This winter New York is on sale, offering some of the best hotel rates in recent years. An unprecendented 5,100 rooms have been added to New York's hotel stock this year, and without your business, they'll be empty.

"New York is a buyers market right now," says Chris Heywood, vice-president, Travel and Tourism PR, NYC & Company. "Demand for rooms is not keeping pace with inventory, so hotel rates are down."

Visitor numbers from the UK were down 26% in the first half of 2009 and room rates in New York hotels were down 6% at the start of the year, to an average £139, according to Hotels.com. This coming year could see rates dip further.

"Hoteliers have also had to compete harder for visitors as central Manhattan hotels lower their rates to levels usually found in suburbs such as Brooklyn and Queens," a spokesman for Hotels.com said.

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December has always been a popular time to visit the city, for Christmas shopping, ice skating in Central Park, watching the Rockefeller Center's tree lights being switched on, or joining in the shopping frenzy that is Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.

But it's January and February that offer the pick of the deals. "As well as hotel deals, the lines for museums and attractions are shorter in January and February - you'll have the place to yourselves," says Heywood.

His organisation, nycgo.com, is currently running a Sunday night free promotion , with fresh hotel deals expected for the early part of next year.

Nycgo.com also plans to bring back its third night free promotion with a selection of luxury hotels in January and February.

New York first-timer

We've got one of the team heading to New York at the end of the month. Times Online's assistant travel editor, Ginny Light, is visiting the city for the first time to check out some of the new hotels and find the best places to stay for all budgets.

Join our debate

Ginny's got her hotels booked, but needs your help putting together an itinerary. Join our live debate on Friday at 1pm to tell Ginny the best bars, restaurants, shopping and things to see in New York.

Or if you're thinking of heading to New York for a pre-Christmas splurge or a New Year break, join in to get some advice from other readers and from the panel of Big Apple pros we've assembled to advise on the hottest things to do in New York this winter.

Joining the Chris Heywood on our panel will be blogger Sean O'Neill, senior editor of BudgetTravel.com and editor of This Just In , and guidebook writer Lisa Ritchie, editor of the Time Out New York city guide, NYC for Visitors and Shortlist guides.

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