Page 283 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New York City

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How to Reserve A lower corporate rate is
It is advisable to make hotel usually available to employees
reservations months in advance; of large companies. Quite
otherwise, you may well find often reservation clerks will
that the best rooms and rates grant corporate discounts
have been taken. Most hotels on request without asking
in New York are booked for a company affiliation.
through much of the year, It is also worth checking
but the busiest periods are at a hotel website for special
Easter, the New York Marathon deals and promotions.
week in late October or Some reservation agencies
early November, Thanksgiving, offer discount rates. A good
and Christmas. travel agent should be able
The easiest way to book a to get the best rates, but
hotel room directly is through compare prices by contacting
the hotel’s website. You may be directly a discount reservation
required to pay a deposit or service such as Quikbook
provide a credit card number to (see p283), which offers
The Roxy Hotel lobby (see p285) secure the booking. Print out a discounts of 20–50 per cent,
copy of the booking confirma- depending on the time of year.
tion to give to the hotel when You reserve by credit card and
Facilities
you check in. Reservations receive a voucher, which you
Television, radio, and at least through third party websites present to the hotel. Sites
one telephone are usually such as www.expedia.com such as www.kayak.com offer
provided in every room, even and www.hotels.com can “private sales” of discounted
in modest lodgings, and most offer the best value for money. hotel rooms.
hotel bedrooms have private Most hotels have a toll-free Package tours can also
bathrooms. In budget and telephone number for use in provide savings. Their rates
mid-priced hotels, a shower, the United States, but these may not oblige you to stay
rather than a tub, is the norm. numbers do not work from with a tour group, only
Many hotels offer Internet Europe and the UK. If the hotel to use their air and hotel
access (often with free Wi-Fi), is part of an international chain, arrangements. They may
a business center, and a health an affiliated hotel in your also include airport transfers,
club or exercise room. Luxury country should be able to an additional saving. Airlines
facilities include mini bars in reserve a room for you. frequently have special deals,
the room, dual phones, private particularly during slow travel
phone-message systems, and seasons. A knowledgeable
electronic checkout. Special Rates travel agent should be able
Although you’d expect hotel Hotels are busiest during to tell you the current best
rooms in New York City to be the week, when business deals, but searching online
noisy, most windows are double- travelers are in the city, so might be an easier and quicker
or even triple-glazed to keep out most of them offer budget way to find limited offers that
the noise. Air conditioning is a weekend packages. It’s often can be booked directly. At
standard feature, so there is no possible to move from a off-peak times you may net
need to open the windows in standard to a luxury room for even bigger savings than
hot weather. Even so, some the weekend at the same rate. with the package plans.
rooms are obviously quieter than
others, especially if they are
at the back of the hotel or
overlooking a courtyard – check
when reserving. Light sleepers
may also want to request a room
away from the elevator.
Most of the hotels listed here
are within a few minutes’ walk
of shops and restaurants. Few
hotels have their own parking,
but valets may park your car in
nearby garages. A reduced (but
still expensive) daily parking fee
is normally offered. If there is no
concierge at the hotel, front
desk staff will always help to
answer any queries. Understated elegance at the stylish Kitano (see p288)

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