Take the Metro to the Motel in New York

Actually it's called the Subway in New York, but that's not what we're talking about. We're talking about the Metro Motel in Queens, New York. It's an ideal and effective cost-saver if you're a visitor enjoying New York vacations - the motel is just 10-15 minutes off Manhattan, and the advantages of relatively cheap facilities in Queens.

The Metro Motel offers 120 rooms ideal for both families and business travelers. You don't have a view of the famed New York attractions like the Empire State Building like you do with other New York motels that are actually located in Manhattan. But you do get close proximity to New York landmarks like the Queens Shopping Center, Flushing Meadows (where the U.S. Open Tennis tournament is played) and Shea Stadium.

You also get to enjoy the delightful ethnic and cultural smells and sounds and sights of Queens, which is a melting pot for the latest wave of immigrants. You'll find Bollywood songs being played on street-front stores and the exotic smell of spices mixing with the sights of jewlry stores and saree mannequins in display windows. Chinatown is nearby and cheap Asian food is available a-plenty. It's all part of the New York experience.

You get free parking (10 minutes from Manhattan and La Guardia - that's got to be worth a fortune...) and a choice of a standard room or a Jacuzzi suite. Large beds, lots of glass, which makes the place look bigger than it actually is. The color schemes are a bit heavy, but overall, it's a decent enough place. You have free parking, proximity to the airport and Manhattan and easy accesibility to public transport, a nice bed and private shower. You could do a lot worse for $88 per night in the Big Apple.

Info: 7300 Queens Blvd and 73rd St Flushing NY 11377; (718) 457-5000; www.metromotel.com/