It has been almost a whole year since our now 7 year old son accompanied my husband and I to New York City last year for BlogHer 2010. Although so much time has passed, I still hear our son talking about New York this and New York that, even during his pretend play with his younger brother and sister. That is why I am thinking that our first vacation that includes our whole family of five should be to New York City. Someday we will be able to afford Disney, but right now, New York sounds like the best idea.
The hotel we stayed in last August was very nice, but it was not too comfortable for our son to spend any extensive amount of down time. I could not imagine staying in a traditional hotel room with three children. What we would need to find is a loft or apartment that someone is willing to make available for nightly, weekly, and monthly rentals. It would be unlikely that we would stay a whole week, so we would be looking for accommodations for 3 to 4 nights. I was surprised to see how many lofts and apartments were listed on Roomorama for New York City. I actually found a beautiful apartment located only a few blocks from Central Park that is child-friendly, will accommodate up to 6 guests, and has a minimum of only 4 nights at $200 per night.
Roomorama.com lists such accommodations for 283 worldwide destinations. So if you happen to be thinking Paris instead of New York like us, then you will be able to see what short-term rentals are available in Paris. Each listing is very detailed, but vary a bit from one to the next. For example, the apartment I was considering requires a $300 cash deposit and requires you to accept a cleaning service, which costs $99. Some rentals charge extra per guest after a certain number. You will be able to know right away if a particular listing will suit your particular needs, especially if you are a smoker, have children, or plan to bring your pet during your stay. Doing your homework online will help to make your vacation planning much easier.
