It News: 5 great travel deals in ‘next door’ cities

October 2, 2012

5 great travel deals in ‘next door’ cities

Save up to $71 a night by lodging outside a city you’re visiting
October 01, 2012|Charles Passy

For travelers headed to any number of major U.S. cities, it’s a tempting offer: a hotel room for up to 40% off the regular rate, no coupon or loyalty-club membership required.

The only catch? The room isn’t exactly in the heart of the city. In fact, it’s not in the city at all. Think Marietta, Ga., instead of Atlanta. Or Tacoma, Wash., instead of Seattle. Even New Jersey in place of New York.

Call it the “second city” strategy (with all apologies to Chicago), which tourism pros say is gaining in popularity for a likely reason: At a time when travel is starting to boom once again and costs are rising in tandem with demand — hotel prices increased by 5% in mid 2012 versus a year earlier, according to online reservation service Hotels.com — vacationers and business travelers alike are getting creative when seeking savings. Bunking in a nearby town is one such solution, and it may also make for a more meaningful, live-like-a-local travel experience, argue the pros.

Either way, the movement seems to be helping fuel a rise in tourism in many second cities, according to local convention and visitor bureaus. For example, in Alexandria, Va., a popular base for a Washington, D.C., vacation, visitor spending is up 22% over the past five years. “We are thrilled,” says Claire Mouledoux, a spokeswoman for the Alexandria Convention & Visitors Association.

‘Staying in the middle of Times Square is not a good indication of what it’s like to live in New York City.’
Taylor Cole, Hotels.com
Of course, staying outside a major destination comes with a price of another sort: the time it takes to travel into the big city. And there may be hard expenses that need to be considered, too. A $50 savings on a hotel doesn’t represent a value if you’ll spend an extra $50 on cab rides or renting a car. “You have to consider the entire cost of the trip,” says Mike Hilton, an executive vice president with Concur, a company that provides travel-management services.

Then again, the cost could be worth it if that second-city experience gives you that opportunity to, say, play New Yorker for a week. Which could indeed mean sleeping in New Jersey. After all, says Hotels.com spokeswoman Taylor Cole, “Staying in the middle of Times Square is not a good indication of what it’s like to live in New York City.”

With that in mind, we decided to look at five second cities, both in terms of the true savings they represent (prices quoted are provided by Hotels.com) and the experience they offer. Is staying second a first-rate choice? You be the judge.

Jersey City, N.J. (New York)

Average room rate in Jersey City: $194 a night

Average room rate in New York: $247 a night