I'm going to spend 3 nights at a downtown hotel and they're charging me like $15 a day if I leave my car in their parking lot. I've seen there are side streets around but I'm not sure if it's safe to leave the car there or if I'll get a ticket.
The best move is to ask directly at the front desk if there's free parking for guests or if they'll negotiate a rate for the three nights - sometimes they'll lower the price if you pay it all at once, especially during low season. If that doesn't work out, the $15 a day ends up being the safest bet because downtown there are almost always time restrictions or municipal enforcement, and plus you're protecting your car from theft or damage, which costs way more than what you'd spend on the hotel parking.
The $45 total for three nights is pretty reasonable compared with the risk of leaving your car on a downtown street, where there's almost always parking restrictions or your vehicle could get damaged. I'd pay for the hotel parking without hesitation - at least you've got security and you don't have to worry every time you go out.
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