near the 1 (need to take the shuttle from Grand Central, but it's not too bad), but I'd try the Roosevelt, had good luck with them in the past.

For 40 people, you might want to contact a travel agent (yes, that dinosaur!) to get the rates you want for the trip at the end of October. It's a very popular time here in New York as the weather is just fabulous. You also might want to reconsider your "must be near the 1 train" requirement.

i have a link for you:

http://www.javitscenter.com/hotels/

try them all- there is no major convention so you may get a deal- like the new yorker, which has a group rate- but of course the group links don't work- you said you tried them - but did you call the group desk?

its right at 34th and 8th- across from macy's

give them a call- and then get them to throw in breakfast

just walk downstairs and wend your way to the 1

if your group is taking the subway- learn about metrocard discounts

http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/metrocard/mcgtreng.htm

good luck!

btw- i'm selling passes to allow you to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge- or an extra special discount for the Staten Island Ferry (take the 1 to South Ferry)

PM me for a real deal for a group of 40!!

welcome to Noo Yawk!!

be very very careful in your quest for cheap

for example- the hotel carter- carterhotel.com offers a $119 single for your dates

i wouldn't stay there if they paid me $119!!

maybe u need to make a fast trip up to NYC to check out these properties before spending $300x3x40 = $36,000!!!

oh- and do you know about NYC taxes?

Three separate taxes apply to hotel room rentals in New York City:

New York State Sales Tax,
New York City Sales Tax, and
New York City Hotel Room Occupancy Tax (usually called the "Hotel Tax").

figure another 10% on top of the quoted rate....

Oh come on. I don't think they've found any dead bodies there in at least a couple months.