June 11, 2006

Furnished Quarters

I booked this trip to New York at short notice, and hotel rates were more than usually exorbitant.

This encouraged me to experiment by renting an apartment short term instead of going for a hotel room. Cheaptickets led me to Furnished Quarters, and I'm very pleased with the result.

I booked the apartment for 4 days and got a lot more space than I would in a hotel. And daylight, lots of it. That makes a huge difference to me. I also feel relieved by not having maid service; I notice that I like feeling this is my space and no-one else is coming into it. And it's just great not to find a bottle of water with a $5 price tag or a $4 Mars bar by the TV.

As I trotted out on Friday morning with my tote bag in my left hand, I felt like a New York commuter, which had great novelty value and perhaps conveys something of how at-home I found myself with this arrangement.

I think the concept works especially well in New York where everything you might need is a walk away.

It's also a good example of learning something by experimenting. I wasn't expecting to experience such a difference.

Posted by Johnnie Moore at 15:27 in Miscellaneous (everything is)
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Perry Birkmaier says

Maybe you got special treatment because you write travel reviews, because Furnished Quarters doesn't rent for only four days, the minimum reservation is 30 days.

Hi Perry: You're right, when I last checked they weren't offering short lets anymore. I actually booked mine via Cheaptickets.com... I don't know if they've now stopped or only offer them occasionally.

It's a shame, cos I think it worked brilliantly for me. It wasn't a blogger's privilege, but maybe I should try and pull that next time I want to stay!

t says

There is a new housing law in NYC as of this year corporate housing has to be 30 days or more per this law, that is why they no longer take stays for less. They do have rentals in Hoboken and Jersey City just minutes from NYC via the PATH train that will take 7 days or more, and you pay no tax in New Jersey which is even better. Yes, I work for Furnished Quarters, LOL.

Stabilized tenant says

They are full of shit! Yes, Furnished Quarters still do rent on a short-term basis for less than 30 days-I know this for a fact, because I live in one of their buildings as a rent stabilized tenant and noticed from time to time people coming and going who only stay for a few days and leave-Like some Japanese people that they rented to not long ago-these people only stayed for about a week! Gary Brown and his Furnished Quarters Empire are just trying to cover their asses, because politicians have become aware of their short-term rental scam and these politicians have introduced legislation to stop this practice. Look out Gary Brown we are going to expose your bullshit very soon-it's just a matter of time!
This asshole by the name of Gary Brown is the CFO and owner of Furnished Quarters together with his dickhead brother Steven Brown are co-conspirators in the corporate apartment rental scam. They deregulate apartments unlawfully by either declaring the apartment decontrolled or by harassing tenants who have lived in their rent stablilized buildings for years and subjecting them to baseless/frivolous litigation in Housing Court in New York City. These guys are real scumbags! Next time you hear the name "Furnished Quarters" remember the asshole/president and CFO Gary Brown and his brother Steven Brown.

Thanks for your input, Stabilised Tenant. I guess I'd prefer you to have expressed yourself in less inflammatory language, but you've certainly made your point!

Stabilized tenant says

Dear Mr. Moore: Would you be so kind and correct a spelling error in the comment that I posted regarding Furnished Quarters on January 25th 2008? It's the word "deregulate" I inadvertently misspelled it "deregultate" which is wrong-it's located on line 12. Thank you sir and thanks for your weblog it's terific!

Stablized: Corrected as requested. I don't feel qualified to comment on the machinations of New York apartment regulations. I do wish as a visitor to be able to get a short-term apartment and not feel bullied into staying in a hotel, and it appears that the city has other plans for me! At the same time, I hope no-one else gets bullied either.

Stabilized tenant says

Hey folks! What to read more about Furnished Quarters? Go to www.worldiki.com and look for the blog and article that reads "Our Furnished Quarters Nightmare." You'll find it very intertaining! And to you GARY BROWN, owner and CFO of Furnished Quarters-Don't you ever underestimate the power of the internet! Ha! ha! ha! ha! It can hurt your company's image.

