nyc hotel: is super 8 worth $250 a night?
 

we are planning on going to NYC Oct 5 thru Oct 9. Per recommendations and previous post on Fodors, we have a reservation at the Super 8 times square. But we are getting concerned about the condition of the hotel. Recent tripadvisor reviews have not been complimentary. Our rate avgs about $250 a night.
I have researched other hotels that have received decent ratings (the library, belvedere) and prices are high.
And the other applecore hotels seem to be the same as super 8.
Do you think we should look in a different part of manhattan..? which part?
We'd prefer to be close to midtown or the park but not if it's going to cost us $400 a night or $250 a night for a dirty hotel.

We want to stay under $200 a night, willing to go to $250 a night.
Advice?

For that time of year $250 is what you're going to need to pay for a budget hotel. It SHOULD be clean - but it's going to be very difficult to find anything nicer for that amount.

Quikbook isn't showing anything less than that except out at the airports.

If the one review scared you you might consider another hotel in the group - the Red Roof Inn - which seems to get better reviews. It is further from Times Square - but still in midtown. The area will be quieter - IMHO not a bad thing since it can be incredibly busy/loud right near TS.

They seem to have rooms available for similar rates.

Why not check out a couple of the other applecore hotels?

I would definetly try Priceline.com. I think for 250 you can do better on Priceline than the Super 8.

You can research bidding strategies here or on betterbidding.com and biddingfortravel.com.

If it were me, I would begin with 4 stars in Midtown West, and start my bid with 200 or a little more. I would research the lists on the two sites mentioned above for an area with no known 4 stars (they have lists on those sites) and use one or two for free rebids, upping it 10 or 15 dollars at a time. You could also raise your bid with areas you want. Midtown East and Central Park South (I forget what Priceline calls that area, but you can check on Priceline).

I am pretty sure that for 250 a night you can score a 4 star on Priceline.

I wanted to add that Priceline now lets you bid again in the same categories after 24 hours. So try tonight, and if you can't get anything, try in a day for 3.5 stars (they still have these, I think) or three stars.

We got a great room at the Hilton Midtown (a Priceline 4 star) in July for 140. Priceline fees add a little more but they tell you what it is before you finalize your bill, so you may want to stop at around 230 or so, to keep within your 250 limit.

The only thing I can add is that we stayed at the Super 8 Times Square three years ago this past July. At that time, we paid only $89 a night for four of us. But, obviously, things have changed since then!

We were extremely happy with it. It's not a luxury hotel. But we weren't expecting it to be. It was clean, comfortable and a reasonably large room. The continental breakfast was also good, if crowded. And the location was convenient. Because NYC was just part of a much longer road trip, we also appreciated the fact that parking was quite reasonable.

For your budget there are not alot of options in the city, since this is the highest rates charged for hotels starting now.

The Travel Inn on W 42nd would be a good option, and you have free parking staying there. It's clean, close to Times Square and lots of restaurants close by.

Also the Hotel Grand Union on E. 32nd St would also be a good option, also close to transportation, shopping and lots of resturants a block or two away. The website is www.hotelgrandunion.com.

Also check www.hotels.com for more ideas and to see what the going rates are for your dates of travel.

I guess based on those reviews I'd switch to the Red Roof and at the same time try bidding on Priceline. Just not sure whether there are any rooms available at that time. The prices for those dates are simply amazing and I agree $250 for those hotels is crazy.

Only other thought is to try looking for an apt. or try a nontraditional place like an inn or b & b.

1871house.com only has a large apt. available for those dates but might rent it to you for around your budget if you're only using 1 bedroom. It's the Lexington apt. and in a lovely location near Bloomingdales.

Thanks for the replies.
We are now considering Plan B - go somewhere other than new york.
The hotel rates have priced us out of new york.

I'll check back with some of the hotels on a regular basis over the next couple weeks to see if I can catch a deal. But we can't justify spending $400/night on a hotel that would be $200/night elsewhere or $250/night on a hotel that would $100/night elsewhere.

I tried hotels in all sections of Manhattan and prices were ridciluous everywhere.

A friend asked me to check out hotels for him for late october. After seeing the rates and what's available, I too suggested he consider a plan B. I'd rather visit NYC when $250 gives you many good options rather than one or 2 overpriced mediocrity choices.

