Taking my daughter to New York city for her 18th b-day around Dec. 4th. Been searching for hotels - all are very, very expensive. I stayed at Omni Berkshire (great location) last year in April for 199.00/night, now they want 439.00. Why so much more for December? And any suggestions as to sites or hotels in the area would be appreciated.
Thanks
LL

Priceline or Hotwire it and you'll save a bundle.

BetterBidding.com will show you hotels others have received and what they paid, as well as give help for your own stay.

Many people like to come to NYC at that time for Xmas shopping etc. so prices will be higher than April. Bidding on Priceline IS a good option but it may be too early for hotels to release rooms for Priceline for that time. They'll try to sell them at higher prices first.

I would personally NOT bid midtown east at whatever star level the Hyatt falls, because it is scheduled for renovation just after the New Year & is not in good condition. BTW, the Omni Berkshire is one of the hotels you can get on Priceline but it may be in the same area/star level as the Hyatt. I would try Upper midtown (the area just south of Central Park). Biddingfortravel not only lists the Priceline hotels, but you'll also see what others have paid for winning bids.

If you don't want to wait or attempt to bid, try the website quikbooks.com. The Gorham is a hotel many people like.

Why so much more for December?

December is peak season for NYC. Shopping, Holiday decorations, etc.

Try the Sheraton Suites on the Hudson in Weehawken, NJ. They are right across the river from NYC. You can see the skyline from your hotel room. If you will have a car, they have free parking, and they are right around the corner from the Harbour Tunnel (I think it's the Harbour, or else it's the Lincoln). They also have a free shuttle to the ferry. You have to pay for the ferry, but once you get into Manhattan, they have a free bus that will take you the important sites in NYC (free). Breakfast is also free.

And the prices are high because of special shows like Radio City's Christmas show.

Also, try quickbook.com and hotres.com

I highly recommend the Gorham, (which isn't on hotres) but I checked thru their website for Dec. 4th and there is no availability for that date.

We recently stayed there (early Aug) for $135. The rate for Dec. was $285 on quickbook. Obviously everyone raises their rates as others have stated.

As biddingfortravel will point out, you can probably get an excellent room in Midtown East by bidding for $75 for a 2.5*, since the last 20 people who did this got the Courtyard By Marriott Midtown East (on third at 52) and were very pleased with it. (Including me!) Apparently the hotel is underrated because it doesn't exactly meet Priceline's star criteria (probably for restaurants).

With things so hectic/crowded/expensive in December, would your daughter be willing to consider a delay until January? Rock bottom prices and fewer crowds. Only downside--the Christmas decorations are down.

And some of the cheapest rates I've seen for NYC are for the week between Christmas and New Years. The decorations are still up.

We just got back from New York City and I knew I wanted to be in the Times Square area (Midtown West). I researched the hotels on biddingfortravel.com and saw that people were getting the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers for $75. So I bid that rate on Priceline and got the Sheraton. It was a fantastic location. Just a couple of blocks from the heart of Times Square but far enough away from the crowds, close enough to Rockefeller Center and 5th Avenue, I walked to Central Park, close to a subway entrance, etc. My family kept saying...great location! There are restaurants and theatres around it as well. The linens onthe bed are gorgeous. The rooms are not huge but we really didn't spend much time in our room.

We really liked the Manhattan East Suites property called Dumont Plaza for our visit last December. They have changed corporate name and now are Affinia Hotels (www.affinia.com) but the properties are the same. What I liked was the location - covenient but not in the midst of throngs of tourists, with neighborhood shops and restaurants nearby - as well as having a kitchen. We also stayed one night at their Southgate Tower location (right across from Madison Square garden) when a flight was cancelled, and the room was huge and well appointed but the bathroom tiny. Both places the staff was very friendly and efficient. They were offering some great specials on rates.

To Ilowe248: Just returned today from a stay at the Omni Berkshire. Got a package deal from Hotwire which included airfare (1,000 miles away) AND King non-smoking room for 3 nights for 625 pp. Very nice, although service was bit spotty. Overall a good deal, clean, nice furnishings, great location and quiet. Have a great trip with your daughter!