Visiting NY on a Budget: Hotels

From stellar museums and professional Broadway shows to swanky nightclubs and world-renowned skyscrapers, New York has it all. Who doesn’t want to visit the Big Apple? Everyone should tour the Statue of Liberty and experience Times Square at least once.

Unfortunately, visiting New York can be quite costly. Since it’s an internationally acclaimed city, people come from all around the world to visit. Its popularity increases the price of hotels, attractions, and car rentals.

However, vacationing here doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Let us share our secrets for saving money on everything from five-star hotels to high-quality car rentals and van rentals.

Lounge in Luxury on a Budget in NY

Having a small budget doesn’t mean you have to settle for sketchy motels or hostels. The secret to lounging in luxury for less is Priceline®.

Many people have used Priceline to get discounted rates on nice hotels. However, Consumers’ CHECKBOOK details how to save even more money. The article, “How to Use Priceline to Get Incredibly Low Hotel Rates,” says the following:

1. Do a little research on Expedia® to see what the average five-star hotel rate is in the area you will be visiting.
2. Go to Priceline.com. Instead of immediately entering a destination, click on the “hotels” tab.
3. Scroll down until the “Name Your Own Price®” option appears, and click on it to make a bid.
4. Enter a destination and traveling dates.
5. Next, choose the geographical area in which you’d like to stay. For example, after searching for a hotel in New York, users can choose 18 different areas including Brooklyn, Times Square — Theater District, Long Island City, and more.
6. Choose the number of stars you want the hotel to have (we recommend doing five). If a five-star hotel isn’t available in the selected neighborhood, try a nearby area.
7. Now it’s time to make a bid. Consumers’ CHECKBOOK says, “Under the Name Your Own Price section of the Web page, enter $60 per night, about the lowest rate we find Priceline will accept for high-end hotel rooms. If you found per-night rates below $100 on Expedia, etc., consider bidding $50. On the other hand, if the lowest rate available from those sites for a four- or five-star hotel exceeded $300, bid more (say, $70) so that you don’t waste too much time.”
8. Don’t worry about the warnings that your bid is low. Enter the credit card information to see if you’re accepted. If the hotel accepts the bid, it’s time to party! If not, Consumers’ CHECKBOOK says to add a second geographic zone (in addition to the first one you tried) since Priceline will not allow you to continue bidding on the exact same search more than once. Also, increase the bid by five or ten dollars until you’re accepted.

Affordable Car Rentals

After finding a five-star room at an incredible price, get a great deal on rental cars or van rentals at Empire Rent a Car. Our specials add even more savings! To make a reservation, call 800-750-8782. We look forward to serving you in the Bronx, Queens, and the rest of New York.