Why are hotels in New York so expensive?

I'm normaly quite good at getting cheap deals, but I'm having trouble finding an affordable hotel in NYC for a few nights. I've usually paid under £100 pn for a european city centre hotel (4*), and under £60 for 3*, but that doesn't seem possible in the big apple.

any idea why?
any recommendations? doesn't have to be fancy, just sleepable in and own bathroom.

thanks orgers!

Husband says go to priceline.co.uk, go to name your own price section, bid at 40% less than they are asking-you have to wait 24hrs before bidding again, so think carefully, and decide what star and what you are willing to pay.

Husband goes to NY all the time on business, and uses this site every time. Land prices in NY are extortionate,hence the high prices, and hotels and rooms are considerably more compact compared to the rest of USA.

Originally Posted by CoolGirl

I'm normaly quite good at getting cheap deals, but I'm having trouble finding an affordable hotel in NYC for a few nights.

Rubbish exchange rate?

[timwilky]

Add the fact you have city, state and federal taxes on your room.

It's expensive. Renting a loft apartment (B&B or Serviced) for a few days might work out better value than a hotel.

I ended up in between two subway lines and a flyover in Brooklyn for £100 a night,p please I was not!

Dan

I have stayed here before;

http://www.gershwinhotel.com/english/site1.php

I really enjoyed it when I was there, I have stayed there a few times over the years I have been to NYC. But I haven't been to NYC since 03 so I don't know what its like now. I didn't stay in the expensive rooms, I went the backpacker option of room sharing but I was broke and its all I could afford, I actually totally ran out of money as a teenager in NYC!

I thought it was kool place, they had the birthday party there for the guy that wrote "puff the magic dragon" I was annoyed I couldn't go as my flight to London was that night! There had a little bar there which was great, sometimes some live music I think one night it was jazz. I think its about 6-8 block from 34th and 5th and the empire state building is near by too.