Hi,
I´m going to run the NY marathon and I´m trying to get not expensive acommodations.
I heard about short-term apartment rental agencies, like Affordable NYC, Manhattan Getaways, NY Habitat and City Sonnet.

1. Can you tell me if these companies are serious and which one would be more trustworthy?
2. If you have any experience, good or bad, it would be great if you could talk about it.
3. Which would be the best location to stay, considering the finishing line is at W 67th street.
4. do you think there are extra fees? I´m looking for a 150-200 studio. I also have a reservation QT Hotel at 330 per night. Therefore I need to know about these possible hidden fees or extra fees.

THanks.

I would really appreciate your answers.

McLaurie is a NYC local and should be checking in here soon - she gives great advice without an attitude! You're smart to start looking for your hotel now and the idea that you have a "back up" reservation is a good one. Have you looked at any hotels on the upper west side?

Thanks for that Margo! >-

bqycc, I've heard of all of them and there are others like furnishedquarters.com, subletinthecity.com

I don't know that any 1 is more trustworthy than the other. I think the problem with all of them is they may commit to you now but if they get a customer for the same apt. for a longer period of time, you could get cancelled with some excuse (flood in bathroom of that one etc.) and wind up with something in a less desirable location for you.

I know people both on this board and elsewhere who've used nyhabitat.com happily. They find you the apt. but then you deal with the owner of the apt. directly when you arrive. I personally think an apt. for just a weekend is too much trouble. You may indeed have pay security deposits, cleaning fees etc. (so yes there may be fees)

If you feel you need a kitchen, there are apt/hotels and apts. in b & bs and inns that would provide that and be more reliable (imo) and less hassle. If you're just looking for a place that will cost less, that's doable too.

In terms of location, I know runners always like the idea of being near the finish line. Not being a runner, I think stay wherever you can find the best deal. You can always take a cab. But for now, I'll limit my suggestions to near"ish" the finish line.

Right now $200 seems to be the bottom end for a decent room but on that weekend, it looks like $250-300 is closer to the mark. If you want to be nearish the finish line with a kitchen, here are some ideas

Jacksbandb.com
This is a b & b on the upper westside that's clean but basic. Rates listed as $160-200/night

http://beaconhotel.com/
A hotel again upper westside. All rooms have kitchenettes. $220-250 for a single at that time.

http://www.milburnhotel.com/
Another good UWS hotel with kitchenettes

http://countryinnthecity.com/index.html
This is another b & b with kitchenettes but requires a min. 3 night stay.

The Excelsior, the Lucerne, On the Avenue and the Belleclaire are other hotels in that area that might have some rooms with kitchenettes, but most are just regular rooms. There's a Comfort Inn Central Park West that would be steps away from the finish line. Rooms there are miniscule though and I'd imagine prices would be high for that weekend b/c of location.

vrbo.com (vacation rental by owner) might be an option easier than the rental cos. I'd say in addition to the UWS (west 60s,70s, 80s), anything in the west 50s would also work.

There are some hotels near the south end of the park (west 50s) that wouldn't be too far from the finish line. The Salisbury and the Buckingham both have apts. (I checked the Salisbury and it's full). The Wellington is pretty scruffy but an option and I think some of their rooms have kitchens. Not where I'd want to stay, but big, well located. The Hudson is a trendy hotel with small rooms but not bad location for you. But price over $400 for that weekend!

Finally, many may suggest you try newyork.craigslist.com where individuals (and some agents) list vacation rentals (along with everything else). I think it's an iffy proposition and time consuming. If you want to try this, I'd run your own ad (it's free) and let people respond to you and see. Just be careful about parting with money too quickly.

Good luck and congrats on the marathon!

One other thought, the Manhattan Club is a timeshare property with nice apartments in the west 50s. You might check on websites where owners rent out their timeshare and see if any are available on that weekend. I found 2 that rent by the day with floating dates, a studio for $300/night and a 1 bedroom for $325/night (both are probably negotiable). Look here
http://www.vacationtimesharerentals....es-compare.asp

This 1 bedroom/2 bath is available for just 11/3-4. They say they want $360/night for weekends.
http://www.greatrentals.com/NY/5357.html

Some more here. Scroll down to "m"
http://www.tug1.org/tugads/1-3dname1.html#ad48788

Do NOT rent anything from a co. called WooGo.

