New York may be the city that never sleeps, but you still have to.
Unfortunately, due to record tourism (39.6 million visitors last year, up 4.8 percent from 2003), the budget-conscious are finding it harder to book cheap lodging in the Big Apple, at least by New York standards. The result: While an indulgent stay at Ian Schrager's latest boutique is always an option, today more and more travelers are opting for practicality over style at the city's low-frills chain options. The Hampton Inns and Best Westerns may not have the spa robes and marble bathrooms of the Ws and the Westins, but they do have a legion of fans.
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| Visitors can sleep for less (sometimes) at New York City's Super 8 Hotel Times Square, which features a lobby with art deco flourishes. |
While these hotels are often less expensive than other neighborhood options (and can be found citywide, from Times Square and Midtown to the Upper West Side and Lower Manhattan), you can still pay a hefty price. Blame the high occupancy rates of these "limited-service hotels" -- industry parlance for hotels generally without on-site restaurants and the designation for chains like La Quinta, Comfort Inn and Howard Johnson.
According to Vijay Dandapani, chairman of the Hotel Association of New York City and chief operating officer of Apple Core Hotels, the occupancy figures "track the rest of the city," currently at about 83 percent. (Average occupancy nationwide is 64.2 percent, according to PKF Consulting, a firm that follows industry trends.) The high demand results in some surprising prices, like a recent pretax quote of $189.99 for a double at the Comfort Inn Midtown at 129 W. 46th St.
Still, if you were to stay the same night at the new Westin just a few blocks away at 270 W. 43rd St., a double would set you back $299.
The city's limited-service hotels, more commonly associated with I-95 than Broadway, are a mix of old and new properties. Hampton Inn, which debuted in Chelsea in 2003, is opening a branch in Lower Manhattan and by summer's end will be flying its flag at the Howard Johnson Plaza (now under renovation). The Comfort Inn on West 35th Street, on the other hand, has been around for more than 20 years, though it was recently renovated.
Apple Core Hotels has taken a different route: It buys mixed-use buildings and refurbishes them in conjunction with chains such as Red Roof Inn and Super 8. (It operates five Manhattan properties; its La Quinta Inn Islip is set to open on Long Island by year's end.)
Big Apple visitors are booking these roadside-chains-gone-urban for a number of reasons.
· Lower prices . . . if you can get them. According to the most recent figures provided by NYC & Co., the city's tourism bureau, the average daily rate for a hotel room is $216. "I've stayed in $200 to $300 rooms that were claustrophobic," said Anthony Frontera, a frequent visitor from Newburgh, N.Y. He recently booked the La Quinta Inn at 17 W. 32nd St. for $89.99. "[There] I had a room with a view. It's homey, nothing extravagant. . . . They were really accommodating. I'm very glad I found it."
Sometimes, though, you have to forget any preconceived notions of what a budget hotel should cost: In New York, prices are often supersized. On a recent busy summer weekend, for example, a standard double at the Best Western Eastern Shore in Exmore, Va., went for $104 at the Best Western Web site. A comparable room at New York's Best Western Seaport Inn Downtown the same day? $219.
· Loyalty benefits. Affinity programs reward those who stick with a particular brand. A stay can earn points redeemable for airline miles, magazine subscriptions or a hotel room with no blackout dates. The TripRewards program includes, among others, properties owned by Howard Johnson, Ramada and Super 8 hotels. Hilton HHonors members can rack up points at Hampton Inn properties; Gold Crown Club International members earn free stays at Best Western. Choice Privileges earn points for Comfort Inn guests. All of those brands have Manhattan locations.
· On-site amenities. While you may not get a personal butler or find a chocolate on your pillow, limited-service hotels have gained strides in the amenities department, with many offering valet service, fitness rooms, business centers and free local calls. A complimentary breakfast, though perhaps not a high priority for the business traveler with a per diem, is always welcome -- and it's offered at all Comfort Inns and Apple Core Hotels.
