How to Select a New York City Hotel

New York City probably has the widest array of hotels in the world. What's your pleasure? How about an artsy, business, boutique, chain, European, low-brow, or luxury hotel? Some hotels in the City will run you upwards of $1,000 per night. At that price, you are pretty sure to get exactly what you want. However, if your last name is not Gates and you are looking for a reasonably priced, safe hotel in the City, here are a few tips you may find helpful:

Always make a hotel reservation in advance. Never arrive in New York City and try to book a hotel in person. You will get the absolute worst deal.

Never book a hotel over the telephone. You will get the next worst deal.

There is no need for a travel agent unless you have extra money and zero time. An agent will not be able to do any more for you than you can do for yourself "without" paying a fee.

The best way to get the best deal on a New York City hotel is to book it over the Internet. By best deal, I do not just mean the lowest price. The best deal on a New York City hotel involves many factors for the lowest price.

The best place to book a New York City hotel online is Hotels.com (Refer to the link provided in the Resource area below). Hotels.com offers a huge selection of hotels within a wide price range from about $50 to $1,000 per night. Their bookings are very reliable. You will receive a confirmation in advance and the hotel room you request will be waiting for you when you arrive in the city.

With such a large selection, how do you choose the hotel room that is right for you? The key lies in prioritizing. Decide what is most important to you to make your stay comfortable. Answering the following questions should help.

Shared Bath: Are you willing to share a bath? Any hotel in New York City for under around $100 is probably a shared bath arrangement. The bathroom will be out in the hallway and you will be sharing it with strangers. If you are fine with this arrangement you may be able to save some money. However, what you save on the room you may end up spending on transportation. Many of these shared-bath deals are located in Upper Manhattan. If you prefer a private bath to be comfortable make sure you are getting one BEFORE you book.

Location: How far away from your intended destination are you willing to stay? How much will the distance cost in transportation? The closer you stay to your planned itinerary the more money you will save on transportation. New York City taxicabs are not cheap. If you keep running "Eastside, Westside, all around the town" in cabs all day you are going to spend a small fortune. Feet hurt? Want to change your shoes? Forgot your camera? How about your child's medicine? You get the idea. The wrong location can be very inconvenient and expensive. You can cut-down on the expense by using the City's MTA services, but you may increase the inconvenience. Bus and subway fares are $2.00 per ride. You can also purchase a 1-Day Fun Pass for $7.00 or a 7-Day Unlimited Ride Metro Card for $24.00 (See link below). However, if you are not familiar with the City, routes, and schedules you may end up running around in a maze in a daze.

Safety: What is your security comfort level? How do you feel about walking dimly lit, deserted city streets at night? How do you feel about an open stairway door across the hall from your hotel room? Do you want someone manning the front desk in the middle of the night or are you fine on your own? An inexpensive hotel room will lack security. It is common sense. When a hotel makes less money it has less money to spend on security. So, you must decide what means more to you, money vs. safety.

Amenities: New York City hotels offer such a wide range of amenities I cannot list them all. Here are a few basic ones to consider: Room service, roll-away bed, wake-up call, refrigerator, Internet access, concierge, parking, breakfast services, pets, and child care. Decide which amenities you really "need" as opposed to the ones you would just "like" to have. Also, seek alternatives. Can you set an alarm or have a friend call you instead of a wake-up call? Does Rover or Fluffy really need to be there or can your little fur-ball stay with Aunt Betty?

Quality Ratings: Ratings can be deceiving and confusing. View Hotels.com list by price and you will find one, two, and three star hotels for around the same price. Sometimes you will see a three-star hotel for less than a one-star hotel. Do not jump to grab the three-star. Remember the old saying, "If something sounds too good to be true...." In a case such as this the three-star hotel is probably comparable to a one-star hotel. So, how do you decide what to rent within this rating system? Comparison is the key. Compare a hotel to other hotels in its rating class. Then, compare it to other hotels in its price range. A good rule of thumb is never rent below a three-star rating to avoid basic problems such as lack of cleanliness. No matter what a hotel's rating, be sure to follow the next suggestion.

Research: After you narrow down your hotel choices, surf the Net to discover what former customers have to say about them. Customer reviews are the most reliable as the people have nothing to lose or gain. Also, check to see if the hotels have their own websites. Finally, give them a call and ask them anything your heart desires just to get an inkling of their attitude.

Hopefully, you will find these suggestions for renting a New York City hotel room helpful. It is not that complicated and more common sense than rocket science. Enjoy your stay in the Big Apple and please be sure to check out my article, Safety Tips for Visiting New York City, before you go, just to be on the safe side.