Top New York City Hotel Sales from $229/Night Plus Special Family Perks

It's almost Labor Day, but end of summer doesn't have to mean end of vacation time. The late summer and early Fall weeks are some of the best times of year to visit New York City, because the warm weather brings dozens of free festivals and events that the whole family can enjoy. Come and meet Dora the Explorer, who is welcoming families to the Big Apple at the Times Square Visitor Center. She's very cute in real life!

You can save with a new promotion to encourage travel over Labor Day, when the New York Explorer Pass gives a holiday discount of 10% off of 1 or 2 day passes and 20% off of 3, 4, 7 day passes, good through September 7th. Utilizing up-to-date smart card technology, Explorer Passes help you cut the lines and save on entry fees, so they're worth buying now.  To save money on hotels, here are some offers valid if you're planning to travel over the next few months.  

American Girls love New York, and the American Girl Place doll shop is one of the city's top attractions for young women who follow the book series and collect the dolls. The very hip Westin Times Square (888/716-8117) is running a special American Girl offer through December 31, 2010 that gives girls and moms a special American Girl-themed getaway.  With a great-for-New York rate of just $229/N, families can expect a guestroom, American Girl travel bed for you-know-who, welcome letter and map to the American Girl Place store (about 15 minutes' walk from the hotel), a carrying bag, a special for the girls dessert at the hotel, and two bottles of water to beat the summer heat. When you book the Westin, please use the code AMERGIRL to get this offer.  Once you get to American Girl Place, you can sign up for an afternoon tea at the cafe, or even get a new hairdo. See their American Girl Events Calendar to make plans in advance.

Thanks to Hilton, your trip to the Big Apple can be more fun and affordable. A "NYC Sightseeing Package" allows families to select an overnight stay at one of the Hilton chain's six NYC  hotels:  Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square; the stylish Doubletree Metropolitan Hotel on the East Side at midtown; Embassy Suites Hotel New York City down near Battery Park City and close to SoHo; Hampton Inn Manhattan Times Square North, Hilton Garden Inn New York/West 35th Street or Hilton Garden Inn Times Square.  Regardless of where you stay, your family will be treated to some extra perks all summer long.

We priced rates for a mid-September weekend and found some of these Hiltons with hotel rooms with two queen beds, starting at $251/N. In addition to the room, families can enjoy coupons valid for some of New York City’s best attractions including Circle Line or the high-speed Beast -- two water-borne tour boats; CitySights double decker sightseeing tour; meals and celebrity fun at Planet Hollywood; or a stroll through Madame Tussauds New York. If you're staying near Wall Street (pictured above), you can also spend a day at the very cool Equinox Wall Street gym. You can even get a break on the GO Airlink Shuttle for your return trip from the hotel to airport.  To book the Hilton NYC Sightseeing Package, use the site or call 800-HILTONS and mention plan code YW or YW1.  This offer is valid through year's end.

For a tiny taste of Ireland, your family can stay at either of the Fitzpatrick Hotels in NYC with their "Visit Ireland in New York" package available through September 4, 2010. With a 2N minimum, rooms at the Fitzpatrick Manhattan cost $289/N and rooms at the Fitzpatrick Grand Central cost $269/N plus tax for both. Your kids 12 and under will stay free in your room, and kids 13 and older pay $50/N more. Two family members can take advantage of lunch or dinner with a choice from the hotel's Irish Classics menu plus a pint of the essential Guinness, Harp Lager, or Magner's Cider. Additionally, there's Irish breakfast for two each day; you'll definitely want to pay the nominal amount to let the kids try this too. In keeping with the heritage of many Irish immigrants to New York, the hotel package provides 2 tickets to the New York Tenement Museum downtown, a wonderful site. For more information, visit the Fitzpatrick Hotel Group or call them at 800/367-7701.

At the Affinia Gardens in New York, the focus is out of the kitchen and on Central Park. The hotel wants you to take advantage of all the park's paid and free attractions. To that end, the Affinia's Central Park Adventure package provides guests with a room, two adult and one child tickets to the Central Park Zoo, Whirly Pops from the famous Dylan's Candy Shop, a Central Park map, and 24 hours of complimentary Wii gaming in your room during your stay. Ok, so maybe save the Wii playing till after dark, and focus instead on which free concerts at Central Park's SummerStage would be fun for the kids. 

We priced a September weekend and found rates for a large, full service junior suite at the Affinia with a full kitchen and living area for $449/N -- good value for those who will make breakfast and maybe dinner back at the hotel.  This offer is valid till December 31, 2010 and should be booked with the promo code CPARK. Read more about these very comfortable family-welcoming Affinia hotels by FTF.

Then, after you book your stay, read our New York with Kids Attractions guide on the Family Travel Forum website.