Stabilized Tenant says

FURNISHED QUARTERS? or should I say, "FINISHED" QUARTERS-these guys have started to feel the heat! We did not ask for a war, but you DICKHEADS started one with us and we will claim victory! Furnished Quarters is NOT what it's all they claims to be, "STAY DIFFERENT" as depicted in their slogan, it's bullshit-yeah they will be different alright-but beware, don't trust these guys! To begin with, they actually lease cheap office space on west 27th Street in Manhattan-that, in it of itself should tell you something! The entrance to their office bulding looks like one to that of a wholesale butcher shop, but without the prime cuts! Ha!Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! They are Tax Cheats too-THE IRS MIGHT COME AFTER THEM! Hey you, Gary & Steven Brown! Are you fucken guys stupid or what? This is New York City baby, you can't fuck around here! What a couple of losers, get a life you idiots!

P.S. Gary & Steven Brown are the owners of "Furnished Quarters."

Hi Stabilized: I'm all for open comment but your latest seems a bit over-the-top to me.

I disagree with your suggestion that you can judge a company by the look of its offices. I don't mind a rant but your comment seems mostly abuse and not reasoned argument.

Stabilized Tenant says

CONSUMERS YOU NEED TO BEWARE that some of the Furnished Quarters apartments, DO NOT have elevators! Yes, they won't necessarily disclose this fact. Low and behold, that 5th floor "illegal hotel rental" that you agreed to rent for a few days, is actually a walk-up. It already happened to a few people they rented out to in the past. Imagine flying into town with heavy luggage and finding out that you must now drag it all up FIVE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS! It's late in the evening, around 10:00 or 11:00 P.M. and thier offices are closed for the day! They might accomodate you the next day or so to another location only if available, but at an added cost! FURNISHED QUARTERS IS NOT ALL WHAT THEY CLAINM TO BE-SO BEWARE OF THIS SCAM!

Stabilized Tenant says

Correction to typo: "FURNISHED QUARTERS IS NOT ALL WHAT THEY CLAIM TO BE."

Guess who? Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! says

GARY BROWN IS A DICKHEAD! He along with his brother STEVEN BROWN. Yeah, these two guys I just mentioned, are the owners of "FURNISHED QUARTERS." To those of you that will be booking a trip to New York City, try to get yourself into a legitimate well established "legal hotel." These guys are running a scam, by pretending to be a honest based hotel stay.

Guess who? Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! says

A LOUD PARTY AT ONE OF THEIR FURNISHED QUARTERS APARTMENTS: To Gary and Steven Brown owners of Furnished Quarters-So what's with that crazy loud party the other night in that duplex apartment? People have to get up early to be at their jobs the next day and would very much appreciate a quiet and sound good night's rest! Stop renting to party animals! You two shitheads are running an "illegal hotel" and complaints will be filed with the proper authorities if you keep renting out to such people! BY THE WAY, FURNISHED QUARTERS HAVE THROWN THEIR OWN COPORATE PARTIES WHICH INCLUDE THE USE OF ILLICIT DRUGS! Are you two shmocks looking to have more legal troubles?

Hi,
Furnished Quarters still do rent on a short-term basis for less than 30 days-I know this for a fact, because I live in one of their buildings as a rent stabilized tenant and noticed from time to time people coming and going who only stay for a few days and leave.
Thanks for information.

Former Customer of Furnished Quarters says

I was a customer of FURNISHED QUARTERS not so long ago-they do really suck-I was locked out of my room because they had had changed the code to the keypad lock and I was not able to enter the apartment. Finally after about an hour or so, the idiot on the phone, gave me the right combination! What kind of global enterprise are these guys running anyway? After that incident, I realized that it's much better to rent from a legitemate reputable hotel chain.
I no longer recommed Furnished Quarters to any of our associate members or people with whom we do business with. It wasn't just the lockout problem, but the rooms just suck, I could hear a dog, barking next door to me intermittently all night long and some whore screaaming from the orgasm she got from scewing her boyfriend. Furthermore, they charge too much and come short of people's expectations. NOT A WELL RUN COMPANY!

Ms. Elite Corporate Class, Inc. says

I have to agree with the writer on this blog-I also had a horrible experience wuth Furnished Quarters. I might consult a lawyer in regards-These guys are real scum! They had the audacity, to hold back my deposit-Gary and Steven Brown are ASSHOLES! What loosers - Go back to Fairfield Connecticut and stay there you FUCKERS!

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