NYC: Apartment for 6
 

We are starting to plan a fall vacation to NYC. 4 adults, 2 young children. Comparing to multiple hotel rooms, I'm considering apartment rental. Budget around $650/night total.

I've found several 2 or 3BR units on vrbo.com. Most have 2 baths---one even has 3 baths. And, as far as I can tell, they are in good locations. But I've read such horror stories about apt rentals, I'd like more input before we continue.

These are some of the apts we're considering:
3BR,3BA
http://www.vrbo.com/138897

Chelsea 2BR loft
With extra bed, this could work for us:
http://www.vrbo.com/121518
(What about the location? I don't know the Chelsea area)

What do you guys think? Too Risky?

Well- just looking at the photos of the first apartment it is apparent that someone has taken a one bedroom apartment and divided it into 2 tiny bedrooms (it looks like you have to walk on the bed to get to the window in one bedroom). It also mentions $3900 per week - are you planning on staying for the week?

I would definitely ask for references and be sure you have a 24 hour local contact phone number - since even with 2 minute bedrooms this is a very low price.

The second apartment appears to have one bed. Will the other 2 adults and 2 kids share a pull out sofa? Prices are listed for up to 4 people - not for 6.

The first unit says she will rent for less than a week if there are "gaps" in the calendar, which there are for the times we can go. Yes, the price looks low especially for the neighborhood. And, yes, it looks like it would be hard for more than one person at a time to dress in the bedroom!. Other than that, it's great! :)

As for the 2nd unit, the description says a queen bed in each of the 2 bedrooms and a queen futon can be provided in the living room. I presumed that allowed 6 people, but maybe not.

Since I posted this I've read several more threads. The general consensus seems to be "get a hotel". That's probably what we'll end up doing, but it sure would be nice to have the extra room (and kitchen) with the children along. They're troopers, but they do tend to get stir crazy in hotel rooms.

Not sure why there seems to be a recent spate of references to "horror stories." I can see where there may be a higher risk on a site like craigslsit, but VRBO is probably one of the safest sites to use.
The first apartment looks fine to me - sure, bedrooms look smallish but so are a lot of NYC hotel rooms, and this is just for vacation, not living full time. That location may be preferable with the kids, too. I'd sure consider it.

<<it is apparent that someone has taken a one bedroom apartment and divided it into 2 tiny bedrooms>>

I don't think so. I've been (and work) in apartments in buildings like that one with precisely this layout. That small bedroom is actually the room above the entrance foyer, and so it is about the same size. it was never intended to have a queen size bed in it since the building was built before queen size beds were an option. The other small bedroom is in a similar add-on extension into the backyard.

Chelsea location is fine, especially if it's just one block from the subway as the ad states.

Seamus, what makes VRBO "safe"? I've used it, successfully, but it's my understanding (And I may be wrong) that it's just a place to post listings - they don't take any responsibility for the listings. Just wondering .

I wouldn't say that VRBO is 100% safe, but unlike Craigslist and some other sites where people can post and repost offers for nonexistent apartments -- do it once at VRBO and have someone report it, and it will be gone from the website almost instantly.

try to get the exact address. for the chelsea apt, i didn't see any indication what street it's on. people are notorious for really stretching the boundaries of areas. having said that, i love chelsea and lived in the area (more west village, but bordering chelsea) and it's great. but good access to subway is important.

VRBO isn't completely safe. You're still dealing with the owners directly and need to do due diligence. However, my understanding is that if they get a bunch of complaints VRBO will pull the listing.

This is unlike Craig's list - which has MANY bogus listings - and takes no responsibility for anything

We just rented the nice little apartment from bigapplegetaway.com.

I'm not sure it would be big enough but it's a one-bedroom (queen bed) with a pull-out couch in the living room. So that would do for the 4 adults. I did notice that there was a box in the bedroom closet marked 'inflatable bed' or something like that, so maybe that would do for the kids. There's a little kitchen and only one bathroom. You'd be crowded for sure, but the apartment is very clean, in a great location (50th between 8th and 9th), quiet, and has a lovely view (33rd floor).

The website is www.bigapplegetaway.com.

Not sure that any online transaction can be considered 100% absolutely safe, but VRBO is a well established site that does respond to feedback and police posters. Craigslist gets maligned a lot, but I have had good luck several times - in NYC - renting short term apartments, though I recognize that it's a lot easier for scam artists to post there.

goddesstogo, glad you enjoyed "my" apartment -- the BigAppleGetaway one -- which I've rented a couple of times. But the owner will not rent it for less than a week, which I don't think the poster is planning to do. While the apartment is wonderful for two and could work for four, with two on the sofa bed and all sharing the one bath, I really can't imagine a total of six in it.

Hi NP,
Yes, we had a great time and the apartment was perfect for us. I can't say I didn't miss the amenities of a hotel but at $275 a night when everything else we looked at was $350 to $400, it was a bargain. And so close to everything that we only used cabs twice in the week. Did you shop at the Amish Market? I could live there!

When I get around to it, I'm going to write a trip report because we did a lot of fun things that were new to us.

Re the OP, I didn't notice how long they were planning to stay. I was looking on the apt website just yesterday for a friend, and I noticed that there was a four-day mid-week space left in August that I thought my friend would be interested in. I know that the apt is generally rented by the week but I think the owner can be approached about shorter periods of time if they're available.

It definitely would be crowded but it might be worth it. And who knows how close these friends are? ;)

Anyway, thanks so much for recommending it! Now find my a similar apartment in London, please.

Thanks for the tip on bigapplegetaway. It really is too small for our group, but I've saved it for future trips. Looks like a real find!

I've written for more info about the Chelsea location. Will post when I have an answer.