Thanks Mclaurie for your tips. I really don´t need the kitchenette, but the prices for renting apartments are much lower than the prices for booking hotel rooms. I was wondering if it´s worth the hassle or if I were going to regret going to an appartment.
I will be in NY from 11/1 to 11/6

Well the headline said weekend so I took you at your word but 5 days makes a bit of a difference since some places have minimum stay requirements I didn't mention. Here's a link to an apt. recently used by another poster on this board. http://www.greatrentals.com/NY/13369.html
It's $225/night, about 10 blocks from the south end of the park and fab. views in a modern building. It says a min. of a week's stay, but you could ask. You're dealing with the owner so no agent fees but you will notice a cleaning fee and security.

At the same time I'd pursue any of the other options I mentioned that appeal to you. If the objective is a good price, I'd try Jack's b & b and the other hotels on the uppper westside.

I got The Park South Hotel for $199 per night off Quikbook.com for that weekend and I think there are rooms still available. I also think it includes breakfast.

I booked in January (knew I was running either by lottery or fundraising) and was able to add five additional rooms.

It is a very nice boutique hotel however the rooms are small.

Good luck with the apartment rental.

thank you for all the links. I have sent several inquiry forms for the apartments and for one of the B&B.

What about those bidding web-pages? Maybe I find the pampering hotels for less, Every time I look at the QT pictures, I can imagine myself in the swimming pool or in the sauna after the marathon ....

The pool at the QT is in the lobby bar! I think it's more of a social thing than anything else. There are PLENTY of hotels with spas, very few with pools. The Millenium UN Plaza & the Parker Meridien are 2 place sometimes affordable with decent pools.

As to bidding, I think it's very unlikely any rooms will be available on Priceline for that weekend. YOu could perhaps get a room during the week via Priceline but would have to move for the weekend. Don't even think of doing this unless you read up on biddingfortravel.com or betterbidding.com

You'll never get anything on priceline but you may luck out and find something on hotwire for under $200.

I wouldn't wait much longer to book or you'll end up paying premium prices.

Manhattan WILL sell out that weekend. I've spent more time working and for leisure in NYC than I have anywhere else and I've been to Manhattan marathon weekend tons of times and it is insanely packed.

I have received a reply for an apartment rental that is on Long Island. it says it is the High Rise building on the East River and that is really easy to go to NY via a train.
What do you think about it? The price is really good, but is it as easy as the owner says?

No apt. on Long Island could be on the East River, but regardless of that I would not stay anywhere on Long Island. It could be in Long Island CITY which is part of Manhattan just over the 59th st. bridge and that's a whole other thing. I would not stay there for your purposes but the final decision is up to you. I don't think there's any place to run there (many of the streets are cobblestone) and getting to the starting line will be more of a challenge not to mention getting back after the race.

We started out, remember, looking for some place NEAR THE FINISH LINE. If you just want a cheap place, then find one on the island of MANHATTAN. I could even make an argument (although not a strong one) for staying on Staten Island where the race begins.

You better decide what it is you want. If it's just some place clean and inexpensive, run your own ad in newyork.craigslist for what YOU want and let people respond to you. You'll get dozens of options that might not be so good, but probably a few that would work.

Sorry, my second sentence should read LI City is part of NYC (not Manhattan). Btw, the train from there is a subway so if it's near a subway stop (and not all places there are)it is fairly easy. If you really want to consider it, find out which subway line (which letter) it's near and how far to the subway station.

THanks for your help. I have found a 245 rate (The Franklin hotel)at E80th st. the critics at tripadvisor were ok. Do you think the same?

No. The location is "ok" but the place last I looked was 1 step up from a hostel. $245 is crazy.

Have you checked with the owner from the greatrentals 1 bedroom? Have you checked Jack & Judy's? (jacksbandb)

I don't know the website very well, but cyberrentals.com has some great looking apartments. These 2 sounds esp. appealing for you

http://www.cyberrentals.com/USA/New-...an/p137574.htm

http://www.cyberrentals.com/USA/New-...p124303.htm#lm