Priceline Hotel: Travelling solo and looking for safe and affordable

[mzzdna]

Hi! I plan on travelling solo later this month and am not that familiar with NYC.

I'm hoping for recommendations on:

1) safe neighborhoods

2) less expensive (Is it possible to find a place around $70-80? I don't want to break the bank on a place to stay, just want it to be clean and bug free!)

- saw a 2 star for $69 on hotwire in central park...can anyone help identify?

2-star hotel in Central Park

This hotel features the following amenities:

Fitness Center

Restaurant(s)

Business Center

3) Is it better to HOTWIRE or PRICELINE?

TIA!!!!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

What are the date(s) of your stay?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[mzzdna]

3/25-3/27

looks like HOTWIRE prices went up for that hotel. now at $97. :)

[thereuare]

I don't think i would have recommended this property or location anyway...

While i understand trying to stay within a budget, you need to spend a little money to get something 'decent' in NYC. While some 2* hotels may be acceptable to you, others may not be, and with PRICELINE / HOTWIRE you can't choose which type you will get. We usually recommend, whenever possible, sticking with at least 3* rated hotels in NYC.

As well, this property could be quite far north in the zone which may not be an area you're comfortable with as a solo traveler. Will you be out late at nit at all and comfortable riding the subways at whatever hour you intend on heading back to your hotel? If not, a taxi ride to the north part of this zone could come close to eating up any savings you see on the hotel room.

Do you have an alternate gameplan at this point? What is the best rate you're able to find at an acceptable hotel thru conventional booking channels?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[franklin411]

The last time I stayed in a 2-2.5* in NYC, I really regretted it. The place was decent, but it wasn't worth the $100/night + tax I paid for it (crappy beds, no view, shared bathrooms). I would have been better off at the Hosteling International near Columbia University--at least they have social activities like clubbing/pub crawls, and you're paying 1/3 of the 2* hotel price.

I'd book a hostel and then take my chances with really low PRICELINE bids up to 24h before the trip. Hostels have really liberal cancellation policies, so that way you're covered if you fail w/ PRICELINE.