Goddesstogo, here's the London flat I've rented at least ten times now. I LOVE it.

www.farnum-christ.com/Floral%20Street.htm

I love the F&C apartments, NP, but they're too expensive for us if we're going to be there for 4 months. I can dream, though!

Hmmmm. Renting a flat in London for 4 months? We thought about that, but decided to use that money to buy a new Lear Jet and Yacht and travel the world instead.
:D

try woogo.com it gets very mixed reviews but my daughter used them a year or two ago and stayed in the block next to the empire state and considered it terrific value. not a hotel but appartments. look on trip advisor etc for reviews

I've living on the Upper east side of NYC for ten years. When we first moved here, my family stayed at the Surrey Hotel for six months.
The hotel has great units with kitchens, so it's like having an apartment, but it's in a beautiful, medium sized hotel. Worth every penny, though I'm not sure of the cost now. The location is the best, on 76th Street between Fifth and madison and half a block from Central Park and the boat pond and Alice In Wonderland statue in the park, and accessible to all means of transportation, bus, subway, taxis, etc.

Radio City Apartments (basically a suite style hotel in Midtown) has 2 bedroom suites. They have one double bed in one room, twin beds in the other room and a pullout sofa bed. It says it is for maximum 5 adults. Maybe they would allow 2 children in lieu of the 5th adult? It's around $385 pn in August. It doesn't state how many bathrooms though. Near the Rockefeller Center.

http://www.radiocityapartments.com/index.cfm

mrgrumpy -- WOOGOO? Are you kidding? That is beyond scary!

I did this a couple of years of ago--got a two bedroom/two bath, with small full kitchen at the Sherbourne Murray Hill--37th and Lexingtong--it is one of the Affinia Hotels--location was good and the apartment was fine

"Hmmmm. Renting a flat in London for 4 months? We thought about that, but decided to use that money to buy a new Lear Jet and Yacht and travel the world instead."

EXCUSE ME????? But aren't you the same Patrick who assured me not that long ago that it would be just as expensive for us to live in NY (our other choice) for 4 months as is would in London? It was a long, long thread because I kept saying I didn't believe it since my Cdn dollar is at par with the US dollar but worth only half a pound. You and someone else -- I can't remember who -- convinced me that there was something wrong-headed with me because I couldn't get it. You and s/he INSISTED that I'd do just as well to go to London as NY. Really! I wish I could find that thread for you but I don't have the time to seek it out right now.

Does anyone know the websites for the Sherbourne Murray Hill and the Surrey? I know they're both under the Affinia Hotels but the Affinia website doesn't link me to those two specific apartment hotels (unless I've missed it somewhere on there).

I'm hoping to see some pictures.

Thanks

Thanks, dmlove.

Just for your info... I have rented from VRBO twice ... one time in Maui which was exactly like the site explained and one in Chicago which we are going to on June 1 ... can let you know how it goes but I am expecting it to be quite enjoyable.

goddesstogo, if it makes you feel better go ahead and change that "4 months in London" to "4 months in New York" and I'll still say the same thing (OK, slightly exaggerating) about the Lear Jet and yacht. How do you feel about renting Big Apple Getaway for 4 months? It would actually cost about the same or a little more than the Farnum-Christ apt. I rent in London. They are pretty much priced the same, yet if anything the flat in London is nearly twice the size and oozes in charm and character compared to the New York one. So I still stand by my statements -- both made previously and the one I just made today.
It wasn't so much London I was referring to with the comment about cost -- but 4 months!

NY and London are the two on the shortlist. I'd go for either but my SO seems pretty firm on London, so we can have some long weekends somewhere across the Channel. Fine with me. :-D

Neither of us will have to work there but we'll both have incomes from home, so it isn't the cost of rent or things that's the issue, it's the cost of money. I think I wasn't explaining that in the first go-round. Here it is: if a cup of coffee costs $1 US in NY (ha!), I can pay for it with $1 Cdn. However, if that same cup of coffee costs L1 in London, I have to pay for it with $2 Cdn. See?

Big Apple Getaway in New York -- 17 weeks rental (4 months) = $ 33,248.60 Canadian

Floral Street flat/Farnum & Christ -- 17 weeks rental = $30,385.80 Canadian.

So you'd have nearly $3000 left over in London to do with what you want!

I still say, you can do London for 4 months for the same price (or maybe less) than New York for 4 months. Now, finding an apartment for a 4 month rental in either place for a reasonable amount IS a problem.

goddestogo, your thinking is still flawed. The same cup of coffee in New York for $1 (where is that by the way?) will not be 1 pound in London. That's the problem with your thinking. Just like theatre tickets are now about the same cost in London as in New York -- that is AFTER conversion. Top musical ticket on Broadway may be $110, but the same ticket in London is 55 pounds. See?
Last summer I paid 1.59 pounds for a giant latte at Pret and Manger in London every morning. The "same" latte at Starbucks in New York will easily be over $3. See?

Both of those flats would be too expensive for us.

Sorry, can't continue to play -- have to do real work now. Back soon. :-D

Sorry. Of course, they are both too expensive for MOST of us -- I was only pointing out the one in London is NO MORE expensive than the one in New York that started this conversation with "find me one like it in London". I did! Well, actually better than the one in New York in many ways.

Well, that's true. You did find me one like it (or even better) in London. Now find me Coco's homeindijon in London. Have you ever stayed at Coco's, NP? I think you'd love it.

Hello , try renting in Brooklyn try urban Rental they are located on 5th Avene here in Brooklyn, or a bed & breakfast here in brooklyn. try google (Brooklyn,New York)Have fun and good luck

It turns out one of the guys has points!...and forgot to tell us. We're going with 2 rooms at the Holiday Inn Express on 5th Ave.

Thanks for all the help, though. I've saved this thread for future reference.