Steve_Dawgg

So I like the idea of or staying in an apartment vs a hotel. Turns out prices are about the same and only slightly cheaper, but the experience I think would be fun! Plan on traveling Dec 18 - 22 (4 nights).

I found a few sites, Airbnb, and homeaway - airbnb is great, and homeaway for some reason is super expensive. So with that being said, what other websites do you suggest or recommend that are similar to these? I found a few, and decided to set my price at 750 tops since this is the going rate for hotels also. I would like to stay in or near times square, wall street, or central park.

vjpblovesitaly

It is my understanding that short term apt rentals are generally illegal in NYC and often scams. If you are interested in a shared rental (a room in someone's apt) from one of the sites, that is better. Do some general internet research on the issue for more details.

There are some apartment style hotels that might be better.

PeaceOut

Try The Hotel Beacon, for it's one- and two-bedroom suites with kitchen, eating area, and living room. We rented a two-bedroom/ two-bath suite there in June for $525. Great location near the park, market across the street, subway station a block away.

doug_stallings

You can't rent an apartment legally for fewer than 30 days in NYC. So while a lot of people still use Airbnb and Craigslist to rent out their apartments illegally, you are on the hook and have no recourse if something goes wrong, or if it's an outright scam, as it can be in NYC. As PeaceOut points out, however, there are some hotels that have units with kitchens that offer an apartment feel. Most of the Affinia group of hotels also have these, as does Radio City Apartments, though it's an almost certainty that the latter is sold out.

nyer

Steve_Dawgg , $750 for 4 nights in a NYC hotel ("since this is the going rate for hotels also" )seems very very low to me, even in the off season months of January and February. You said you've found availability in that price range?

I wouldn't worry too much about the neighborhood, the ones you mention (times square, wall street, or central park) are pretty varied, so it sounds like you'd be OK anywhere in Manhattan and near subway lines

Placename

$750 a night is fine. $750 for 4 nights is a private room in a hostel.

nytraveler

$750 for a hotel in NY in Dec is dirt cheap, although the prices do come down a little right before Christmas - since business trvel is down. You don;t say wht hotels you are looking at - but I would research them very carefully. There ae definitly some on the major search engines that you don;t want to stay at (dirty, verminous, etc).

And short-term rentals in NYC are illegal in most circumstances - OK only if someone is rentig out part of a private house - which is very rare in Manhatten - where a basic townhouse goes for $4 million and up. So the places you are looking at are most likely illegal and quite possiblt a scam.

Unless you love takng risks with your time and money look for a hotel with kitchenette if that is what you want. (As for apartments being expensive - NYC is. In my - middle class - building a small one bedroom sublets for more than $3000 per month on a long-term basis.)

mclaurie

airbandb lists hosted apts. as well as unhosted. The unhosted where you rent the whole apt. is mostly illegal but a hosted stay, where you stay in an apt. with the owner or renter is not necessarily considered illegal. citylightsnewyork.com is a similar kind of situation where the hosted may be ok but the unhosted are mostly illegal.

What's totally legal is an apartment hotel where you can get something akin to an apt. with kitchen and a bit of extra space but in a legal hotel with daily maid service. There are actually a few options within your budget but you'd have to prepay to get those rates and it would be non-cancelable. The Affinia Manhattan is an apartment hotel across from Penn station. You can get a queen room there on booking.com for $730 non refundable or $776 with free cancellation. This hotel was recently renovated and has coffee maker and fridge but not a full kitchen. For ~ $100 more over the 4 days you can get a bigger studio suite with microwave.

The Hilton Garden Inn Times Square is imo a better location and has large rooms too. You can stay there within your budget by booking a non cancelable rate on kayak.com

Look at photos on oyster.com This is a much safer bet than dealing with hosted apts. or being scammed on a potential illegal apt. rental.

nytraveler

A room in a hosted apartment may well not be legal. Many co-ops and condos clearly ban residents from renting out rooms. And I'm sure a lot of landlords wouldn;t be happy about it. You might well not be found out in only 4 days - but do realize the risks involved.

sf7307

There's a difference between "not legal" and "against the rules".

nytraveler

No - actually co-op and condo leases are legal documents. The tenants leases are based on the articles of incorporation and tenants are legally bound by the terms of their leases. We ended up locking one tenant out of the building (changing locks on her apartment) since she refused to stop subletting without board approval - and these were for longer leases - that might have been allowed if she had gone through the proper procedures.

If it is determined that a co-op tenant is subletting to tourists on a short term basic - a week or two at a time - and they are found - they can be removed as trespassers - since they have no legal right to be in a private residence.

sf7307

Sorry, that still doesn't make it illegal, it makes it a breach of contract.

mclaurie

There is in fact a LAW on the books that bans apt. rentals for less than 30 days. http://www.tnooz.com/2010/07/24/news...rental-owners/

nytraveler

The interpretation of a co-op proprietary lease really doesn;t matter, The fact is that a short-term subletter in those buildings can be removed as a trespasser, since, not being a tenant, they have no legal right to be in a private residence. A real problem if you are removed from an apartment that you think you have "rented".

And the sublet ban law applies to multi-family residences in the state of New York.