Finding Hotel Lodging | Finding the Best Housing Option for Your Off-Campus Experience
Finding Hotel Lodging
There are many student resources for booking hotels for Cornell-related travel.
Club Quarters offers Cornell guests low fixed rates at all 15 Club Quarters locations, as well as subsidized weekend rates for personal travel, based on availability.
For Hotels and Lodging, faculty, staff members and students will receive a discount on the "best available rate" at participating locations. To receive the discount, book online through the provided link or call and provide the agent with the specified discount code.
Although you may choose to make your reservations directly with hotels, you can book your hotel online using the Stovroff & Taylor Travel (STT) online booking tool. There are no fees for booking hotels or rental cars through STT and they offer direct billing.
City-Specific Hotel Lodging:
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Finding the Best Housing Option for Your Off-Campus Experience
What kind of housing do you need? Key questions to consider:
- How long will you be staying?
- What is your budget, and what is the average price to live in the area you are going?
- What is the proximity to important places like work, a grocery store, public transportation, or class?
- Is the property furnished?
- Roommates: Do you want roommates? Are you comfortable sharing a room with someone? Do you need your own bathroom? Are you comfortable with dormitory style housing, or do you want your own space?
- How will these preferences affect your budget?
- Is it a safe location?
- You can use Area Vibes or other online tools to help answer this question.
- Speak with people who are familiar with the area.
- What amenities does the property have, and what amenities are important to you? Consider the following:
- Air conditioning
- Laundry facilities
- Parking
- Kitchen conveniences such as a dishwasher, microwave, oven, stove, etc.
- What utilities are included in the rent/what costs extra? Consider the following:
- Utilities such as water, heat, electricity, and gas
- Cleaning fees
- Internet or cable
Tips
- Trust your initial instincts – if a place doesn’t feel right, don’t stay there. It’s as simple as that.
- See before you sign, read any agreement carefully. Never sign a lease or sublease agreement without viewing the property in person – properties can be misrepresented online.
- Ask if the space is cleaned before new tenants move in.
Avoid Housing Scams
The best way to avoid scammers is to know their common tactics. The following can all be signs of a potential scam:
- Many scammers will operate out of foreign countries, claiming to be landlords that are temporarily living outside the U.S. They may request a deposit before the potential tenant has had a chance to preview the rental property.
- The landlord asks a student to wire money for a deposit or rent to a foreign bank account.
- A security deposit or first month's rent is requested before the student can view the property.
- The landlord states an 'agency' will show the property and deliver the keys. If the property is privately owned and not operated by a property management company, confirm that the agent represents a reputable leasing company first.
- If you find an apartment online that seems too good to be true, it probably is. Be cautious of detailed information, personal photos or property pictures being shared without being requested.
- The landlord asks for unnecessary personal information. Don’t give out your personal or financial information, including your checking account number, Social Security Number, etc.
If you suspect that you have been targeted by a rental scam, report it to local law enforcement immediately.
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