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I WANT TO WAKE UP IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS
Manhattan, the island at the heart of New York City, awaits you with open arms. After September 11, occupancy rates tumbled to just 70 per cent and hotels had to slash their prices to try to bring back trade. Business has recovered since then, but many hotels will still work hard to win your dollars. Which means that there's not only plenty of choice, but some good bargains to be had if you look hard enough.
I'VE BOOKED A CHEAP FLIGHT, NOW I'D LIKE A GOOD-VALUE HOTEL
As any fan of Manhattan knows, transatlantic deals are often abundant outside peak times such as Christmas and the July-to-early September rush. This year, there are even some summer bargains around. Flying to JFK and back can sometimes cost not much more than a night out in London. However, hotel rooms on the island can still be expensive and the bill will quickly rack up. Even worse, when you have set your budget for accommodation you may be unaware of the taxes that will accrue faster than you can say "Waldorf- Astoria" when you check out. Expect both a 13.25 per cent room tax as well as a two bucks a day in occupancy tax.
When occupancy rates were constantly sky-high and just finding a decent room was a challenge, the proprietors could charge more or less what they liked; Manhattan's hotel rates were way out of line compared with the rest of America (and the rest of the planet, barring Tokyo). In peak periods, this can still happen. But you should be able to find something convenient and comfortable for less than $200 (pounds 130) a night, though once the taxes have bitten that ceiling rises to more like $230 (pounds 145).
FORGIVE ME SAYING SO, BUT THAT LOOKS A TRIFLE VAGUE
It's meant to. Nothing is so flexible as the price of a Manhattan hotel room, except possibly a seat on a Ryanair plane. The median room price in 2002 in Manhattan was $197 (pounds 128), but this masks an extremely wide range of rates. In New York, supply and demand jostle constantly for ascendancy. The result: a mid-range hotel tonight might cost $350...