New York is a dream destination that many people want to visit at least one day in their life. However, as everything is expensive in New York, if you don’t have a lot of money to spend, you need to plan your trip well. There are various ways to stretch your dollars, and this article will give you some tips regarding accommodation, which probably eats up a major part of all your travel expenses.
Choose the Season
Room rates can vary wildly depending on the season you travel. During winter time, you could get some bargain prices, and contrary to popular belief, summer is a good season for discounts too. Try not to plan your trip to New York around Christmas, Thanksgiving or New Year’s because room rates get incredibly expensive at some of the busiest times of the year.
Choose the Neighborhood
Needless to say, staying in the centre is always more expensive than staying in the outer borough. If you have a limited budget, avoid the Midtown area, aim for downtown, uptown or the Upper West Side. Even if you stay in the outer borough, thanks to the efficient public transport system, you can be in the centre in no time. Staying in a residential district like Brooklyn or Queens will give you the best experience if you want to know how real New Yorkers actually live. Not to mention the chance of spotting good restaurants where the locals eat is higher.
Don’t Compete with Business Travelers
By saying “compete” I mean trying to book for the same place, on the same date. Hotels in New York know that the city is the business and finance centre of the country as well as the whole world,
so the amount of people travelling on business is high. That’s why most hotels tend to raise their rates during weekdays due to higher demand. In upscale hotels where rooms are decorated with expensive Ikea Karlstad sofa cover and rare paintings, the price is especially high on work days. Over the weekend, those business travellers often head home to be with their family so you might be able to save if you book at that time.
Buy a Travel Package That Includes All
There are travel packages that include all the things you need for the trip: the air tickets, hotel stay, transportation and even entry discounts to popular points of interest in the city. Think twice before rejecting these offers. They may help you save big. You just need to do some calculations yourself to see if the package will give you actual discounts or not.
Above are some practical tips to help you save the next time you plan a trip to New York. Be an avid traveller and make the right decision!
