My husband and I will be in NYC in October and are looking for a good deal on a hotel in NYC. We can't find much less than $200 - should we just expect to pay that much?

We don't need anything fancy or deluxe, but are looking for a clean, safe place to stay that's relatively convenient to a major subway line.

Thanks.

You should expect the rates to be that much. Bidding on Priceline is a way around that. You can often get nice rooms for $100-125.

Agree that for October anything - except pretty margical - much under $200 is a real steal. For a couple Priceline is a great way to go. If you have never done this before go to biddingfortravel.com to learn the basics.

If you provide more info on what you are most interested inseeing/doing people here can reco neighborhoods - and may also have some suggestions on specific non-Priceline options.

Hello VABeach_Traveler.

I highly recommend the Super 8 Times Square. It is actually located right in the Diamond District, just around the corner from Rockefeller Plaza. It is about 3 blocks from Times Square so it is very accessible to the Subway. It is very clean and is in a safe area and if it is available, the rates are very good.

I stayed there in May and have recommended it to many people who have also been very happy with it.
Have a great time!

Check out www.jacksbandb.com
We stayed in #8 in August and very much enjoyed it. It's very convenient to walk to the red, blue, and orange subway lines on the Upper West Side. Right near the American Museum of Natural History.

Check for specials on Affinia.com. Somethimes they have speciall offers on their website that are much better than any of the booking sites, or even calling hte hotel directly. I booked 1 bedroom suites (with kitchen) at the Shelburne Murray Hill for $178 memoral day weekend for several family member in town for any event. EVeryone was very pleased with their accommodation and location.

If you don't want to go the Priceline route, I second the Super 8 Times Square (that is, unless you would prefer to stay in another part of Manhattan). I have stayed there a couple of times. Comfort Inn, right down the street and owned by the same company, is supposed to be even nicer and tends to run about $10 more per night. With either, you can get a room (minus taxes, etc.) for around $120-$140 per night.

Look on lastminutetravel.com and check reviews on tripadvisor.com for anything that sounds interesting. The best deal there IMO is a $149 price for a one bedroom suite with a kitchenette at the Beekman Tower. The downside, it isn't that close to a subway stop but it's right across from a crosstown bus and the place is lovely. There are some other places also under $200. Check the Avalon and the Metro too. I agree PL can be a big bargain if you know what you're doing. If you're only going for 2 or 3 nights and are planning on theater, look at the packages at

http://parksouthhotel.com/as_frames.htm

We got a last minute deal at the Radisson Lexington last weekend. Rate was only $169/night.

Room was very tiny. It was clean and safe, not fancy or deluxe, but a good base for exploring. We spent very little time in the room.

I, too, like the Affinia group of hotels, especially the Shelburne. However, there was nothing under $270 so I was outvoted .

Try Quikbook.com. You can search by price range. Also try Travelzoo.com to learn which hotels are having specials.

Have fun!

Priceline is such a fantastic deal in NYC that I can't imagine getting a hotel any other way. I always use Priceline when I travel to NYC (several times in the past few years) and have always gotten a wonderful four star hotel for under $115 per night. How can you go wrong with a three or four star hotel?

October is a busy time for business -- so most BIG deals will be over the weekend. Still, I usually use either travelzoo, affinia.com, and last time used Priceline. (My best deals have come from travelzoo and affinia) -- I love the suite hotels in the Murray Hill area.