My sister and friends are due to depart on Friday for New York. One of them is running the NYC marathon this Sunday to raise money for an MS charity hence their presence on such a busy weekend.

Yesterday they were called by the apartment they had reserved and told that the last set of guests have trashed the place so badly it cannot be rented at all until it's fixed. Sounds slightly dodgy and they are worried about getting their deposit back but that's another issue.

One of the girls spent 10 hours yesterday and finally found a replacement apartment; it's twice the price and actually too small for their numbers but they've booked it and will make the best of it.

Unfortunately my cousin will be visiting over the marathon weekend to see my sister. She was originally going to stay in the apartment but the new one is too small so my sister is looking for a hotel room as near to the apartment as possible but that isn't too expensive.

New apartment is at 427 EAST 82ND STREET (between 1st Avenue and York Avenue).

PLEASE can anyone help find a hotel in this area that has availability for a twin or double room for the nights of 5th and 6th November? We're looking to book something in the next few hours so I'll come back to the thread and post once this thread is obsolete. THANKS

I posted this on your Europe thread, but just incase you are checking here first, here is my reply:

Considering occupancy this weekend you should probably widen your search and your cousin can use public transportation or cabs to meet up with her friends. Applecorehotels.com has several of their hotels available (overpriced due to a popular weekend, but at least they HAVE rooms) The Times Square Super 8 is $250 for the 5th and $109 for the 6th (Queen Room) or you can get a room with 2 double beds for $259 on the 5th and $119 for the 6th. The hotel is at 46th St. between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, not near the apartment, but a decent mid-town location and convenient to transporation. Let us know how you do with your search - good luck!

I'm really surprised that AppleCore has any rooms left -- that group has a very good reputation for being clean budget hotels.

The Upper East Side (e.g., E 82) is very residential, not much in the way of hotels up there at all.

Believe it or not, you should keep trying on Priceline; their very nature is to get rooms that hotels hang onto until the last minute, or that are freed-up by last-minute cancellations.

Had already tried priceline plus several other discount hotel sites and also B&B and apartment sites too.

The nearest hotel to her apartment that we could find was the Bentley hotel which she has just booked via expedia. More than she wanted to spend but a priority was to be as close to the apartment as possible. Rate was $647 for the two nights including taxes. Steep but... it is a bad weekend to be looking for a bargain in NY especially when location is restricted.

THANKS EVER SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP!

Glad she found something, I hope she has a wonderful time in NYC!

THANKS!
If anyone wants to sponsor her friend, you can do so here: http://www.justgiving.com/abigailb-d