Here's another huge recommendation for the Travel Inn (always my "cancellable backup"). If you're driving, they have free parking, which makes the rates even more reasonable. Rooms are spacious and everything is well maintained. My recommendation would be to reserve there, then keep trying Priceline for no more than the Travel Inn rate for a 4*.

Chiming in to note that I stayed at
Red Roof on West 32 Street which
NY'ers call "Little Korea" w/many
restaurants.

Not only was the room well-lit & clean, we (2 women) actually got what we ordered: 2 beds which is an extreme rarity when reserving w/travelocity,etc.

They also have quite a good Breakfast room and gym facilities.

I feel responsible, Bob. I was the one who suggested Super 8. But honestly I don't blame you for not wanting to pay that sort of price for that level of hotel. Do you already have the airline tickets? Are you looking for other places to go flying to NYC or different location altogether?

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34860429

We don't have airline tickets yet so no problem if we pass on nyc.
We are looking at different cities altogether.

Your other option is to do NYC but do a different time of year - when prices are lower and you have a chance of getting a bargain through Priceline.

You would probably need to do Jan through March - except Valentine's/President's day weeks for significantly better rates.

Hey Bob, after reading the NYC for a day thread I have reevaluated my response. For my friends, they are in Boston and can easily do NYC anytime. That may not be your case. If you have always wanted to visit NYC and it is not likely that you will reschedule for a more affordable time....then perhaps you should bite the bullet.

Some great advice here. I like the Skyline for affordable, but do not think it's available. With no pryor experience, I'd go with Priceline suggestions, or book something cancellable and continue to search. It is an amazing city!

I am also one who highly recommemds and stays FREQUENTLY the Times Square Super 8. Last trip end of July.

GONE are the bargain lodgings in NYC. My opinion only, I would never consider the Traveler's Inn, dumpy and in a poor location. Econolodge is another budget hotel to consider.
Priceline is great if you only need one bed. I most always need 2 and get them at Super 8.

Consider keeping your Super 8 reservation,until you have to cancel. Keep checking rates, mine did drop $57/night three weeks ahead. :) They also have AAA/AARP rates that offer some savings.

As a side, I do have another 3 nights booked in December. NYC is just a fantastic place to visit the prices of lodging won't keep me away. I paid $800 in theater tickets last trip. Enjoyed EVERY "cent" of them. :)

I was surprised that hotel costs go up to much consistently, from October on in NY, but it appears that way. There are plenty of other times of the year to go to NY and pay only half those rates or so. Last year somehow I stumbled on a good online deal for the Muse and managed to get a huge executive suite-like room for only $250 a night during Thanksgiving weekend. I thought it was some mistake, but it wasn't. Now I loved that hotel. Even then, I don't think it was so new that it should have had such cheap fares for that holiday weekend.

Anyway, I just was in NYC over Labor Day weekend, which I assumed was higher prices for the holiday, and a lot of hotels were around $250-300 a night, which I wouldn't pay. However, I got the Quality Inn Times Square on 47th St. for only $150 a night on 9/2 and 9/3. They have just refurbished (some floors still being worked on, but didn't bother me or hear them) and the room was really very very nice, actually, with a huge 36" flatscreen TV, beautiful decor, comfortable bed, etc. That is a very convenient Times Square location.

I just checked and I think they are charging $300 or so for that room beginning October, so you really just need to go at a different time of year. I think I've been in May when rates were pretty reasonable also, but that was quite a while ago.

My dh and I are going to NY and will be staying at the Comfort Inn-mid town Manhattan (and we'll be staying with relatives on Long Island for a few days as well). We're paying $233 for the Comfort Inn...its on 46th street and near Times Square. Most reviews, not all, are pretty good on trip advisor.
Luxury no...but I HOPE its clean and decent. I like that they provide the continental breakfast...some coffee and cereal helps us to get going in the morning!!
Is there a reason why no one has mentioned the Comfort Inn??? (maybe we should NOT stay there?).
Shadow

I've stayed at the Comfort Inn Midtown and liked it. Its reviews have been discussed on a recent thread, try the search. The Comfort Inn Midtown and the Super 8 are two of the 5 Apple Core Hotels group, reasonably priced chain hotels in midtown.