TravelingForMiles.com may receive commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on TravelingForMiles.com are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. TravelingForMiles.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers.
Some links to products and travel providers on this website will earn Traveling For Miles a commission which helps contribute to the running of the site – I’m very grateful to anyone who uses these links but their use is entirely optional. The compensation does not impact how and where products appear on this site and does not impact reviews that are published. For more details please see the advertising disclosure found at the bottom of every page.
In some of the world’s more visited cities high-end accommodation can be surprisingly affordable (Bangkok springs to mind) but, in others, things can be decidedly different.
Cities like Tokyo, New York and London (to name just a few) can be ridiculously expensive to visit and I’ve often found that even the traditionally “cheaper” brands (DoubleTree, Courtyard, Holiday Inn etc…) can price up at rates that I couldn’t possibly justify paying….but there is a way to save a little cash without compromising on quality.
Between Monday and Thursday hotels in some of the more famous business districts in the world can be just as frighteningly priced as elsewhere in the same city but, come the weekend, things can change quite dramatically.
In this article I’m going to use three examples of business districts that are not noticeably out of the way, that have good transport links to places you may wish to explore and where you’ll find well-priced higher-end accommodation on weekends.
Example 1 – New York, Wall St
New York can be a phenomenally expensive place to visit (even if you’re not looking to stay at a 5* property) but if you’re prepared to stay towards the bottom end of Manhattan where New York’s financial center is to be found you can often get a good deal.
Here’s a screenshot showing how much the more central (to Manhattan) Hyatt properties are charging for a random Saturday night in June….
…and here’s how much the Andaz Wall St is charging for the very same night:
I’m a fan of the Andaz 5th Avenue but when I can book the Andaz Wall St for 35% less the choice of where to stay isn’t a hard one to make.
There are some very cool places to visit towards the tip of Manhattan, transport links to the major New York landmarks are good (get an Uber if you don’t like the subway) and, while it may be a little quieter on weekends than during the week, the area still has a nice vibe and is still full of good places to eat out and relax.
Example 2 – London, Canary Wharf & The City
London is a fantastic place to visit (especially when the sun is shining) but it’s also one of the more expensive places to stay if you’re looking to be close to most of the attractions.
This is where London’s two major business districts come into play.
The Canary Wharf area is a relatively new district of London and it’s dominated by a series of high-rise towers where a lot of the world’s major banks have a presence.
The area is located on the London Underground’s Jubilee line and is 3 stops (8 minutes) from the Tower of London/London Bridge, 6 stops from the Palace of Westminster/London Eye/Downing St/Westminster Abbey (18 minutes) and 7 stops (21 minutes) from Green Park/Piccadilly, Mayfair.
To say that it has good transport links to the major sights would be a big understatement.
During the week the prices in this area can be as extortionate as anywhere else in the city….
….but, come the weekend, things can be very different:
The Marriott West India Quay is a highly underrated London property and at £143/$190 for the night (including all taxes) is a great deal compared to some of the more central properties on the same date:
Canary Wharf may be known for being a major finance hub but it’s also home to a large number of upscale apartments so the area isn’t exactly quiet at weekends and there are a surprising number of bars and eateries on hand if you feel like eating locally.
The more traditional financial district in London is simply known as “the City” and is located in the very heart of London. There aren’t may residential buildings in the area (so parts of it can be quiet at weekends) but it’s remarkably close to most of London’s major attractions and weekend accommodation prices here can be great too:
Other hotel chains have properties in these business districts too (I reviewed the Hilton Canary Wharf earlier in the year) so you don’t have to be a Marriott loyalist to make the most of the cheaper prices.
Example 3 – Tokyo, Shinjuku
Shinjuku is a major banking and government district in Tokyo and it’s also home to the Park Hyatt Tokyo which seems to be a favorite amongst a lot of people (I’m not one of them).
You’re not going to find the Park Hyatt available at great rates just because it happens to be the weekend but, as an example, the very solid Hyatt Regency Tokyo (10 minutes walk from the Park Hyatt) is often considerably cheaper than Hyatt’s other offerings in the city (and the offerings from t other chain’s offerings too).
Here are the prices for all the Hyatt Tokyo properties on a random Saturday night in June – make sure you note the very bottom property on this list:
Given the choice of the Hyatt Regency at ¥23,800 or the Hyatt Centric at ¥36,000 (over 50% more!) I know which one I’d choose!
I’ve stayed at the Hyatt Regency a number of times and while the area around it is definitely quiet when the offices are closed it’s only a short walk to the neon light bonanza that most TV travel shows make out Tokyo to be.
Add to this the very good transport links that Shinjuku station offers (it’s one of the biggest stations in Tokyo offering multiple subway lines and overground trains too) which make getting to the various “must see” sights reasonably simple and you have a great place to be based.
Yes, in this particular example I’ve used a Hyatt Regency property which may not sound particularly upscale (and compared to the Park Hyatt it definitely isn’t) but it a very good property nonetheless and not a big compromise at all.
Bottom Line
If you’re planning a trip to a major world city and are finding that the better accommodations are coming out a little expensive don’t be afraid to try out the business districts and the hotels they offer.
During the week they may not be much cheaper (or cheaper at all) than the rest of the city but on weekends they could provide you with significant savings which will help keep your trip costs down.
[…] How To Book Cheaper Higher-End Accommodation In Expensive Cities […]