Peter Greenberg: NYC Weeklong Hotel Rentals

By: Peter Greenberg | Source: AARP.org | 2009-02-05

I have two sons who live in New York City. My husband and I do not want to stay in their tiny apartments when we visit. Can you give us a good lead on a N.Y.C. hotel or even condo rental for a week at a time that is reasonable?
–Kathy, Boerne, Texas

There are a large (and growing) number of sites that offer apartment and condo rentals that might interest you. One to check out is CyberRentals.com, which offers condo and apartment rentals from their respective owners.

For example, a one-bedroom with a great location in Midtown Manhattan goes for about $2,500 per week, or about $375 per night, although the "Stock Market Meltdown Offer" cuts this price by 20 percent. Now this may sound expensive, and it is, but finding a hotel room with comparable space and a similarly good location would likely be just as much. Plus, CyberRentals.com offers user reviews from previous guests and detailed information so you know what you're getting. And of course, there are cheaper options available on the site than the one I've featured.

Another option is A1 Vacations (www.a1vacations.com), which offers an apartment-condo listing format similar to that of Cyberrentals.com. In a helpful way, A1 Vacations offers neighborhood-specific accommodations. So for example, if your sons live in Murray Hill and you want to stay nearby, you can choose from a "charming, sunny studio" for $1,100 per week or a two-story penthouse condo with three bedrooms for $8,500 per week.

In this same vein, there is the popular but somewhat unreliable Craiglist.org. Check out the Vacation Rentals section of the New York site for options.

And finally, if the idea of living in someone else's condo doesn't sound appealing, try hotel search engines like Hotels.com, Kayak.com, BedandBreakfast.com, Altraverse.com or Priceline.com.