New York State Travel and Vacation Guide

Your Choices for Accommodations Can Make or Break Your Trip

Your choice of accommodations can affect the success of your trip to New York State. In many cases, it might even be the highlight of the holiday.

Do not dismiss the matter that staying in the right lodgings can make your trip memorable, while staying in the wrong lodgings can wreak havoc on your vacation to New York State!

The good news is that the Web today provides a variety of resources, reviews and details about the best hotels in New York State, as well as the best deals available.

We always start our lodging exploration with a reputable reservations and information site, such as Hotels.com. Not only does this prevent wasting a lot of time, but it allows us to see a comprehensive view of what lodging available in New York State and can very easily see which ones are good candidates based on prior visitor comments.

How to Select the Right Kind of Hotel

When planning a trip, we recommend that you ask yourself a few important questions that will assist you in selecting the appropriate lodging at the right price.

• Is it important to you to conserve time getting back and forth to sites and events?
• Are you willing to spend more time on public transportation and taxis in order to save on lodging? If so, you can normally get a better price on a hotel room on the periphery.
• Do you crave a place infused with local culture? Smaller independent hotels are often some of the most beautiful and historic ways to experience the local culture.

These are key questions to ask before securing your lodging. We would suggest that you give some thought to how you will use your accommodations to get the most out of your New York State vacation experience before making your decision on where to stay.

When seeking accommodations it is also smart to decide upon the type of accommodations and amenities that suit your desires and requirements. If you won’t be spending much time in your room, and hence you likely care less about the amenities than you do about the location, then we encourage looking for lodging close to the sites in New York State that you would like to see.

Our preferred hotel booking Web site is Hotels.com, which presents more than 70,000 properties worldwide, presents detailed hotel reviews, photos and offers a price match guarantee. There are many other sites, but we have not found one that is as comprehensive and simple to navigate.

Stay at a B&B for an Intimate Lodging Experience

If you delight in the company of strangers and a traditional meal then think about staying at a Bed & Breakfast in New York State. These properties offer an experience very much like staying with old friends and often times the owners have a wealth of knowledge and tips on the dining options, customs, and local sites. And likely the breakfast provided will be gourmet style.

When we are looking to book a B&B, we like to use BedAndBreakfast.com. Its search capability spans a worldwide network of country inns, B&Bs, guest houses and farm stays.

Note that these properties are usually located in more rural areas and may not be in proximity to mass transportation. If you will be getting around by car then this is a splendid option.

Considering a Home Exchange Program?

If you saw the movie “The Holiday” then you should already have a sense of how attractive exchanging your home can be.

If you plan to remain in New York State for a while and you yourself reside in a coveted vacation area (or you have a 2nd home in a coveted location) then you might consider exchanging your home with someone from New York State who is seeking to visit your locale.

Staying in someone’s home in New York State allows you to live like a local (not a tourist) and can end up costing you nothing. You will usually have full use of kitchen and laundry facilities and enjoy the comforts of staying in a cozy home and neighborhood. This alternative is also considered environmentally wise because it does not require additional local resources to account for foreign travelers. And a frequently ignored benefit is that while you’re in someone else’s home that someone else is in yours–maybe picking up your mail, watering your plants, and generally discouraging thieves which target vacant homes.

Check out HomeExchange.com for access to their worldwide network of homes for exchange. A one year membership is required but they guarantee that if you do not find an exchange within your first year they will extend your membership for another year. If you are interested in learning more about the particulars of selecting and contacting possible home exchange candidates Home Exchange Academy provides a special reference guide.

When you are already paying high prices for airfare exchanging your home with another traveler can be an easy way to manage the full cost of your holiday. If you’re thinking you just cannot afford that trip to New York State you may want to reconsider!

Lodging for the Super Tight Budget

If you are on a small budget (perhaps you’re a student) and desiring to get the cheapest accommodation (given that it comes with a bed and bathroom) then we recommend what are known as hostels. Hostels are popular in many countries and often times provide separate quarters for couples and/or senior citizens. There are several hostels available in New York State to choose from. These may be reserved with HostelWorld.com.