Picking the right room!

Before I get into finding a cheap and good hotel room, I would like to do a follow up to my first post. When you are choosing a week go visit NYC you should make the decision as early as 6 months in advanced.

I chose my dates in June, and to refresh I am visiting January 6-13. Now, most people would recommend buying airline tickets before purchasing a room, but I have found that to not be the best way to do it, when you are planning several months in advanced. I think it is better to research and buy a room because the room will be the most expensive part of your NYC trip. Also, hotel rooms will be available to purchase far more advance than airline tickets. I have found that you can purchase hotel rooms for your selected date several months before airline tickets will be available. Plus, when planning a trip so early, though good at getting good deals, but leaves more time for obstacles that could hinder alter or change your trip plans. Most hotel rooms have cancellation policies that will give you a full refund if canceled within 24 hours of your check in day.

Now, in today's world buying online is the way to go with a lot of things, an hotel room is something that seems to be best when bought and paid for online. Now, when buying online using third party websites, such as hotels.com or Expedia.com months early you need to watch out to make sure you actually are getting the best deal. When buying early, these sites are not always cheaper than buying them directly through the hotel website. These sites get cheaper the closer you get to your selected date. However, I have found that the savings of waiting are not worth the risk of not getting a room. For example the hotel I always stay at is called The Hotel Wellington. When I buy the room months early, I get them for roughly $110.00 a night (and since I buy early these are the same prices on either website). Now, one time I did wait tills about December to buy my rooms, and I got them for $103. Now personally for me the savings are not worth the risk of not getting a room. I say this because the Wellington is the cheapest rooms I have ever found, in a safe neighborhood. I typically do book them through hotels.com rather it's cheaper or the same as directly through the hotel because as a member of their website I get rewards for every night I book on the website.

As I mentioned above, a safe neighborhood and good location is the most important thing when visiting a city such as New York. Though on of the greatest cities ever, it does have its very rough and not safe areas that one should avoid. as a visitor staying in Manhattan is the best option for visitors. It is not always the cheapest, but that is where majority of the famous NYC attractions are located. Now, when staying in Manhattan I like, and advise people to stay in midtown west. The hotel I stay at is locate on west 55th and 7th ave. it is a few blocks from Times Square, and also blocks from the famous 5th ave shops. Great neighborhood and location for the price!

So the things to remember when booking rooms, book early, check prices on multiple sites, and research location.