NYC Last Minute Hotel
December 5, 2010 12:33 PM
I am at JFK waiting to fly to Bermuda. Most likely, my flight is going to be cancelled due to weather in Bermuda. In the event my flight does get cancelled, what is the best thing to do regarding finding a room for the night that isn't going to be dodgy? I have had a look at rates in Manhattan and even something as simple as the Courtyard Marriott on 3rd is going for $450 a night. Should I stay near the airport? If so, where? Do I have any leverage on such short notice? Can I just call the hotel, and say 'Hey, I need a room, if its not you, its gonna be someone else. What's the best rate you can give me?' Help me find a decent place to stay and not pay an arm and a leg in NYC.
Is there a particular reason you have to stay in Manhattan while you wait for the next flight? Why not look in the other direction, at hotels further out in Queens or on Long Island? It's going to be an arm and a leg cheaper.
posted by Ashley801 at 12:39 PM on December 5, 2010
posted by Ashley801 at 12:39 PM on December 5, 2010
I would go on hotwire or priceline and get a hotel near the airport. Hotels near JFK are MUCH cheaper than Manhattan. Otherwise call around to the mid price chain hotels around the airport.
posted by whoaali at 12:41 PM on December 5, 2010
posted by whoaali at 12:41 PM on December 5, 2010
Ask the airline service representative if they have any pricing agreements with a local hotel. I was was once offered cheap "distressed passenger" room rates when my flight was delayed by weather once.
I've spent the night on the floor of JFK before. It wasn't the best night of sleep I have ever gotten, but it can be done.
posted by mmmbacon at 12:43 PM on December 5, 2010
I've spent the night on the floor of JFK before. It wasn't the best night of sleep I have ever gotten, but it can be done.
posted by mmmbacon at 12:43 PM on December 5, 2010
I'd stay near the airport if at all possible. Staying in the city will add an hour or so to your travel time to get back to the airport when it comes time to get your flight to Bermuda. It'll also likely be more expensive, unless you get a last-minute deal or decide to stay in a hostel or something semi dodgy.
You will also pay $100 in cab fare into Manhattan and back. Though if you're flexible and confident with large urban public transit systems, you can get the AirTrain to Jamaica Station and take the LIRR to Penn Station for cheaper. This will take something like an hour and a half on the return, though. The public transit option will still cost you $20 or so each way, though.
A hostel actually wouldn't be a bad idea if you are prepared to deal with the cost/logistics of commuting into Manhattan. Check out hostelworld.com and see what the prices are like. It'll certainly be less than $450.
As for staying near the hotel - go to some popular travel sites (expedia or whatever) and price out hotels near JFK.
posted by Sara C. at 12:49 PM on December 5, 2010
You will also pay $100 in cab fare into Manhattan and back. Though if you're flexible and confident with large urban public transit systems, you can get the AirTrain to Jamaica Station and take the LIRR to Penn Station for cheaper. This will take something like an hour and a half on the return, though. The public transit option will still cost you $20 or so each way, though.
A hostel actually wouldn't be a bad idea if you are prepared to deal with the cost/logistics of commuting into Manhattan. Check out hostelworld.com and see what the prices are like. It'll certainly be less than $450.
As for staying near the hotel - go to some popular travel sites (expedia or whatever) and price out hotels near JFK.
posted by Sara C. at 12:49 PM on December 5, 2010
Nth-ing hotwire (which has 4-star places in the city going for $133 and up tonight) or priceline. Or you can ask your airline for a discount voucher -- typically they will have a decent rate at a nearby hotel, though it may or may not be better than you can do through hotwire/priceline.
posted by chalkbored at 12:53 PM on December 5, 2010
posted by chalkbored at 12:53 PM on December 5, 2010
Looking in Long Island wouldn't be a bad idea if you have a sense of how the NYC metro area commuter rail system works. As I said above, you can get to one of the main LIRR hubs easily from the airport. All you really need is a sense of which towns are convenient to get to.
There are usually local taxis waiting outside the bigger LIRR stations.
posted by Sara C. at 12:54 PM on December 5, 2010
There are usually local taxis waiting outside the bigger LIRR stations.
posted by Sara C. at 12:54 PM on December 5, 2010
If for some reason you have your heart set on staying in Manhattan, The Jane has rooms tonight for $99.00. Don't let the low price scare you. It's clean, safe, and located down in the West Village. The rooms are super small (like 50 sq. ft.) and the bathroom is down the hall, but it's got a great restaurant downstairs and you're close to tons of other restaurants.
posted by kaybdc at 12:55 PM on December 5, 2010
posted by kaybdc at 12:55 PM on December 5, 2010
Another option would be to look on airbnb and see if anyone can accommodate you on such short notice. It will be a hell of a lot cheaper than a hotel room.
posted by special-k at 12:56 PM on December 5, 2010
posted by special-k at 12:56 PM on December 5, 2010
The few times I've been scheduled on a canceled flight, the airline put all the passengers up at a hotel with no cost to us. Check with the airline before you pay anything, is my advice.
posted by epj at 1:03 PM on December 5, 2010
posted by epj at 1:03 PM on December 5, 2010
Nthing hotwire. In September, I needed to book a room in NY and spent a while looking on priceline, submitting bids, getting bids rejected, submitting new bids, etc. When I needed a room in November, I skipped all that jazz and just got a room on hotwire. Work was buying so I went for a 4 star hotel <$300/night but the place where I ended up was beautiful, lovely, short walk to Central Park, very close to the MoMA, etc.
posted by kat518 at 1:08 PM on December 5, 2010
posted by kat518 at 1:08 PM on December 5, 2010
The few times I've been scheduled on a canceled flight, the airline put all the passengers up at a hotel with no cost to us.
While it's true that you should check with the airline to see what they can do, they will not normally pay for a hotel if the cancellation is weather-related. They will pay if you get involuntarily bumped or if the cancellation was their fault, like a mechanical issue. Just wanted to correct that misconception.
posted by cabingirl at 1:14 PM on December 5, 2010
seconding mmmbacon's suggestion, the airline that's bouncing you is likely to have an arrangement with a nearby hotel, you should definitely ask them..
posted by 3mendo at 2:50 PM on December 5, 2010
posted by 3mendo at 2:50 PM on December 5, 2010
If it's late in the evening and the hotel has a lot of empty rooms they will usually lower the price if you bargain with them. So go ahead and ask.
posted by interplanetjanet at 4:27 PM on December 5, 2010
posted by interplanetjanet at 4:27 PM on December 5, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:39 PM on December 5, 2010