Suite Hotels on the Las Vegas Strip

Las Vegas is a tough city to fully experience on a budget. It is easy to get an affordable hotel on the strip, but eating, drinking, transportation, and gambling can quickly spiral your budget out of control. One great way to save money in Las Vegas is to book a suite hotel room that includes a kitchen. Though the suite will cost more than most budget hotels on the strip, you'll more than make up the saving in food and drink.  Each of the following hotels include a kitchen with a refrigerator, microwave, stove, cookware, and dishes. Each option is less than $150 a night (on weeknights).

Hilton Grand Vacations on the Las Vegas Strip

• PROS: The suites are gigantic and include two flat screen TV's, a kitchen, shower, a whirlpool, a comfy king bed, and wall-to-wall windows. The entire hotel is impeccably clean and the staff are welcoming. The hotel also includes a nice workout room and cafe. 
• CONS: The pool is tiny when compared to most on the strip. Additionally, the Hilton Grand Vacations is located away from the action, at the northern end of the strip, close to Circus Circus and Riviera.

Advice: Instead of purchasing food and beverages in the over-priced hotel shop, go to the CVS located next to the Hilton to save money. 

Hilton Grand Vacations Las Vegas Kitchen

Hilton Grand Vacations Las Vegas bedroom

MGM Signature

• PROS: The MGM Signature suites has all of the same amenities as the Hilton (whirlpool, shower, kitchen, workout room) but everything is a bit more posh. Guests at the Signature have access the Signature's pool and the gigantic pool at the MGM, which is a major bonus.  
• CONS: The MGM Signature is not located directly on the strip. It is connected by a series of walkways to the MGM that take about 5 minutes to walk. 

MGM Signature

Other Options to Consider: PH Towers, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, Palms Place (off strip) 

NYC Hotel just over $100 a night

View of Manhattan from Long Island City

Like most visitors to New York City, my wife and I were on a limited budget for a hotel for our last visit.  There are no budget hotels in prime locations in Manhattan, so we had to compromise on location.  Realizing that hotels in Manhattan were over our budget, we searched for what was available outside Manhattan, but still close to the action.  We put together a list for what we needed in our accommodation.  Our hotel needed to:

1. Be close a subway line to easily get into Manhattan.  
2. Be clean and smoke-free. 
3. Offer a free continental breakfast. 
4. Have free Wi-fi
5. Cost less than $125 per night.  

After searching several boroughs and neighborhoods around Manhattan, we found a hotel that met each of our needs: the Howard Johnson Long Island City.   

What to Expect

Howard Johnson Long Island City

Long Island City is a neighborhood within Queens that is just across the East River from Manhattan.  It famous for having New York's highest concentration of art galleries.  We had read reviews about the hotel being located in "the ghetto," and were nervous about the area before our arrival.  While the neighborhood around the Howard Johnson Long Island City is not posh like Manhattan, we never felt unsafe in the area.  Like anywhere in New York City, my advice would be to not travel alone late at night. 

The hotel itself was basic, but clean.  Check in was quick.  The room was comfortable but not fancy (see pictures to see our room).  The free continental breakfast was good but not great.  Basically, it was what we expected out of a two-star hotel.  The best part about the Howard Johnson Long Island City is that it is easy to get into Manhattan from the hotel.  A subway station is only two blocks from the hotel.  Furthermore, the station is only two stops from Manhattan (along the "F" line), meaning we could get from our hotel into the city in 15 minutes!  

Howard Johnson Long Island City

Howard Johnson Long Island City Pros:

• Close to the Subway
• Cost--just over a $100 depending on season
• Free Continental Breakfast
• Free Wi-Fi
• Clean

Howard Johnson Long Island City Cons:

• Located outside of Manhattan  
• No-frills accommodation

Just the Basics

• Address: 38-71 13th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101
  
• Website: Click Here
  
• Phone:  718-880-3855

Spend less than $75 on hotel for a New York City visit

Room at the Meadowlands Plaza Hotel

I have tried a variety of ways to save money on lodgings when I have visited New York--from hostels in Manhattan to crashing with friends.  The best value for the dollar that I have found (and most enjoyable) has been to stay in New Jersey.   Jersey hasn't always had the best reputation (insert your favorite Jersey joke here).  But seriously, I have enjoyed lodging across the Hudson River for a variety of reasons. 

• It is usually cheaper to fly into Newark than JFK or Laguardia. 
• By using websites such as priceline.com, you can stay in 3 to 4 star hotels for around $75 a night.  Try finding a better deal anywhere in Manhattan! 
• Traveling on New Jersey Transit system buses from Secaucus, New Jersey (where I usually stay) to Port Authority terminal in Manhattan only costs $2.55 and takes about 20 minutes!
• Secaucus itself has many great options for food and entertainment.  

What to Expect
I have stayed at a couple of different hotels in Secaucus.  On my last stay, I stayed at the Meadowlands Plaza Hotel.  By booking through priceline.com, I was able to get a Thursday-Sunday stay for less than $70 at night--that's including taxes and fees!   Once I had made the reservation on Priceline, I called the Meadowlands Plaza to reserve a non-smoking room.

The hotel met all of the needs that my wife and I were looking for; it was safe, clean, quite, offered free shuttle to the bus stop/train station, and was within walking distance to Secaucus's main restaurant district.  The staff was friendly and helped answer questions we had about the area.  Check out their website at  http://www.meadowlandsplazahotel.com/.

I have also stayed at the nearby and similarly named Crowne Plaza Hotel in Secauacus.  Though the hotel itself was a bit fancier the Meadowlands Plaza, it was also more costly and located on a less-frequented bus stop.

The Basics 

• Location: Both hotels I have stayed in have been just off of Meadowlands Parkway in Secaucus. 

• Cost: Usually less that $100 per night through Priceline or Hotwire. 

• Advice: Call hotels before arriving to try to secure a non-smoking (or smoking) room.  You should also ask about complimentary shuttles from the train or bus stations.

•   Lodging Recommendation: Meadowlands Plaza Hotel http://www.meadowlandsplazahotel.com/

• Money Saving Tip: Eat lunch in New York City during the day, but come back to enjoy some of the neighborhood dining options in Secaucus.  Two of my favorite restaraunts were Fifth and Front (located at the corner of Fifth and Front and Natoli's. 

• Fifth and Front is a great local bar complete with an extensive burger and sandwich menu, cheap drinks, and occasional live entertainment.  Filthy-mouthed and thick-accented patrons come at no charge.  It is located at the corner of Fifth and Front Street in Secaucus. 
• Just a few blocks away at 300 Clarendon Street is Natoli's, a yummy Italian Eatery.  Space to eat is limited, so I would suggest ordering take-out or delivery. Phone: 201-864-2243 Website: http://www.natolis.com