Travel Agent - April 28, 2008 - (Page 92)

NEWS IMPACT Exorbitant Hotel Rates Make Alternatives More Appealing Opting for a stay in a furnished apartment instead of a hotel is a growing trend David Eisen IT SEEMS LIKE JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING IS MORE EXPENSIVE NOWADAYS. Anyone who drives a motor vehicle knows that filling up a gas tank costs roughly the same as a four-course meal. (I, of course, had the prescience to avoid this pitfall, which is why I take the subway to work!) Okay, so I live in New York City, where a car isn’t really a necessity, unless you have the means to afford one and the scratch to spend on monthly parking, which, last I checked, costs about the same as the rent for my apartment. Speaking of living quarters, anyone keeping tabs on how much a one-bedroom costs to buy in Manhattan? You know, if my parents would have only listened to me 25 years ago and bought that boarded-up loft on the edge of Tribeca…yeah, I was only six, but was known countywide for constructing my sandcastles on the outskirts, away from the other kids in the sandbox. As many across the U.S. know, hotel rates are yet another entity billowing into the stratosphere, especially in major cities such as New York, San Francisco and Chicago. A recent report from NYC & Company calculated that hotel rates in New York in 2007 clocked in at a record-breaking average of $304 per night. Visiting the Big Apple isn’t financially easy for a family anymore, so it takes some savvy on the part of travelers and agents to secure more affordable space. CONNECTING YOU For more information on apartment accommodations in NYC, visit www.travel agentcentral.com/USA-Northeast A Few Options Furnished Quarters (www. furnishedquarters.com) persuades travelers to “Stay Different.” The company provides lodging not at hotels, but in apartment buildings scattered across New York and other cities in the Northeast. Furnished Quarters is designed more for travelers or families who are staying in a particular city for at least one month (an average stay is three months), but provide a great alternative to spending that time at a hotel. The reason: price and value. As mentioned above, hotel rates hover on average around $300, meaning many hotels charge way more, and in New York, those commanding less are few and far between. The average one-bedroom apartment provided by Furnished Quarters comes out to $200 per day and that gets you not only a beautifully appointed apartment with all the modern touches and amenities (washer, dryer and dishwasher for example), but also includes all of the apartment building services, like a gym, pool and gaming room. For shorter New York City stays, there are smaller independent properties around that are less marketed as those belonging to the Marriott and Hilton ilk. While they might not have all the frills of full-service midtown properties, what you are losing in trappings, you are making up for in price. The New York Inns Hotel Group (www.nyinns.com) has a listing of properties throughout the city with rates starting around $100 per night. In Europe, hotel pricing may be similar to that of the U.S. (and in some cases, lower), but when you take into account that the U.S. dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to, then pricing in some instances can become prohibitive. Here’s a funky alternative for the willing and able: stay at a real monastery. Spain, Italy and France all have monastery lodging at pricing as low as $35 a day (www. monasteriesofspain.com). Although the amenities and services may be spartan, think of all that extra money you’ll save to spend on knickknacks! —DAVID EISEN 92 | TravelAgent April 28, 2008 http://www.nyinns.com http://www.monasteriesofspain.com http://www.monasteriesofspain.com http://www.travelagentcentral.com/USA-Northeast http://www.furnishedquarters.com http://www.travelagentcentral.com/USA-Northeast http://www.furnishedquarters.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - April 28, 2008

Travel Agent - April 28, 2008 Online Now Contents Contributors From the Editor Africa: Where to Stay in the Gateway to Southern Africa South Pacific/Australia: Luxury Lodges in Queensland and Tasmania Pacific/Asia: Shanghai, China’s Cosmopolitan Powerhouse, Sees New Hotel and Cruise Development Canada: Downtown Calgary is Easy to Get Around and Filled with Historic and Cultural Attractions California: Laguna Beach Blends Culture with Coastal Beauty Florida: Golf, History, Food and Fun Defined Our Stay at the Renaissance Resort in St. Augustine Las Vegas: Vegas Hotels Gamble on the Allure of Men’s Grooming Pacific Northwest: Washington Inns Emphasize Local Charm Mexico: Tulum Comes Into its Own as a Luxury Destination Europe: Cruising the Mosel and Rhine Rivers with Amadeus Waterways Rudi Schreiner, President of Amadeus Waterways, Talks about River Cruises Caribbean: Travel Agent Reports From the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange The Slot Spot: Gaming at the Casino Dominicus Cruise: Suppliers and Businesses Use Ships as Springboards to Satisfy Enthusiasts’ Hobbies and Passions Key Legal Decisions Will Affect the Future of Alaska’s Cruise Industry Cover Story: Exclusive Beach Destinations Hotels: The Girlfriend Getaway is an Exploding Market Agent Profile: Sabine Harris’ Personal Touch Provides a Memorable Experience Virtual Tourism: New Websites Give a New View of Tourist Destinations Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Anguilla’s Cap Juluca Sold Aloha Airlines is Grounded Exorbitant Hotel Rates Make Alternatives More Appealing Koepf takes Helm at NACTA, Plans to Expand Membership In the Spotlight Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - April 28, 2008

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