<p>I’m stuck in such a cruddy situation. For the Thanksgiving holidays, I had planned to stay with a friend in New York city, and I already bought airline tickets. She ended up making last minute plans, which was an extremely crappy thing for her to do, and now I have nonrefundable airline tickets to New York (I go to school in D.C., originally from New Mexico)</p>
<p>I am wondering how can I find some last minute, inexpensive lodging for next week? Thanks for your help!</p>
<p>Some friend… is she going away during that time? Can you at least stay at her place, since it sounds like she kind of screwed you on this? Or… you could suggest she reimburse you for at least part of the cost of the tickets. Doesn’t sound like she is a friend you would want to keep anyway if that annoys her.</p>
<p>Exactly what I (and others who have been helping me) are thinking. She seriously should have set up some back up plan for me or something. This is just completely rude and inconsiderate, and maybe I usually wouldn’t mind someone flakes out on something, but my plane tickets were about $300.</p>
<p>But, anyway, now I’m going to drop some money on a place to stay. Anywhere I can stay 3-4 nights for less than $200?</p>
<p>[cost</a> of hostel in new York - Google Search](<a href=“cost of hostel in new York - Google Search”>cost of hostel in new York - Google Search)</p>
<p>Bumping this up so folks who are more familiar with Hotwire and Priceline bidding can help you.</p>
<p>Given that the friend isn’t there do you even want to go to NYC anymore? If not, contact the airline and see what can be done with the tickets. You may be able to use them for a future flight although with a ‘change charge’ or something.</p>
<p>Do you know anyone else from the NY area?
I suggest using websites like Hotwire to buy cheap hotel rooms. If you buy them sooner to your arrival, they tend to be cheaper but I’m not sure if this applies during thanksgiving.</p>
<p>Pop over to the Alumni office, and chat up the staff there about your situation. At the least, they should be able to get you a list of alums in NYC and the NYC area who you can contact for help/advice/couch space. If you are lucky, the alumni office will be able to put you into direct contact with someone they know there who will take pity on an undergrad from their alma mater and adopt you for the weekend.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Even when tickets are non refundable, you can usually trade them in for a future flight. For a fee, maybe $150. Have you checked into that? Maybe you can go to NYC later when friend is there. You’d be out the $150 change fee rather than all you’d spend going to NYC without friend being there.</p>
<p>If you really want to go over Thanksgiving, I would think you should be able to stay at friend’s place!</p>
<p>(When we go to NYC, I check kayak.com for prices for hotel rooms. Or couchsurfing.org is cheap/free.)</p>
<p>Fee is not that high … more like $25 but you have to use it within a year. Also for housing try hostels.</p>
<p>happymom has a good suggestion. Additionally, you can discuss this with someone at the campus’s chapel. I did this for a religious holiday while I was in grad school and I was invited to the home of someone who regularly opened their home to college students. At first it felt uncomfortable, but within minutes I felt like I was in the home of an old friend (really, and I am glad that I had this experience).</p>
<p>I think a hostel is a great idea! You would meet other people alone and interested in hanging out. There are sites with reviews too. NYC is probably the best city to be “stranded” in.</p>
<p>Hostel might be fun.</p>
<p>I think it would be $150 if it were Continental Airlines but i may be wrong.</p>
<p>This hostel looks pretty good - [Hostelling</a> International - New York (New York City, NY) - Hostel Reviews - TripAdvisor](<a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60763-d121994-Reviews-Hostelling_International_New_York-New_York_City_New_York.html]Hostelling”>http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60763-d121994-Reviews-Hostelling_International_New_York-New_York_City_New_York.html) You could also try couch surfing, although I don’t know what luck you would have over a holiday. [CouchSurfing</a> - Participate in Creating a Better World, One Couch At A Time](<a href=“http://www.couchsurfing.org/]CouchSurfing”>http://www.couchsurfing.org/) My son couch surfed all over Europe earlier this year.</p>
<p>I’m a big Priceline user, but all the winning bids in NYC have been at least $150/night, with taxes and fees. I like the hostel idea. You can read reviews on hostels at [Reviews</a> of Hotels, Flights and Vacation Rentals - TripAdvisor](<a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com%5DReviews”>http://www.tripadvisor.com) under specialty lodging. Some of the top-rated hostels are Zip 112, Hostelling International, American Dream, and Columbus Circle.</p>
<p>my vote wold be to try to change the tickets, if it is cost effective to do so.</p>
<p>Have you checked out the hostels? If you do decide to stay in the city that weekend I think you will have a great experience. This is one of those rare times when a crappy situation could turn into a grand adventure. Toledo offered some good suggestions.</p>
<p>You have my sympathy! I found NYC and its borough hotel rooms unaffordable, even with the discount search sites. A hotel is more than you wanted in the first place.</p>
<p>All you want really is a room. I’ve had better luck recently in NYC with airbnb. Some of these situations already have the roommate present, while others vacate their entire space. Each situation is different but the housing stock generally comes from young people.</p>
<p>CC’ers also suggested to me at one point: Homeaway. That’s also a good site, which we used to book a family vacation week. Homeaway is more upscale than airbnb.</p>
<p>Another choice is to seek a Craigslist housing swap with another student who wants to be in D.C., not NYC, over the holiday weekend. I find CL very spotty, however, so proceed with care. There’s the phenomenon of the “Craigslist Flake” = throwing out an idea but when you go to pursue it, they’ve changed their mind. Some time gets wasted.</p>
<p>Definitely try the COUCHSURFING link posted by kathiep in Post # 14</p>
<p>Thank you for all your great replies! I was able to get in contact with a family friend who will take me in over Thanksgiving, so that matter is settled. I very much appreciate the thoughtful replies on this thread!</p>