The Ins & Outs Of Renting Vacation Apartments In NYC

Hello Dear Frommers,

Once again I thank you for your great program!

I received a call from someone this morning saying he and two other men are coming to NYC beginning mid-March for at least seven weeks, to conduct Bible and health seminars. I remember you spoke about possibilities of renting someone's apartment and that this would be much less expensive than staying in a NYC hotel.

Where would one would begin to look for such a place? Their seminars will be in Manhattan but I think they might be willing to travel to Queens or Brooklyn if the right setup is available. I'm thinking those areas might be less expensive than a place in Manhattan, though the latter would be ideal.

Thank you SO much for any information. It's great to know you are there for our needs!

Blessings,

Naomi Sica

Dear Naomi,

Thanks so much for your kind message and always happy to help!

And you're right: I do think that renting an apartment is often a cheaper way to stay in NYC, especially for prolonged periods. However, a seven-week stay will be longer than most vacation rentals. The men may have to stay in several different places over the course of their time here, if they don't want to get involved in a real sublet situation (which has its plusses and minuses).

If they decide to go the vacation rental route, I'd suggest looking first at the options offerred by AffordableNewYorkCity.com or NewYorkHabitat.com. Both are local, full-service agencies with fair prices and good service. The plusses of going with an established agency is peace of mind: is something bad happens, say the toilet overflows or a neighbor is too loud, they can help out with repairs, or even move you to another place if worse comes to worse.

Rates may be lower, however, if they book directly with an owner through such sites as www.vrbo.com, www.rentalo.com or www.flipkey.com. The key to doing this in an effective, safe fashion is to ask a LOT of questions before renting, as you won't have an agency trouble shooting for you. Make sure they get the exact address of the place (which they should then check exists; there have been reports of rental scams on CraigsList). They'll also want to find out what charges are included and what will be extra (cleaning is often a required extra). And what will happen if there's some kind of problem with the apartment.

Another option might be to work out a deal with a little B&B, like Honey's B&B or the Sophia Inn, two quite nice, unpretentious and affordable Brooklyn lodgings. Google them for URL's.

And you're right: staying in Brooklyn or Queens would definitely be MUCH cheaper than Manhattan.

Cordially,

Pauline Frommer

Gov. Paterson

Auto Tips

Health Tips

Frommer Tips

Gardening tips

The Ins & Outs of Renting Vacation Apartments in NYC