New York may be the most popular city in the United States for tourists, as the Associated Press reported in 2010, but it is certainly not the cheapest, especially for hotels and dining out. Many senior and boomer visitors want to spend a month or more in this urban mecca, whether to visit friends, family and grandchildren, to consult medical specialists, or just to explore the great American metropolis.
Only a very few, however, wish to drain their 401(k) for such a trip. The answer for individuals or couples who have a healthy yet not unlimited budget may be extended-stay residence hotels.Such hotels specialize in long visits by business or leisure travelers, offering hotel amenities combined with kitchens, work stations and a reasonable amount of room in which to relax.
Residential Hotel Suites in Midtown Manhattan
There are residential suites available by the month within regular hotels, such as the Sheraton New York on 7th Avenue and 53d Street in Manhattan’s theater district. Another choice might be a hotel such as the Alex on East 45th Street in midtown Manhattan, which focuses on studio and one-bedroom suites.
Yet another choice is an all-suite residence hotel, which features nothing but extended-stay accommodations. The Sutton Court Hotel Residences on East 57th Street in Manhattan, for example, is near great shopping (Bloomingdale’s is almost around the corner), and within a short bus or taxi ride from Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum, the United Nations and some of the city’s finest hospitals such as Sloan-Kettering and the Hospital for Special Surgery.
Advantages of Extended-Stay Hotels
The advantage of booking a month at a place like Sutton Court is that for the price of a midrange hotel room (under $300 a night) an individual or a couple can “live” in a studio apartment in a chic neighborhood not far from Sutton Place, cook their own breakfasts and other meals if they wish, and splurge with the money they save on the theater, the opera and other major New York attractions.
Unlike many New York deluxe hotels, the Sutton Court's telephone and internet services plus a fitness room are all included free in the rental cost. Luxuries include a huge flat- screen TV, 300-thread count bed linens, sofas and chairs, and an array of cooking and dining utensils that travelers would find in a vacation condo, along with a 24-hour doorman and concierge.
For those willing to spend $7,000 to rent a studio suite (or $8100 for a one-bedroom suite) in the heart of New York during the high season (October and April are among the choice times), an extended-stay hotel could turn out to be an excellent value.
Sources
“Tourism falls in New York City, but it becomes favorite U.S. destination,” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/04/AR2010010403567.html
Grace Lichtenstein - I prefer "seasoned" to "senior" but whatever term you use, I have been an outdoor adventurer for most of my adult years. I am a cycling ...
