Two responses to this morning's item about out-of-control prices at the midtown Days Inn:
1) Hotel weblog HotelChatter surveys Hotwire for better deals, and immediately finds some: "One of the results that popped up for us was a 4 star boutique hotel for $278 a night. If you can find a room for under $300 on short notice, for a weekend in December, you are doing OK in our book." [HotelChatter]
2) A Curbed reader emails, "According to info.1800usahotels.com, most hotels anywhere in the 40s and 50s are about $350 and up a night however maybe that's just a Times Square / Plaza District trend, b/c many hotels are still their normal seasonal rate. The Herald Square Comfort Inn on W 35th near me is still the normal $150 weekday night and $200 weekend night. They are only $200 for the same time period btwn Dec 3-5. Their location is honestly much better and quieter than the Eighth Ave Days Inn. But I guess the ideal place tourists want to stay is in Times Square (go figure)."